Who issues the permit
Septic permits for Hall County properties come from Hall County Environmental Health, which describes itself as a section of the Georgia Department of Public Health. Its office is at 2875 Browns Bridge Road in Gainesville. The county lists its hours as Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with applications and record searches taken from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Environmental Health is part of District 2 Public Health, which covers thirteen northeast Georgia counties.
The rules the county applies are the state's: Georgia's Chapter 511-3-1 and the Department of Public Health's Manual for On-Site Sewage Management Systems. The county board of health adds local items such as its fee schedule and a lot size resolution, which the county posts on its Land Use page.
The application package for new construction
Hall County's application requirements list what must be submitted together, in person or by email: a recorded plat; proof of ownership such as a warranty or quit claim deed; a soil report, meaning a level III soil analysis from a soil classifier if the county does not already have one on file; a to-scale site plan; the water source, with a well permit application filed at the same time if there is no public water and no existing well; the signed septic permit application, including a street number; the house location staked on the lot; and the permit fee, assessed at application.
The county says incomplete applications will not be accepted or retained, and that a valid, issued septic permit is required before a building permit for new construction. Recorded plats can be obtained from the Clerk of Court, and the state publishes a list of approved soil classifiers. For the build sequence, see new septic system installation.
Repairs, additions and existing systems
Repairs, replacements and additions are permitted work under Georgia's rules. Hall County's Land Use page says septic repair permit applications can be emailed to Environmental Health, and the county asks owners planning repairs, additions or modifications to contact the office for details. For properties in unincorporated Hall County on septic, the county says building permit applicants must first contact Environmental Health, except for a short list of permit types such as demolition, re-roofs, temporary power poles, replacement windows, doors or siding, home occupancy business licenses and trade-only permits.
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Free Quote RequestFees, validity and renewals
The Hall County fee schedule effective January 1, 2024 lists residential septic permits at $350 for five bedrooms or fewer and $450 for six or more, $600 for pump systems and advanced treatment systems, $250 for an addition or alteration and $150 for a repair. A special case permit is listed at $300 and installing without a valid permit at $600 plus the fee. The full residential table is on our fee calculator page.
Under Georgia rule 511-3-1-.03(3), cited on the county's application, a permit is valid for twelve months from issue. The owner or an authorized agent may renew a residential permit once before it expires, for a re-evaluation fee and a staff site visit; after that, or after expiration, the initial permit fee applies to a new permit. Applications also expire twelve months after filing if no permit has been issued.
Inspections during installation
The county says certified septic contractors must call Environmental Health between 8 and 9 a.m. to get an inspection scheduled for that day, and calls after 9 a.m. are scheduled for the next working day. Only certified people may install systems; the county's application states that anyone installing an on-site sewage management system must be certified, and the state lists certified installers online.
The application also sets conditions every owner should know: surface and ground water must be diverted away from the system, and the property must have enough unobstructed area for the primary system and a replacement system. Keep those areas clear of new structures; our setbacks guide lists the distances.
Common reasons applications stall
Missing documents are the most common delay. The county will not accept incomplete applications, so check the eight items on the list before you go: plat, proof of ownership, soil report, site plan, water source, signed application with street number, staked house, and fee. If the property was recently divided, the county notes that the street number comes from the Planning and Zoning Department.
Site plans that are not to scale are another. The county asks for a drawing to scale showing setbacks from property lines, the driveway, decks and porches, the primary and reserve systems with trench lengths, and features such as wells, creeks and ponds. A sketch without measurements will come back.
Unstaked houses cause return trips. The county warns that if the structure is not staked, it will charge a re-inspection fee for the return visit. Stake the corners before you ask for the site evaluation.