At a glance
| Who regulates | Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and delegated county agencies |
|---|---|
| Inspection when a home is sold | Required statewide. Required statewide: a Transfer of Ownership inspection by a qualified inspector within six months before the transfer, reported on an ADEQ-approved form. |
The Transfer of Ownership inspection (R18-9-A316)
- The seller retains a qualified inspector within six months before the date of transfer (Sonoran Septic's summary of subsection B).
- The inspector completes and signs a Report of Inspection on an ADEQ-approved form and gives it to the seller.
- Every septic tank is pumped or serviced, unless the system went into service within the past 12 months, pumping wasn't needed under the manufacturer's instructions, or there was no build-up in the tank.
- The seller gives the buyer the report and any permitting, operation and maintenance documents they have.
The buyer's Notice of Transfer
- The buyer completes a Notice of Transfer on an ADEQ form and sends it, with the fee, within 15 calendar days after the transfer.
- For systems built before January 1, 2001 it goes to ADEQ; for systems built on or after that date, to the county or health agency ADEQ has delegated.
Septic tank size in Arizona
Systems are permitted under ADEQ's Type 4 general permits. Your designer and the permitting agency set the tank size.
Compare with other states on our tank size calculator.
Costs
We don't yet have checked Arizona-specific prices. National figures: pumping averages about $420–$430 (pumping cost), inspections about $550 on average (inspection cost), and a conventional system $3,000–$8,500 installed (installation cost).
Rules change, and counties and towns can be stricter than the state. Confirm with the agency above before you buy, sell or build.