To install or replace a septic system in Hunt County, you need an OSSF (On-Site Sewage Facility) permit from Hunt County Environmental Health. The steps are: site and soil evaluation, system design by a licensed designer, permit application, installation by a licensed installer, and final inspection. Total time from start to permitted install is usually 3 to 8 weeks.
Who issues the permit?
Hunt County Environmental Health administers the OSSF program on behalf of TCEQ (the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality). The state writes the rules in 30 TAC Chapter 285. The county handles applications, inspections, and enforcement locally.
You cannot install a new system or replace a failed one without a permit. Doing so is a code violation and can prevent you from selling the home later.
Step 1: Site and soil evaluation
A Texas licensed site evaluator visits your property, digs test pits or bores holes, evaluates the soil profile, and writes a report that determines what kind of system your lot can support.
The output tells you whether you can install a conventional drain field or need a secondary treatment system (usually aerobic).
Step 2: System design
A Registered Professional Sanitarian or Professional Engineer designs the system based on the soil evaluation, the house size, the number of bedrooms, and site constraints like wells, property lines, and easements.
The design specifies the tank size, treatment method, disposal area, and every component down to spray head placement.
Step 3: Permit application
You (or your installer on your behalf) submits the design, the soil report, a site plan, and the application fee to Hunt County. Fees are set by the county and vary by system type.
Turnaround is usually one to three weeks. The county may ask for revisions before issuing the permit.
Step 4: Installation
Only a licensed installer can install the system. The install itself is usually a two to five day job for a residential system. Do not backfill anything until the county inspects the tanks and lines.
Step 5: Final inspection and permit to operate
The county inspector verifies the install matches the approved design. When it passes, they issue the permit to operate. If it is an aerobic system, you also file your maintenance contract with the county at this time.
You are now legal. Save the permit paperwork forever. It comes up every time the property changes hands.
How do we normally handle this for customers?
For most residential installs we quote turnkey: soil evaluation, design, permit, install, and inspection coordination all handled for you. You approve, we run it. One point of contact, one price.