2008 NC Septic Inspection Regulations
This document is designed to give information of the new law that went into affect Jan 1 2008, concerning Septic systems and Real Estate purchases. An individual that is certified by the State of North Carolina must perform any private waste disposal system that requires testing and a report. No other licensing supersedes this, including General Contractors, Licensed Plumbers, or even Septic Pumpers. You must hold an Inspector Certification, issued by the NCOWCICB to perform a septic inspection.
Elite Home Inspections works directly with professional individuals in the septic industry, Certified by the state of NC, to inspect and report on any Private Waste Disposal System that requires a document from a lender for the system.
This inspection is NOT MANDATORY. Check with your Real Estate Agent, Loan Officer or Loan Underwriter to see if this inspection is required, as it incurs additional fees.
Our office will schedule this certification, if necessary, and recommends that this certification be completed after the home inspection findings are disclosed, in an effort to protect the client against the loss of unnecessary time/funds.
NCOWCICB Statutes
"§ 90A‑72. Certification required;
(a) Certification Required – No person shall construct, install, or repair or offer to construct, install, or repair an on‑site wastewater system in the State without being certified as a contractor at the required level of certification for the specified system. No person shall conduct an inspection or offer to conduct an inspection of an on‑site wastewater system without being certified as an inspector at the required level of certification for the specified system.
The final rules for the procedure are pending, however, at a minimum, our information as certified inspectors is that:
*Supporting documentation to include current owner, property address and who is requesting the inspection be noted
*A copy of any operations permits be noted, if applicable/available
*The tank area will be excavated to reveal the inlet pipe, outlet pipe and all applicable lids
*While pumping of the tank is not mandatory, the client will have to sign a waiver to not have the septic tank pumped at the time of the inspection. It is recommended that tanks be pumped in order to visually inspect the tank below the sludge line.
The fees for this inspection will range from $200-$500, depending on if the tank is pumped or if the pumping process is waived, as well as the type of system installed.
Elite Home Inspections performs a “Load and Dye” procedure to confirm functional drainage in the drain waste venting system, which can be an alert to potential problems with the waste disposal system. This is part of the plumbing inspection and is noted in the report under Plumbing Functional Flow Analysis. However, by law, this cannot be used for a Real Estate transaction as a visual “Septic Inspection”. Again, this Load and Dye procedure is included in the home inspection, as part of the plumbing inspection.
Should you have any questions and/or concerns, please feel free to contact our office or go to the website www.ncowcicb.info or www.ncsta.net, or contact our office directly at 888-435-2329.
