How to choose a septic company

In Florida, septic tank contracting is regulated by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). Florida law defines a septic tank contractor as one who installs, maintains, repairs and alters onsite sewage systems (s. 489.551, F.S.). FDEP says the work must be done by a registered septic tank contractor or a state-licensed plumber, except a homeowner working on his or her own owner-occupied, single-family home.

To check a company:

1. Ask for the contractor's registration number and the business name it works under.
2. Open FDEP's septic tank contractor registration links.
3. Use the Individual Septic Tank Contractor Registration Search for the person, and the Individual Septic Tank Business Authorization Search for the company. FDEP also posts full current lists of both.
4. Confirm the names match. FDEP says a business using a fictitious name, or set up as a corporation, LLC or partnership, needs a certificate of authorization. A sole proprietor working under his or her own legal name does not.

Questions about a registration go to FDEP's septic contracting office at 850-245-2118. FDEP also takes reports of unlicensed septic contracting and says people working without a registration and business authorization may face citations and fines.

Inside the Indian River Lagoon program area, the 2030 rule means many jobs end in an enhanced nutrient-reducing (ENR) system or a sewer connection. What the law requires. Not every company installs every type. Ask:

• Which of the three ENR types do you install? Aerobic NSF 245 units, nitrogen-reducing performance-based systems, or in-ground nitrogen-reducing biofilters.
• Which models, and are they on FDEP's approved list?
• Who services it after install? For an aerobic unit, Rule 62-6.012, F.A.C., requires a current maintenance contract with an approved maintenance entity, for at least 2 years at first and then at least 1 year at a time, with service visits at least twice a year. Ask whether the installer is that entity and what the contract costs each year.
• Have you worked with the county grant? Ask how many grant jobs they have done and whether they will accept county payment.

FDEP's ENR FAQ says the usual septic variance is not available for the ENR requirement, so be wary of anyone who says they can "get you out of it".

Every repair, modification or replacement needs a construction permit from the county health department office that handles septic permits, according to the state's homebuyer guide. FDEP says licensed plumbers are not exempt from permits or inspections. Ask in writing:

• Who pulls the permit, and is the fee in the quote?
• Who designs the system, and is a site evaluation or soil test included?
• When is the final inspection, and will you get a copy of the approval?

Since July 1, 2026 (HB 1417), when you apply to repair, modify or replace a conventional system on a covered property, the permit office must tell you about the 2030 rule. A repair is the natural moment to upgrade, and the permit office will remind you of the 2030 rule. Ask the Florida Department of Health in your county what your permit requires.

Get at least two written quotes and compare them line by line. A good quote names:

• The system type and model, or the sewer connection work.
• Permit, design and inspection fees.
• Closing or removing the old tank.
• Yard, driveway or landscaping repair.
• The first year of service, and the yearly maintenance contract price for an aerobic unit.
• The warranty, and who honors it.
• The payment schedule, and whether the price depends on a grant.

A lower price that leaves out the permit or the service contract is not lower. For typical ranges, see septic replacement and costs, grants and financing. For routine work, see septic pumping; for a home purchase, see septic inspection.

Brevard County's Save Our Indian River Lagoon program says eligible owners can have the county pay their licensed septic contractor directly for an eligible upgrade. Not all contractors accept payment from the county, and some ask the homeowner for a deposit before starting. Either way, you must apply and be approved before any septic work starts. Ask each company up front whether it accepts direct county payment. Details: Brevard septic grant, and all programs on the grants page.

• No registration number, or a number that does not match the business name in FDEP's search.
• "No permit needed" for a repair, replacement or upgrade. The state says these need a construction permit.
• Cash only, or a large payment before a permit is issued.
• Starting before grant approval. Brevard says you must be approved before starting any septic work.
• No written quote, or a quote with no system model or permit line.
• Vague answers about upkeep: no named maintenance entity or yearly cost for an aerobic unit.
• Promises to get around the rule. There is no variance from the ENR requirement.

Not sure if your home is covered at all? Run the address check first.

Septic 2030 is an independent guide run by WhenLeads, a division of DV8 WEB LLC. We are not a septic contractor or a government agency, and we do not publish a list or ranking of companies. If you ask for help, we pass your request to one licensed septic company that serves your area, and that company may pay us for the introduction. Homeowners never pay us. You are free to use any company you choose, and the checks on this page apply to every company, including the one we send. About this guide.

Want a start? Ask a licensed septic company that serves your area. The request goes to one company, free and with no obligation.