Septic repair cost in Texas, by part
Angi's 2026 national figures put a septic tank lid repair at $150 to $500, new baffles at $300 to $900 and a pump repair at $250 to $400, and say line repairs average $1,500. These are estimates, not quotes. Replacing a tank or drain field needs a permit. [1] [4]
Last checked · sources below · about this page
These are estimates from commercial cost guides, not quotes and not checked local prices. Get written, itemized bids.
How these figures were gathered
- Where the numbers come from
-
Every price here comes from a published cost guide and is credited to it. No independent survey of Texas septic repair prices turned up. Angi is a national guide; it says its figures come from surveys of its own customers about their project costs, and it offers to connect readers with contractors. Nearby Septic is a lead-generation site: it runs a directory of septic companies. The Nearby Septic figures used here are ones it credits to a Texas installer, 1 Source Water Well & Septic of Magnolia (Apr 2026). The ranges sit side by side instead of being averaged. Both pages were read on . [1] [2]
- Overall range
-
Angi says most homeowners nationally pay $627 to $3,041 for a septic tank repair, and lists an average of $800 (range $400 to $1,300) for Dallas. [1]
Published estimates by part
| Part or job | Angi, national (Sep 2026) | Nearby Septic, citing 1 Source Water Well & Septic, Magnolia TX (Apr 2026) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tank lid repair | $150 to $500 | No figure | [1] |
| Baffles (inlet or outlet) replaced | $300 to $900 | $300 to $900 (baffle work) | [1], [2] |
| New effluent filter installed | $200 to $300 | No figure | [1] |
| Pump | Repair $250 to $400; full replacement $1,000 or more (Angi's table: $250 to $1,000) | $500 to $1,500 (aerator pump) | [1], [2] |
| Repair of a broken or leaking line | Average $1,500 | $1,000 to $4,000 (solid line between tank and field) | [1], [2] |
| New line installed | $1,000 to $4,200, or $50 to $250 per linear foot | No figure | [1] |
| Tank replacement | $3,000 to $9,500 | No figure | [1] |
Note: Drain field work is on its own page. "No figure" means that page gives no figure for that job.
- Comparing bids
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TCEQ suggests getting at least three estimates and asking any installer whose price is far from the others what it added or left out. [3]
Maintenance, repair and permits
- Maintenance
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Texas rules count replacing pumps, filters, aerator lines, valves or electrical parts as maintenance, along with routine checks, cleaning and adjustments. Maintenance does not include changes to the system's design (alterations). [4]
- Repair
-
Under the rules, a repair is replacing any other part of the system (an OSSF, the rules' term for a septic system), outside emergency repairs and maintenance. Replacing a tank or drain field counts as a repair and needs a permit for the whole system. [4]
- Permits for repairs
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Texas rules require a permit and approved plan to repair a septic system, unless an exception applies. The permit comes from your permitting authority, usually an authorized agent: a local government, such as a county, that TCEQ has given the power to enforce the state septic rules. [5] [4] [6]
- Emergency repairs
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TCEQ lists replacing tank lids and inlet and outlet devices, repairing risers and riser caps, repairing or replacing disinfection devices, repairing damaged drip tubing and repairing solid lines as emergency repairs that can start before a permit, but only when the work is needed to stop an immediate, serious and dangerous health hazard. Whoever does the work must notify the permitting authority in writing within 72 hours of starting, describing the methods and materials used. Your local permitting authority can set a stricter rule. [6] [7] [9]
About this page
What published cost guides say common septic repairs cost, part by part, with each figure credited to its publisher. It also explains which jobs Texas rules treat as maintenance, repair or emergency repair, and when a permit is needed.
- Content last changed
- Last verified
- Sources
- 9 sources (7 primary, 2 commercial cost guides), listed below
- Not covered
- Prices from any specific company, or a quote; Drain field repair and replacement (see the drain field page); Aerobic system parts other than the pump, and risers
Contacts
Your local septic permitting authority
- What they handle
- Issues repair permits and receives emergency repair notices. Find it by county with TCEQ's OARS lookup.
Sources
Each fact above cites one or more of these by number. Accessed is the date the source was last re-read.
- [1] How Much Does Septic Tank Repair Cost? [2026 Data]. Angi. Commercial cost guide.
Supports: National repair ranges by part, line repair average, overall range and Dallas average (Sep 2026); its method.
Publisher's date: Updated .
Accessed: . - [2] Drain Field Repair Cost in Texas (2026). Nearby Septic. Commercial cost guide.
Supports: Baffle work, aerator pump and solid line repair figures credited to 1 Source Water Well & Septic (Apr 2026); its directory.
Accessed: . - [3] Advice for an Owner of an On-Site Sewage Facility (Septic System). Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Primary source.
Supports: Get at least three estimates.
Publisher's date: Page last modified .
Accessed: . - [4] 30 Tex. Admin. Code § 285.2, Definitions. Texas Administrative Code, via Cornell Legal Information Institute. Primary source.
Supports: Definitions of maintenance, repair, OSSF, authorized agent and permitting authority.
Accessed: . - [5] 30 Tex. Admin. Code § 285.3, General Requirements. Texas Administrative Code, via Cornell Legal Information Institute. Primary source.
Supports: Permit and approved plan required to repair an OSSF.
Accessed: . - [6] Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System. Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Primary source.
Supports: Emergency repairs that can start before a permit; finding the permitting authority.
Publisher's date: Page last modified .
Accessed: . - [7] 30 Tex. Admin. Code § 285.35, Emergency Repairs. Texas Administrative Code, via Cornell Legal Information Institute. Primary source.
Supports: Emergency repairs only to stop an immediate, serious and dangerous health hazard; written notice within 72 hours.
Accessed: . - [8] OARS: Find a Local Contact (septic permitting authority by county). Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Primary source.
Supports: Finding the local permitting authority.
Accessed: . - [9] 30 Tex. Admin. Code § 285.10, Delegation to Authorized Agents. Texas Administrative Code, via Cornell Legal Information Institute. Primary source.
Supports: Local permitting authorities may adopt standards more stringent than the state rules.
Accessed: .
Page history
- : Added that local permitting authorities can set stricter rules for emergency repairs. Re-checked every source.
- : First version of this page.