Texas Septic Help

Septic permits near Houston: Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties

Outside city limits near Houston, the county usually issues septic permits: Harris County Engineer, Fort Bend Environmental Health or Montgomery Environmental Health. Harris and Fort Bend counties require a maintenance contract on file for aerobic systems; in Montgomery County the state rule applies. [1] [2] [3] [4] [13]

Last checked · sources below · about this page · Markdown version

Not legal advice. This page reports what each county publishes; fees and rules change, so confirm with the county before you apply.

The three counties side by side

Septic permitting in Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties, as each county publishes it
CountyWho issues permitsPublished fee for a houseRules to knowSource
HarrisOffice of the County Engineer, Wastewater Permitting (unincorporated county), through ePermitsSee the county fee schedule; design amendment $150Design by a Texas professional engineer or licensed registered sanitarian; maintenance contract required[1], [5]
Fort BendFort Bend County Environmental Health, online$650 (includes $10 TCEQ fee)No grandfathering; 10-acre exemption doesn't apply; no homeowner maintenance of aerobic systems[6], [7], [8]
MontgomeryMontgomery County Environmental Health Services, Conroe$295 ($285 plus $10 TCEQ fee)No permits in the regulatory floodway; minimum lot sizes[3], [9]
How many permits each county issued in 2025

As TCEQ's authorized agent, Montgomery County issued 1,821 septic permits (authorizations to construct) in 2025, 1,469 of them for surface (spray) irrigation systems. Harris County issued 736 (324 spray) and Fort Bend County 463 (389 spray). Cities and other agencies inside these counties report separately. [10]

See also: Septic system permits issued (authorizations to construct) in 2025 by each county as TCEQ's authorized agent

Check who covers your address

Inside city limits a city may be the permitting authority instead of the county. TCEQ's OARS lookup lists the authorized agents for each county. [4] [11]

Harris County

Who issues permits

The Office of the County Engineer's Wastewater Permitting group reviews plans and issues septic permits in unincorporated Harris County. Applications go through the county's ePermits system, under "Residential Onsite Sewage Facility (OSSF)/Septic". [1] [5]

What a residential application needs

The county's checklist lists:

  • Septic application with a valid address and HCAD property tax number
  • Affidavit to the Public, filed and recorded with the Harris County Clerk
  • Acknowledgement of Testing Requirement form
  • Site evaluation report by a professional engineer or registered site evaluator
  • Property survey if the lot is not in a recorded subdivision
  • Septic design site plan, technical report and system flow diagram, drawn to scale
  • Joinder affidavit if the system crosses property lines
  • Maintenance contract from a licensed Maintenance Provider

[5]

Who may design the system

A Texas-registered professional engineer or a licensed registered sanitarian. [1]

Inspection

The licensed installer must give the permit office at least 24 hours' notice before the system is ready for inspection; only the installer may call in inspections. A failed inspection comes with a list of deficiencies, and a reinspection fee may apply. The county lists 713-274-3800 for inspection questions. [5]

Maintenance contracts

The county says an owner of an approved and permitted septic system is required to have a maintenance contract with a maintenance provider, and that failing to submit one may lead to misdemeanor violations handled in Justice of the Peace courts. Current contracts go to wastewater@harriscountytx.gov. The county's wording is broader than the state rule, so if you have a conventional system, ask the county whether it applies to you. [1] [13]

Changing an approved design

Submit a revised drawing, signed and sealed by a professional engineer or licensed registered sanitarian, through ePermits. The published amendment fee is $150 for a residence and $300 for a commercial system. [1]

Fort Bend County

Permits

Fort Bend County Environmental Health issues septic permits, and applications and maintenance contracts must be submitted online. The county says existing systems are not grandfathered: any change, including moving sprinkler heads or adding lines, needs a new permit, design and fee. It also says the state's 10-acre exemption does not apply in Fort Bend County. [6]

Site, design and lot size

A professional engineer or state registered site evaluator does the site evaluation, and a professional engineer or registered sanitarian designs the system. The county says the property should have at least one acre for a well and septic system; a lot under one acre platted before 1988 needs a professional design. [6]

Published fees

$650 for a single-family septic permit application, including the $10 TCEQ fee and two inspections with plan review; $225 for each extra inspection; $50 a year per system for the aerobic maintenance contract renewal; $75 late fee. The fee page says the fees were current as of May 26, 2023. [7]

Aerobic maintenance contracts

Fort Bend requires an ongoing maintenance contract for every system that uses secondary treatment (treatment beyond the septic tank to a level set in state rules, which is what an aerobic treatment unit does) and says the owner must keep a valid contract in force at all times. Renewals are due 30 days before the current contract expires; a late renewal brings a Notice of Violation, and failing to get a contract brings a Class C misdemeanor charge in Justice of the Peace court. [2] [8] [11] [12]

No homeowner maintenance

The county's local order prohibits owners from maintaining their own aerobic system unless the owner is a certified maintenance provider for that unit and holds the required state licenses. That is stricter than the state rule. [2] [8]

Filing a renewal

Each renewal is submitted online with the annual renewal fee, which is charged for every year of a multi-year contract. The contract must show the current permit number and be signed by both the provider and the owner. Fees are not accepted by mail, and if a provider files late on your behalf, the responsibility is still yours. [8]

What contracts usually leave out

Unless your contract says otherwise, Fort Bend says the provider is not responsible for pumping or cleaning tanks, maintaining the disinfection unit, replacing broken spray heads, damage from power failures, homeowner misuse, or catastrophes beyond the manufacturer's control. [2]

Chlorine

Owners must keep a chlorine residual of at least 0.1 mg/l whenever the system runs, and never use swimming pool chlorine. [2]

Montgomery County

Who issues permits

Montgomery County Environmental Health Services, 501 N. Thompson Street, Conroe. The county lists 936-539-7839 for the septic program and 936-539-7836 for the permit department. [3] [14]

What an application needs

The county's handout lists:

  • A site evaluation with soil analysis from a registered site evaluator, done where the system will go
  • A design from a registered sanitarian or registered professional engineer; the county requires three sets
  • Owner-signed floor plans showing bedrooms, restrooms and square footage
  • The property's floodplain status from the permit office

[9]

Floodway

Montgomery County will not issue permits for any septic system located within the regulatory floodway. [9]

Lot size

At least three quarters of an acre without a private water well, or 1.5 acres with a septic system and a private well. Lots recorded or on the county tax rolls before December 1, 1986 get special consideration, with proof such as a deed or tax receipt. [9]

Published fees

$285 plus the $10 TCEQ fee ($295) to build a residential system; $135 plus $10 for an add-on modification; $135 reinspection fee. The handout was revised March 22, 2023. [9]

Permits expire

The county says septic permits expire within one year of the authorization to construct date, and that a development permit and a septic permit must be pulled together. A notice of approval is needed after installation, before the system is covered or used. [14] [9]

What this means for common jobs

Common septic jobs in the Houston-area counties
JobWhat to doSource
Routine pump-outHire a company registered with TCEQ as a sludge transporter. TCEQ does not list pumping among jobs needing a permit.[15], [16]
Aerobic systemIn Harris and Fort Bend, keep a current maintenance contract on file with the county; in Fort Bend, renew online 30 days ahead with the annual fee. In Montgomery, the state rule applies: after the first two years, keep a contract or maintain the system yourself.[8], [1], [13]
Tank or drain field replacementA permit is required statewide; apply to whoever is the permitting authority for your address.[16]
Moving spray heads or adding linesFort Bend requires a new permit; Montgomery has an add-on application for changes to an existing aerobic system.[6], [14]

About this page

What Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties publish about septic permits: who issues them, what an application needs, published fees, and each county's rules for aerobic maintenance contracts.

Key facts
Covers
  • Which county office issues septic permits
  • What each county's application asks for
  • Published permit, amendment and renewal fees
  • Aerobic maintenance contract rules and penalties
  • Montgomery County floodway and lot-size limits
  • How many 2025 permits each county issued
Not covered
  • Permits issued by cities or other agencies inside these counties
  • Statewide rules in detail (see the Texas permit rules page)
Jurisdiction
Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties, Texas, where each county is the permitting authority (mostly unincorporated areas). Cities and other agencies may issue permits inside these counties.
Audience
Homeowners, buyers and landowners in the Houston area with, or planning, a septic system (on-site sewage facility, OSSF).
Provides
  • A county-by-county comparison table
  • Each county's published requirements, with links to the county page
  • County contact details as published
Content last changed
Last verified
Primary sources
Other formats
Markdown version

Contacts

Sources

Each fact above cites one or more of these by number. Accessed is the date the source was last re-read.

  1. [1] Wastewater Quality Permitting. Harris County Office of the County Engineer. Primary source.
    Supports: Harris permitting office, ePermits, designers, maintenance contract statement and email, amendment fees.
    Accessed: .
  2. [2] Aerobic Maintenance Information. Fort Bend County Environmental Health. Primary source.
    Supports: Fort Bend contract requirement, penalties, self-maintenance ban, items not covered, chlorine residual.
    Accessed: .
  3. [3] On-Site Sewage Facility. Montgomery County Environmental Health Services. Primary source.
    Supports: Montgomery septic office address and phone.
    Accessed: .
  4. [4] OARS: Find a Local Contact (septic permitting authority by county). Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Primary source.
    Supports: Authorized agents by county.
    Accessed: .
  5. [5] Residential Construction & On-site Sewage System (Septic). Harris County Office of the County Engineer. Primary source.
    Supports: Harris application checklist, inspection notice and phone numbers.
    Accessed: .
  6. [6] On-Site Sewage Facility Permits / Packets. Fort Bend County Environmental Health. Primary source.
    Supports: Fort Bend online filing, no grandfathering, no 10-acre exemption, site evaluation, design and lot size.
    Accessed: .
  7. [7] Permit Fees. Fort Bend County Environmental Health. Primary source.
    Supports: Fort Bend permit, inspection, renewal and late fees (current as of 2023-05-26).
    Publisher's date: Page says all fees are current as of 2023-05-26.
    Accessed: .
  8. [8] Annual Maintenance Contract Renewal Fee. Fort Bend County Environmental Health. Primary source.
    Supports: Fort Bend renewal timing, Notice of Violation, online filing, fee per contract year, owner responsibility.
    Accessed: .
  9. [9] How to obtain a permit to construct a septic system and obtain a notice of approval (with OSSF fee list). Montgomery County Environmental Health Services. Primary source.
    Supports: Montgomery application items, floodway rule, lot sizes, fees, notice of approval.
    Publisher's date: Handout revised 2023-03-22.
    Accessed: .
  10. [10] Types of Systems Installed by Time Period, 1/1/2025 to 12/31/2025. Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Primary source.
    Supports: 2025 permits and surface irrigation counts for Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties.
    Publisher's date: Report dated 2026-04-27.
    Accessed: .
  11. [11] 30 Tex. Admin. Code § 285.2, Definitions. Texas Administrative Code, via Cornell Legal Information Institute. Primary source.
    Supports: Definitions of authorized agent and secondary treatment.
    Accessed: .
  12. [12] Maintenance of On-Site Sewage Facilities (Septic Systems). Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Primary source.
    Supports: Aerobic treatment units are among the secondary treatment systems that need maintenance.
    Publisher's date: Page last modified 2026-03-03.
    Accessed: .
  13. [13] 30 Tex. Admin. Code § 285.7, Maintenance Requirements. Texas Administrative Code, via Cornell Legal Information Institute. Primary source.
    Supports: State rule: single-family owners may maintain their own system after the initial two years.
    Accessed: .
  14. [14] Septic Permit - Residential. Montgomery County Permit Department. Primary source.
    Supports: Montgomery permit department phone, permit expiry, development and septic permits pulled together, add-on application.
    Accessed: .
  15. [15] Sludge Transporters: Am I Regulated? Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Primary source.
    Supports: Sludge transporter registration required.
    Publisher's date: Page last modified 2026-09-09.
    Accessed: .
  16. [16] Advice for an Owner of an On-Site Sewage Facility (Septic System). Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Primary source.
    Supports: Pumping as routine care; tank and drain field work needs a permit.
    Publisher's date: Page last modified 2026-03-03.
    Accessed: .

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