Arkansas septic rules

Who regulates septic systems

Code Ann. 14-236-101 et seq.) and its Rules Pertaining to Onsite Wastewater Systems, effective September 5, 2024. Applications go to ADH's Authorized Agent for the city or county, in practice the Onsite Environmental Specialist at the county health unit, or straight to ADH where no agent is designated. A city ordinance that gives the public more protection prevails inside that city.

• Rule: Arkansas State Board of Health, Rules Pertaining to Onsite Wastewater Systems (2024).
• Septic tank cleaning is regulated separately under the Rules Pertaining to Septic Tank Cleaners (Act 71 of 1973, Ark. Code Ann. 17-45-101 et seq.).
• Rule 4.8: cities or counties with Authorized Agents handle applications for ADH.

Sources: Arkansas State Board of Health, Rules Pertaining to Onsite Wastewater Systems (effective Sept 5, 2024), cover page; Act 402 of 1977 as amended, Ark. Code Ann. 14-236-101 et seq. (ADH copy), 14-236-105

When you need a permit

An ADH Permit for Construction is required before a system is built, altered, repaired or extended, and the system may not be used until ADH or its Authorized Agent inspects it and issues a Permit for Operation. Part I of the application must be completed by a Designated Representative, and plan review fees run from $30 to $150 by house size ($30 for a repair). Homeowners keep the right to install and repair their own system under the rules, and a single residence on 10 or more acres with every part of the system more than 200 feet from any property line is exempt.

• Plan review fee by heated structure size: 1,500 sq ft or less $30; 1,501 to 2,000 $45; 2,001 to 3,000 $90; 3,001 to 4,000 $120; over 4,000 $150; alteration, repair or extension $30 (Rule 4.9.1).
• Construction must begin within one year of permit issuance or the permit must be re-validated (Rule 4.9).
• Installers must notify the Authorized Agent at least 24 hours before starting work; emergency repairs may start first if a permit is obtained within 10 working days (Rule 4.7).
• A permit is refused where public sewer is reasonably available (Rule 4.10.4); premises within 300 feet of an available sewer must connect (Rule 4.1).
• Apply through the county health unit's Onsite Environmental Specialist, or online at https://septictankpermitonline.adh.arkansas.gov/.

Sources: Arkansas State Board of Health, Rules Pertaining to Onsite Wastewater Systems (effective Sept 5, 2024), Section 4.10.3; Act 402 of 1977 as amended, Ark. Code Ann. 14-236-101 et seq. (ADH copy), 14-236-102(b)(2); ADH Onsite Wastewater FAQs

Perc tests and soil evaluations

ADH relies on soil pits rather than percolation tests to judge a site, and the soil work and system design must be done by a Designated Representative (DR): a registered engineer, land surveyor or sanitarian, or a licensed master plumber, certified by ADH. Only a Soil Qualified DR may size a system from seasonal water table data. ADH publishes no fixed price for this work; state law lets DRs charge reasonable fees based on prevailing wage rates.

• Monitoring of seasonal water tables is done by a Professional Soil Classifier or DR (Rule 7.4.3.7).
• DR registration costs $100 a year and requires an ADH exam and annual training (Rule 13.1).
• Find DRs by selecting the 'Designated Representative' licence type in the ADH licensee search.

Sources: ADH Onsite Wastewater FAQs; Arkansas State Board of Health, Rules Pertaining to Onsite Wastewater Systems (effective Sept 5, 2024), Section 2.9; Act 402 of 1977 as amended, Ark. Code Ann. 14-236-101 et seq. (ADH copy), 14-236-118

Licensed installers, pumpers and inspectors

ADH licenses Designated Representatives (designers and soil evaluators), installers, septic tank cleaners (pumpers), certified monitoring personnel for alternative systems, onsite maintenance providers and septic tank manufacturers. Installers pass an ADH exam, renew each January 1 with annual training, and a registered installer must be on site for every phase of construction. Check any licence in ADH's Onsite Wastewater Licensees search.

• Annual fees: Designated Representative $100; installer $100; septic tank cleaner $25 per truck; manufacturer $100; monitoring personnel $50.
• Licence lookup: https://onsitewastewater.adh.arkansas.gov/ (lists Designated Representatives, installers, monitoring personnel, manufacturers and septic tank cleaners).
• For an installer, ADH says to search the 'Advanced Septic Installer' licence type.
• Low-income applicants may qualify for a waiver of the initial licence fee under Act 725 of 2021 (Rule 3.5).

Sources: Arkansas State Board of Health, Rules Pertaining to Onsite Wastewater Systems (effective Sept 5, 2024), Section 14.1; ADH Onsite Wastewater FAQs; ADH Onsite Wastewater Fee Schedule (corrected 1-24-2025); ADH Onsite Wastewater Licensees search, page title

Buying or selling a home with a septic system

We found no Arkansas statute or ADH rule that requires a septic inspection or certification when a home is sold. Any inspection is set by the buyer, lender or loan program; for FHA and VA loans see the shared lender section.

FHA does not require a routine septic inspection. The appraiser must visually observe the system and require an inspection only when there are readily observable signs of failure, and the lender must confirm connection to public sewer when it is feasible at reasonable cost. Otherwise an onsite system is acceptable if it works properly and meets local health department requirements; if it is not sufficient and no sewer is available, the property is rejected unless the system is repaired or replaced.

VA training material for appraisers and lenders says septic inspections are generally not required unless the appraiser notes a specific problem, usually odor or seepage, though some states require them regardless. This comes from a 2017 VA training deck; the controlling VA Lenders Handbook chapter could not be read.

• An existing system that ADH finds to be a health hazard or nuisance must be brought up to the current rules within 30 working days of notice (Rule 3.4), which can matter when a failing system is found during a sale.
• A VA Notice of Value may require evidence from the local health authority that an individual sewage disposal system is acceptable.

Sources: Arkansas State Board of Health, Rules Pertaining to Onsite Wastewater Systems (effective Sept 5, 2024), Section 3.4; HUD Handbook 4000.1, FHA Single Family Housing Policy Handbook (Update 18 redline, last revised 8/12/2026), II.D, Onsite Sewage Disposal Systems; VA Loan Guaranty training slides, Notice of Value Conditions (April 12, 2017)

Aerobic systems and maintenance contracts

Aerobic treatment units must be ADH-authorized and listed to NSF/ANSI Standard 40, and any system with secondary treatment falls under ADH's Onsite Wastewater Systems Monitoring Program. Owners of alternative systems and holding tanks must keep a monitoring contract with an ADH-registered Monitoring Person for the life of the system, with assessments at least every 6 months, and no homeowner may monitor their own system.

• The monitoring contract is submitted with the permit application (Rule 12.1).
• Monitoring reports go to the homeowner, the local health unit and ADH's database (Rule 12.5).
• Some ATU makers require manufacturer certification to install or maintain their units (Rule 11.3.2).

Source: Arkansas State Board of Health, Rules Pertaining to Onsite Wastewater Systems (effective Sept 5, 2024), Section 11.3.1

Pumping and septage disposal

The ADH rules we read set no routine pumping interval for homeowners. Anyone paid to pump septic tanks needs an ADH Septic Tank Cleaner License, and septage may go only to a sewage treatment facility with a contract on file with ADH or to a land application site ADH has inspected and approved. Holding tank and portable toilet waste may never be land applied.

EPA's SepticSmart guidance says a typical household system should be inspected at least every three years by a professional and the tank typically pumped every three to five years, while alternative systems with pumps, float switches or mechanical parts should be inspected about once a year under a service contract. Pump when the scum bottom is within 6 inches of the outlet, the sludge top is within 12 inches of it, or sludge and scum fill more than 25 percent of the liquid depth. Care comes down to four elements: inspect and pump, use water efficiently, dispose of waste properly and maintain the drainfield.

• Land application buffers: 1,000 ft from any habitation, 500 ft from public roads, 100 ft from rock outcrops or sinkholes, 50 ft from property lines, 100 ft from streams, lakes, ponds, springs, wells or water supplies.
• Septage must be lime-stabilized to pH 12 for 30 minutes, injected, or incorporated into the soil within 6 hours; annual rate may not exceed AAR = N / 0.0026 gallons per acre.
• Sites with 15 percent slope or more are unsuitable; application records are kept at least five years; ADH reassesses sites every five years.
• Grease trap contents may not go to a land application site approved under these rules.
• Pumping frequency depends on household size, total wastewater, volume of solids and tank size.
• Flush only human waste and toilet paper; avoid grease, chemical drain openers, wipes and heavy garbage disposal use.
• Do not park or drive on the drainfield, keep roof drains and sump pumps away, and plant trees at a safe distance.
• Keep maintenance records and the sludge and scum readings from each service visit.
• SepticSmart Week is held the third week of September each year.

Sources: ADH Rules Pertaining to Septic Tank Cleaners (effective March 25, 2024), Section V(C); ADH Onsite Wastewater FAQs; US EPA SepticSmart, How to Care for Your Septic System; US EPA, SepticSmart Week

Setback distances

Arkansas requires wastewater facilities to be at least 100 feet from any domestic water supply, 100 feet from the high-water mark of a stream or lake, and 10 feet from property lines and buildings (Rule 6.2). Distances grow to 300 feet near public water supplies, and ADH may require more where local conditions demand.

• 300 ft from the high-water mark of a water body if within 1/4 mile of a public water supply intake (6.2.1).
• 300 ft from any spring used as a public water supply (6.2.2).
• 100 ft from any source of domestic water supply (6.2.3).
• 100 ft from the high-water mark of any stream or lake (6.2.4).
• 50 ft from a pond on the same property; 100 ft from a pond on adjacent property if in the pond watershed (6.2.5).
• 10 ft from any dwelling or building (6.2.6); 10 ft from all property lines (6.2.7); 10 ft from any water service line (6.2.8).
• 100 ft from any sinkhole (6.2.9).

Source: Arkansas State Board of Health, Rules Pertaining to Onsite Wastewater Systems (effective Sept 5, 2024), Section 6.2.3

Help paying for a failing system

We found no ADH homeowner repair fund. In November 2025 the state's Clean Water State Revolving Fund made principal-forgiveness loans for septic tank remediation programs run by H2Ozarks ($250,000) and the Illinois River Watershed Partnership ($83,000), both listed for Benton County, and a $64,700 Water Development Fund grant covered administration of H2Ozarks' program in Washington County.

USDA's Section 504 Home Repair program (7 CFR 3550 Subpart C) helps very low-income owner-occupants in rural areas repair their homes: loans at 1 percent for 20 years, and grants for owners 62 or older that may be used only to remove health and safety hazards. Lifetime grants are capped at 10 percent, and total loans at 20 percent, of the national average area loan limit, and a grant must be repaid in full if the home is sold within 3 years.

• USDA Section 504 home repair loans (1 percent, 20 years) and grants for owners 62 and older can pay to remove health and safety hazards; see shared.usda_section_504.
• Homeowners in Northwest Arkansas should ask H2Ozarks or the Illinois River Watershed Partnership about eligibility; program terms were not published on the page we read.
• Applicants must own and occupy the home, have income under the very low-income limit and be unable to get credit elsewhere.
• Elderly families must use net assets above $20,000 (others above $15,000) toward the cost.
• Loan and grant funds may pay reasonable connection fees for utilities such as water and sewer (3550.102(d)(3)).
• The dollar caps published on USDA's program page could not be read (see unverified).

Sources: Office of the Governor, water project funding announcement (Nov 19, 2025); 7 CFR Part 3550 Subpart C, Section 504 Rural Housing Loans and Grants (eCFR), 7 CFR 3550.101

Reporting a failing system

ADH says it responds to environmental complaints involving sewage; contact the Environmental Health office (501-661-2171) or the county health unit's Onsite Environmental Specialist. When a system is malfunctioning, ADH or its Authorized Agent can require the owner to fix it within 30 working days of notice. Problems with a local Environmental Specialist go to the Regional Health Office's Regional Manager.

• ADH Environmental Health: 4815 W. Markham St., Slot 46, Little Rock, AR 72205; phone 501-661-2171.

Sources: ADH General Sanitation program page; Act 402 of 1977 as amended, Ark. Code Ann. 14-236-101 et seq. (ADH copy), 14-236-106(b); ADH Onsite Wastewater FAQs