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Who regulates septic systems in Tennessee and Hamilton County

Septic systems in Tennessee are regulated by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Division of Water Resources, under Tenn. Code Ann. § 68-221-401 et seq. and Rule Chapter 0400-48-01, “Regulations to Govern Subsurface Sewage Disposal Systems.” The statute lets TDEC issue permits to businesses that construct, alter or repair septic systems and to businesses that remove the accumulated waste from them, and lets it contract with county health departments to run the program locally.

Hamilton County is one of nine TDEC “contract counties,” so the local program is run by the Hamilton County Division of Groundwater Protection (part of Development Services, 1250 Market St., Suite 3046, Chattanooga; (423) 209-7876; [email protected]), not by TDEC’s regional office and not by the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department. Groundwater Protection issues the permits for new systems and for changes to existing ones, and all applications have been online since March 11, 2024. Its published fees include a new-system permit at $440, a repair permit at $40, an Inspection Letter at $105 and a Recertification Letter at $180. Bradley County (Cleveland) is not a contract county; permits there go through TDEC’s Chattanooga Environmental Field Office at 1301 Riverfront Parkway, Suite 206, (423) 634-5745.

Three different pieces of paper matter to a homeowner:

• Pumping. Under Rule 0400-48-01-.20, anyone in the business of removing and disposing of domestic septage must hold an annual TDEC Septic Tank Pumping Contractor permit, which expires every December 31. The rule also requires the firm’s name, address and permit number on both sides of the truck in letters at least two inches high. In Hamilton County the business also needs a county pumper license.
• Repair and installation. Under Rule .19, anyone in the business of constructing, installing, altering, extending or repairing a system needs an annual TDEC installer permit, and Hamilton County requires a county installer license on top of it.
• Your own permit. Under Rule .06, a repair permit is required before a failing system is worked on, and in Hamilton County it comes from Groundwater Protection ($40). The county’s fee resolution doubles the fees when work starts before the permit is issued. Rule .13 puts the responsibility for keeping the system in a safe and sanitary condition on the property owner.

Both lists are public. TDEC publishes an “Installers & Pumpers DataViewer” of active permit holders statewide, and Hamilton County posts a 2026 “List of Septic Installers and Pumpers.” We do not verify any company’s permits, so check the name and permit number yourself before anyone comes out. Our guide to who regulates septic systems in Hamilton County goes into more detail.

Two other rules come up on bigger jobs. Tennessee requires a state contractor license for any construction, sewer, excavation or pipeline undertaking of $25,000 or more (TCA 62-6-102), and the Board for Licensing Contractors lists Hamilton and Bradley among the counties where a Home Improvement license is required for residential projects from $3,000 to under $25,000. We found no septic-specific exemption from either threshold, but we also could not confirm how the Board applies them to septic work, so ask the company and the Board. Pumping alone is a service rather than construction.

This is general information, not legal advice.

What to ask any septic company

Because the permits above are public and the trade has no inspector license, use this checklist when the quotes come in:

• Permit numbers. For pumping, ask for the TDEC Septic Tank Pumping Contractor permit number and the Hamilton County pumper license, and check both on the TDEC DataViewer and the county list. For a repair, ask for the TDEC installer permit number and the county installer license. A “License #” on a directory listing may be a business license instead, so ask which it is.
• Proof of insurance. Ask for a current certificate of insurance before anyone digs in your yard.
• Where the septage goes. Rule 0400-48-01-.22 says pumpers must use a wastewater treatment plant when permission is available, or else a TDEC-permitted land-application site. Haulers discharging to Chattanooga’s system hold a City of Chattanooga Truck Discharge Operation Permit at $100 per vehicle per year, and Rule .20 requires a monthly log of every pumping and discharge. Ask where your load is going.
• A written price that covers the whole visit. Ask whether the quote includes locating and uncovering the lid, how digging to a buried lid is charged (a flat fee is easier to compare), and whether the tank is pumped through the main access or only through an inspection port. Typical pumping ranges are in the cost guide.
• Tank size. Rule .08 sizes tanks by bedrooms: 750 gallons for two bedrooms or fewer, 900 for three, 1,000 for four, plus 250 for each additional bedroom. If you don’t know your tank size, the permit on file with Groundwater Protection may say.
• The written finding before any repair. If a company says the drain field is failing, ask for the finding in writing, with photos, and have an inspection determine what the field actually needs before agreeing to trench work. The Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104(b)(13)) makes it unlawful to represent that a repair is needed when it is not. See drain field repair.
• Who pulls the permit. For a repair, ask who will apply for the $40 Hamilton County repair permit and whether the installer will call for the county’s inspection before the trench is covered. See septic repair.
• Timing. Chattanooga’s December–March window averages about 19.6 inches of rain, while August through October are the driest months at 3.6–4.2 inches each (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Lovell Field). Dry ground is easier for trucks and trenches. Ask how soon they can come and whether wet weather changes the plan. For a backup, see emergency septic service.
• How often. No Tennessee rule sets a pumping interval. The EPA’s guidance is that household septic tanks are typically pumped every three to five years and inspected at least every three years by a septic service professional. Ask the company to note the sludge and scum levels on the receipt so you can plan the next visit.

Selling later? The Tennessee Residential Property Disclosure asks about sewer and septic, and TCA 66-5-212 requires a seller to disclose the results of any known percolation test and the presence of a known sinkhole. Keep your pumping receipts and inspection reports. Our guide to selling a house on septic in Tennessee explains more.

To see what a typical visit involves, read how septic pumping works, check typical prices in the cost guide, or browse the FAQ.

This is general information, not legal advice.