Permits and hiring tips
Who issues septic permits around Fayetteville, who provides sewer, and how to vet a septic contractor.
Septic permits in Cumberland County
The Cumberland County Department of Public Health’s Environmental Health section handles septic systems for the county. It does site and soil evaluations for new systems and for repairs of existing ones, inspects existing systems, and keeps a registration list of septic contractors and a list of septage pumpers.
- Office: 1235 Ramsey Street, Fayetteville, NC 28301
- Phone: (910) 433-3600
- Cumberland County water and sewage page
County fees effective July 1, 2024: septic tank permit and soil evaluation $600, repair permit $25, and existing septic tank inspection (reuse or change of use) $150. Check with the county for current fees.
Nearby counties
- Hoke County (Rockfish and Raeford area): Hoke County Environmental Health, 423 E. Central Avenue, Raeford, NC 28376, (910) 875-8407.hokecounty.net
- Harnett County: Central Permitting handles environmental health permits, 420 McKinney Parkway, Lillington, NC 27546, (910) 893-7525.harnett.org
When a permit is usually needed
- Installing a new system on a lot
- Repairing or replacing a failing system, including the drain field
- Adding bedrooms or otherwise expanding a home beyond what its septic permit allows
Routine pumping and simple parts replacement usually don’t need a permit. When in doubt, call Environmental Health before work is scheduled.
North Carolina’s septic rules
Septic systems in North Carolina are governed by the state rules in 15A NCAC 18E, which took effect January 1, 2024, and are carried out by county health departments. Under those rules, an owner generally has 30 days from a notice of violation to repair a malfunctioning system, unless the notice sets a different timeframe. Companies that pump septic tanks need a septage management permit from the NC Department of Environmental Quality.
Sewer providers around Fayetteville
- Fayetteville PWC (Public Works Commission): sewer for the City of Fayetteville. Its Annexation Phase V program is extending sewer to neighborhoods annexed years ago. That area started with about 8,000 parcels without sewer, gets about 500 lots a year, and is scheduled to finish in 2037. Streets with septic repairs or failures, older homes, and denser lots go first.PWC project updates
- City connection help: the City of Fayetteville’s Utility Connection Assistance Program helps qualifying owner-occupants in annexation areas pay sewer assessments. (910) 433-1590.
- Town of Stedman: runs its own water and sewer for homes in town.
- Hoke County Public Utilities: water and wastewater service in parts of Hoke County.
If your home isn’t connected to one of these systems, it’s on septic, and the county permits apply.
Call 811 before digging
North Carolina asks for a call to NC 811 at least three full business days before digging, so utilities can mark their lines. Drain field and tank replacement involve digging, so a professional crew should submit the request. Private lines, like wiring to a shed or an irrigation line, aren’t marked, so point them out.
Hiring a septic contractor
- Ask for proof of general liability insurance
- For repairs or installation, ask for the contractor’s North Carolina septic certification
- Get the price in writing, including locating and uncovering the tank lid
- Ask whether the job needs a county permit, and who will pull it
- Be cautious of anyone who says you need a new drain field without explaining why