Septic inspections when you buy or sell a home

A septic system is buried, so a home tour tells you little about it. If the home you are buying or selling has one, an inspection by a septic company can tell you its condition before closing, when problems are still easy to negotiate.

Is an inspection required?

Requirements can come from your lender, your purchase contract or local rules, and they change. Ask your real estate agent, your lender and the state onsite sewage program (Florida DEP) what applies to your sale. We do not say an inspection is or is not legally required for a given home.

What an inspection can cover

Inspections vary a lot from company to company. Ask in advance exactly what will be done. Common parts are:

• Locating the tank and drain field, and uncovering the lid.
• Pumping the tank so its walls, baffles and inlet and outlet can be seen.
• Checking the drain field area for pooling, odors or soggy ground.
• Checking pumps, alarms and lift stations, if the system has them.
• A camera inspection of the lines, where that is part of the job.

42 septic companies in our directory list septic inspections (as of November 6, 2026), and 72 septic companies list camera inspection or tank locating.

Get it in writing

• A written report with the date, what was checked and what was found.
• The tank size and its condition, and when it was pumped.
• Any repairs the inspector recommends, with a written estimate if they do the work.
• The inspector’s registration number and the company’s insurance.

If the company that inspects also offers to do the repair, it is reasonable to get a second quote.

How to choose a septic company