Fairfax County, Virginia septic permits and requirements

Permitting authority

Fairfax County Health Department — Onsite Sewage and Water Program

Division of Environmental Health, 10777 Main Street, Fairfax, VA 22030; 703-246-2201; [email protected].

Local permitting authority

Fairfax County Health Department administers state and local rules for onsite sewage disposal systems and private wells. The program reviews installation drawings, issues construction permits, inspects installed systems, provides owner education, and conducts enforcement when necessary.

Apply and track through PLUS

Fairfax County uses its Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) for onsite-sewage applications. Applicants can submit applications and documents, pay fees, track review status, and search property information through PLUS.

Site and soil evaluation

The process begins with a private soil scientist conducting preliminary soil investigation and the owner submitting through PLUS. An Environmental Health Specialist reviews the private evaluation and visits the property to determine onsite-sewage feasibility. Shallow-system soil evaluations have seasonal rainfall limitations under the county code.

Review and inspection sequence

Before approval, the Health Department performs an onsite Level 2 assessment to validate the private Onsite Soil Evaluator or Professional Engineer submission. County inspection guidance also identifies percolation/hydraulic-conductivity verification and a septic-layout inspection before the construction permit is issued.

Published permit fees

The county fee schedule lists a $200 county new-construction permit fee for onsite sewage systems, plus applicable state fees. The listed state fee is $215 for systems at 1,000 gallons per day or less and $1,390 for systems above 1,000 GPD; alternative-system plan review is listed at $200 county fee and a $10 state indemnification fee is also shown. Confirm current fees in PLUS before filing.

Ongoing maintenance

Fairfax County Code requires septic tanks for onsite systems not requiring a VPDES permit to be pumped at least once every five years. Pumping contractors enter the pump-out record in PLUS. Alternative onsite sewage systems have additional operator inspection and sampling requirements.

Official sources

SepticScope summarizes public-agency information for planning purposes. The permitting agency's current instructions control if they differ from this guide.