Rules & Permits
The septic system is governed by Oregon DEQ rules under OAR 340-071, with Polk County Environmental Health acting as the contracted agent for permits and inspections.
Permit lifecycle
- A new septic construction permit requires site evaluation approval, the permit application, a plot plan, land-use approval, and a fee.
- Once issued, a Construction-Installation permit is valid for one year from the date of issuance (per OAR 340-071-0160 and stated on the face of every Polk County permit).
- A permit may be renewed if a renewal request is filed before the expiration date — no work-suspension consequences if renewal lands in time.
- An expired permit can be reinstated if a reinstatement application is filed within one year of expiration (OAR 340-071-0160(6)).
- Once more than one year has passed since expiration, reinstatement is no longer available and a new Construction-Installation Permit application is required. Polk County’s “Which septic application is needed?” flowchart is explicit on this point.
- A field re-evaluation may be required if the county has no records of the system or if the system was installed more than 10 years ago.
For our project: Permit 687-22-000170-PRMT-01 expired July 6, 2024 and the one-year reinstatement window closed July 6, 2025. A new Construction-Installation Permit application has been prepared and is ready to file.
Who can install
Oregon DEQ rules (OAR 340-071-0600) permit:
- The property owner can install their own septic system.
- The property owner’s regular employee can install it (this covers Eli, who’s on Dave’s Gusto payroll).
- A DEQ-licensed installer can also be hired.
The licensed-installer rule applies to businesses operating as installer services. It does not block homeowner-and-employee installation.
Design standards
- Standard subsurface systems are governed by OAR 340-071-0220.
- General prohibitions and requirements: OAR 340-071-0130.
- Polk County publishes its forms and packets at its Environmental Health page.
Key contacts
- Polk County Community Development / Environmental Health: 503-623-9237
- Office address: 850 Main Street, Dallas, OR 97338
- Oregon DEQ Residential Septic page: oregon.gov/deq/residential
Quick reference
- Polk County On-Site Sanitation FAQ: link
- Polk County Permit Application Information: link
- **Polk Coun