Rule 0400-48-01

Tennessee Septic Laws in Plain English

The state septic chapter is long and written for regulators. This page pulls out the numbers a Maury County homeowner actually needs and says what each section means for you.

What are the septic laws in Tennessee?

Tennessee's septic rules live in Rule 0400-48-01, and in Maury County TDEC's Columbia field office enforces them. In practice that means a TDEC permit before any dirt work, a tank sized by bedrooms (900 gallons for three), 50 feet between the system and a well, and a state-permitted installer unless the owner exception applies.

At a glance

The rule
Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-48-01

Who enforces it here
TDEC, Columbia Environmental Field Office, 931-380-3371

New-system fees
$500 conventional, $700 alternative, inspection included

Repairs
Permit required, no permit fee, $100 inspection

Your system's rulebook
The permit, site sketch, and design TDEC issued for your lot

Doing it yourself
Possible under Rule .19, with the same permit and inspection

Open the official rule chapter Open TDEC's section index

What are the key Tennessee septic requirements?

Seven rules cover most of what a homeowner runs into. The last column tells you where to look them up.

Topic: Permit first
What it means for you: No digging, grading, or repair work until TDEC issues the permit
Where it lives: Rule .06

Topic: State fees
What it means for you: $400 permit plus $100 inspection for a conventional system; $500 plus $200 for an alternative one; repair permits have no permit fee
Where it lives: TDEC permit page

Topic: Tank size
What it means for you: At least 750 gallons for 2 bedrooms or fewer, 900 for 3, 1,000 for 4, then 250 more per extra bedroom
Where it lives: Rule .08

Topic: Setbacks
What it means for you: 50 ft from a well; 10 ft from property lines; field 25 ft from sinkholes and streams
Where it lives: Rule .11

Topic: Backup area
What it means for you: Your permit sketch saves room for a second, full-size drainfield (the duplicate area). Don't build on it
Where it lives: TDEC permit standards

Topic: Soil work
What it means for you: The soil map has to come from a soil consultant on TDEC's approved list
Where it lives: Rule .18

Topic: Who installs
What it means for you: A state-permitted installer, unless you qualify for the owner exception on your own home
Where it lives: Rule .19

Topic	What it means for you	Where it lives
Permit first	No digging, grading, or repair work until TDEC issues the permit	Rule .06
State fees	$400 permit plus $100 inspection for a conventional system; $500 plus $200 for an alternative one; repair permits have no permit fee	TDEC permit page
Tank size	At least 750 gallons for 2 bedrooms or fewer, 900 for 3, 1,000 for 4, then 250 more per extra bedroom	Rule .08
Setbacks	50 ft from a well; 10 ft from property lines; field 25 ft from sinkholes and streams	Rule .11
Backup area	Your permit sketch saves room for a second, full-size drainfield (the duplicate area). Don't build on it	TDEC permit standards
Soil work	The soil map has to come from a soil consultant on TDEC's approved list	Rule .18
Who installs	A state-permitted installer, unless you qualify for the owner exception on your own home	Rule .19

Fees come from TDEC's construction permit page. The gallons-by-bedroom detail is on our tank size guide and the distances on our setbacks guide.

A plain-English map of Rule 0400-48-01

The Secretary of State publishes the whole chapter as one PDF. Find your situation in the last column, then search the PDF for the section number on the left.

Sections: .01 to .02
Topic: What the rule covers, and its definitions
What it says: Says which systems the chapter applies to and defines its terms. SSDS (subsurface sewage disposal system) is the rule's name for a septic system; the disposal field is your drainfield.
You'd look here when: A word like repair or conventional system means something narrower here than in everyday talk. Check the definition before you argue a point with anyone.

Sections: .03 to .05
Topic: Land, soil, and perc tests
What it says: How TDEC decides a lot can take a septic system: soil mapping, perc tests, subdividing land, and setting aside a reserve area.
You'd look here when: You're buying land, splitting a parcel, or planning a house. Acreage alone doesn't make a lot buildable, so keep machines off the likely field until the soil work is done.

Sections: .06
Topic: Construction permits
What it says: You need a state permit to build, change, extend, or repair a system, and you have to follow its conditions.
You'd look here when: Before any dirt work. An old permit may not cover a new house plan, more bedrooms, or a repair.

Sections: .07 to .12
Topic: How the system gets built
What it says: The design rules for drainfields, tank size and construction, treatment devices, setback distances, and pumped (dosed) systems.
You'd look here when: You want to know why your tank is the size it is, how far it has to sit from the well, or why the installer can't just copy the neighbor's layout.

Sections: .13 to .17
Topic: Upkeep and the unusual systems
What it says: Maintenance, grease traps, alternative and experimental systems, outhouses (privies), and composting toilets.
You'd look here when: You're weighing a composting toilet, an outhouse, or a system someone called alternative. Each one still needs the permit and upkeep its category calls for.

Sections: .18
Topic: Soil consultants
What it says: How TDEC approves the private soil scientists who map lots for septic permits.
You'd look here when: Before you pay for a soil map. Check that the consultant is on TDEC's current approved list.

Sections: .19 to .20
Topic: Installers and pumpers
What it says: Annual state permits for installers and pumping companies, what they must know and do, the records they keep, and how TDEC disciplines them. Also holds the owner exception.
You'd look here when: You're hiring someone, or thinking about doing the work yourself. A general business license doesn't replace the state permit.

Sections: .21 to .24
Topic: Fees, septage, and service contracts
What it says: Program fees, where pumped septage can go, and the maintenance providers required for aerobic units (ATUs) and drip systems.
You'd look here when: You're budgeting permit fees, or you own an aerobic or drip system and need to know what service it legally requires.

Sections	Topic	What it says	You'd look here when
.01 to .02	What the rule covers, and its definitions	Says which systems the chapter applies to and defines its terms. SSDS (subsurface sewage disposal system) is the rule's name for a septic system; the disposal field is your drainfield.	A word like repair or conventional system means something narrower here than in everyday talk. Check the definition before you argue a point with anyone.
.03 to .05	Land, soil, and perc tests	How TDEC decides a lot can take a septic system: soil mapping, perc tests, subdividing land, and setting aside a reserve area.	You're buying land, splitting a parcel, or planning a house. Acreage alone doesn't make a lot buildable, so keep machines off the likely field until the soil work is done.
.06	Construction permits	You need a state permit to build, change, extend, or repair a system, and you have to follow its conditions.	Before any dirt work. An old permit may not cover a new house plan, more bedrooms, or a repair.
.07 to .12	How the system gets built	The design rules for drainfields, tank size and construction, treatment devices, setback distances, and pumped (dosed) systems.	You want to know why your tank is the size it is, how far it has to sit from the well, or why the installer can't just copy the neighbor's layout.
.13 to .17	Upkeep and the unusual systems	Maintenance, grease traps, alternative and experimental systems, outhouses (privies), and composting toilets.	You're weighing a composting toilet, an outhouse, or a system someone called alternative. Each one still needs the permit and upkeep its category calls for.
.18	Soil consultants	How TDEC approves the private soil scientists who map lots for septic permits.	Before you pay for a soil map. Check that the consultant is on TDEC's current approved list.
.19 to .20	Installers and pumpers	Annual state permits for installers and pumping companies, what they must know and do, the records they keep, and how TDEC disciplines them. Also holds the owner exception.	You're hiring someone, or thinking about doing the work yourself. A general business license doesn't replace the state permit.
.21 to .24	Fees, septage, and service contracts	Program fees, where pumped septage can go, and the maintenance providers required for aerobic units (ATUs) and drip systems.	You're budgeting permit fees, or you own an aerobic or drip system and need to know what service it legally requires.

This is a summary, and the rule text wins any disagreement. The law behind the rule is Tennessee Code Title 68, Chapter 221, Part 4, which is where variances and hearings are handled. TDEC's index links to it.

Which TDEC septic permit do you need?

Your situation: Building a new home on a standard system
TDEC service: Conventional Septic System Permit
What to know: Any new house, business, or outbuilding on a conventional system or an approved substitute. $500 total with the inspection

Your situation: Your current system is failing
TDEC service: Septic System Repair Permit
What to know: Get it before the repair starts. TDEC designs the fix, and the installer builds to that design

Your situation: Adding bedrooms, or moving the house, pool, or garage
TDEC service: Septic System Modification Permit
What to know: Any change that touches the approved plan, the drainfield, or the backup area

Your situation: Soil too poor for a standard drainfield
TDEC service: Alternative Septic System Permit
What to know: Covers LPP (low pressure pipe), mounds, lagoons, and aerobic units with drip lines. Needs an extra-high-intensity soil map first. $700 total with the inspection

Your situation: Splitting land into lots that will use septic
TDEC service: Subdivision Evaluation
What to know: Needs the survey and soil map before TDEC looks at the division

Your situation	TDEC service	What to know
Building a new home on a standard system	Conventional Septic System Permit	Any new house, business, or outbuilding on a conventional system or an approved substitute. $500 total with the inspection
Your current system is failing	Septic System Repair Permit	Get it before the repair starts. TDEC designs the fix, and the installer builds to that design
Adding bedrooms, or moving the house, pool, or garage	Septic System Modification Permit	Any change that touches the approved plan, the drainfield, or the backup area
Soil too poor for a standard drainfield	Alternative Septic System Permit	Covers LPP (low pressure pipe), mounds, lagoons, and aerobic units with drip lines. Needs an extra-high-intensity soil map first. $700 total with the inspection
Splitting land into lots that will use septic	Subdivision Evaluation	Needs the survey and soil map before TDEC looks at the division

You apply through TDEC's online septic service page, which also says to get the permit before dirt work or building-pad construction. Our Maury County permit guide walks through timing, soil work, and the final inspection.

What the rules mean at each stage of a build

Before design

Find out whether sewer is available, then settle the bedroom count and where the house and well will go. Hire an approved soil consultant for the map, and leave the building pad and the likely drainfield ungraded until that's done.

Before construction

Lay the issued permit and site sketch next to your current plans. If anything moved, from the house footprint to a bedroom to the field location, ask for a modification before the builder starts.

During installation

Use an installer permitted for your system type, unless TDEC has confirmed the owner exception fits. Build exactly what the permit shows, and get the inspection before anything is covered.

After approval

File the permit, the final record, the soil map, and any service agreement where you'll find them when you sell. Keep cars and buildings off both fields, and keep pumps and alarms working.

Can a homeowner install their own septic system in Tennessee?

Sometimes. Rule .19 says the annual installer permit doesn't apply to an owner, or the owner's tenant, doing the work on their own home. The same sentence keeps the construction permit requirement, so you skip the installer license and nothing else: the permit, the approved design, and the inspection all still apply.

That can work for a simple conventional system. Alternative systems bring pumps, control panels, and maintenance-provider rules that make owner installs much harder. Before you start, get the Columbia Environmental Field Office to confirm in writing that the exception fits your house and your system type.

Be honest with yourself about the trench work. A field line laid off grade has to be dug up and redone, and catching that is the inspector's job. A licensed installer's written quote is worth getting just to compare.

Ask TDEC, and get it in writing

Does the Rule .19 owner exception cover me and this house?
Do I need a construction permit or a modification permit?
Can an owner install this type of system?
Does any part of the job need another licensed trade?
When do you need to see it before I backfill?
What paperwork shows final approval?

What changed with third-party permits and inspections?

Since October 2024, registered third-party engineers have been able to prepare permit packages or conduct final inspections under a separate state process. TDEC still issues the approval. Our permit guide explains eligibility, timing, and where to submit. Check the TDEC program instructions before hiring someone for this work.

Inspections and penalties

TDEC's installer guidance says the Division can inspect every installation against the permit, and the installer has to notify the Division when the work is done. Leave the system uncovered until the required inspection is complete and backfill is authorized. Confirm whether TDEC staff or an eligible third-party engineer will inspect your job.

Violations can bring civil penalties, and installers can lose their permits. For a homeowner the usual penalty is slower and costlier: an unpermitted system with no state record turns into a problem when you sell or refinance.

About our sources. Maury Septic uses the sources listed below, including Tennessee's septic rule chapter and TDEC's permit pages. Follow the links for the underlying rules, fees, and guidance.

Sources and further reading

Tennessee Rule Chapter 0400-48-01
Tennessee Secretary of State
Official current chapter text governing Tennessee subsurface sewage disposal systems.
Tennessee SSDS regulations, Chapter 0400-48-01
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
Official rule index for permits, design, maintenance, soil consultants, installers, and fees.
TDEC third-party permits and final inspections
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
Route available since October 1, 2024: registered third-party water resources engineers, eligible soil-scientist packages, submission instructions, and agency review. TDEC still issues the permit and certificate of completion.
TDEC SSDS construction permit
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
Who needs a permit, application requirements, review timing, current state fees, and inspection duties.
TDEC septic services and online application
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
Conventional, repair, and alternative-system applications, plus soil-map requirements.
TDEC licensed installers and pumpers
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
State licensing requirements and the current installer and pumper lookup.
TDEC SSDS permit documentation standards
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
Current state policy for digital permit sketches, attachments, reproducible field references, setbacks, and FileNet record quality.

What else do property owners ask about Tennessee septic rules?

Who enforces Tennessee septic rules in Maury County?

TDEC's Division of Water Resources, out of the Columbia Environmental Field Office at 931-380-3371. Maury isn't one of the nine Tennessee counties that run their own septic program, so TDEC issues the permit and completion record. An eligible third-party engineer may handle the inspection under the state program. County zoning and building permits are a separate track.

Do I need a permit to repair a septic system in Tennessee?

You do, and it has to be issued before the repair starts. TDEC designs the repair under a repair permit, so nobody should start digging on a contractor's word alone. If you aren't sure your job counts as a repair, ask the Columbia office first.

Does Tennessee require a septic inspection when you sell a house?

Not statewide, though a loan or purchase contract often does. Our buyer's guide covers who can require one, and the septic inspection guide covers cost and what a good inspection checks.

Can TDEC make me fix an old failing system?

It can. Rule .13 makes keeping the system safe and sanitary the owner's job, and when a system malfunctions, TDEC issues a written notice giving the owner at most 30 days to repair, replace, or improve it. If you already know it's failing, calling the Columbia office yourself gets the repair permit moving sooner.

Permit in hand?

Looking for an installer for permitted work?

Describe the permitted job and we'll check whether a licensed installer who works Maury County can quote it. If nobody can, we'll tell you. Permits and owner-exception questions stay with TDEC.

Keep your permit, system sketch, and service records together. They help the next professional understand your property.