How Does the Septic Permit Process Work in Ontario?

Septic systems are regulated under the Ontario Building Code

In Ontario, private sewage systems — what most people call septic systems — are regulated under the Ontario Building Code. In general, installing a new system or replacing an existing one requires a permit before any work starts. The idea is simple: a system that treats and disperses household sewage on your own property has to be designed and built to a standard that protects your well, your neighbours and the environment.

Who issues the permit depends on where you are

One thing that surprises people is that there isn't a single office that handles septic permits for the whole province. Depending on the area, the authority responsible might be the municipality, a local health unit, or a conservation authority. That's a big reason the process — and the exact paperwork — can look different from one county to the next.

It's also why we don't promise a specific timeline or guarantee approval: those are up to the authority for your area, not the contractor.

The steps, start to finish

• Site evaluation — the property and proposed development are assessed: soil, available area, elevations, setbacks, wells and watercourses.
• Design — a system is designed around the building's daily design flow and the site conditions.
• Application and drawings — the required drawings and documentation are prepared and submitted to the appropriate authority.
• Review and permit — the authority reviews the submission and issues the permit.
• Installation — the system is installed to the approved design.
• Inspection — the required inspection(s) are carried out before the system is covered.
• Final approval — once everything checks out, the system is completed and backfilled.

What affects how long it takes

The biggest variables are the completeness of the application and the workload of the authority reviewing it. A complete, correct submission avoids the back-and-forth that causes most delays — which is one advantage of having the same team prepare the design and the documentation.

How Infiltra handles it

We prepare the required drawings and septic documentation as part of the project, and because we design and install, the plan that gets approved is the plan our crew builds. You don't have to become an expert in your local process — that's our job.