When a Douglas County home on a septic system is sold, the seller must obtain a Use Permit: a third-party NAWT-certified inspector inspects the system, deficiencies are repaired, and the application ($65 fee plus inspection report) goes to the county health department, which issues the permit in about 2-3 business days. A sale use permit is valid until closing or 12 months.

Inspection at sale	The seller must obtain a Use Permit prior to the sale; a Transfer of Title inspection demonstrates the system functions according to design before the covered transaction.
County fee	$65.00 (Onsite Wastewater Treatment System Use Permit Application Fee). source ↗
Inspector requirement	Inspections must be completed by a third-party Use Permit Inspector certified by the National Association of Wastewater Technicians (NAWT); these inspectors do not work for Douglas County.
When to apply	After the inspection and any repairs, submit the Use Permit Application, fee, and complete inspection report to DCHD (email or in person). Turnaround is generally 2-3 business days.
Validity	A Use Permit for a sale is valid until the date of real estate closing or 12 months, whichever comes first. (Use permit applications expire 12 months from the date of application if no permit is issued.)
If the system fails	All deficiencies must be repaired before a use permit is issued. If the system is malfunctioning and repairs can't be completed before the sale, DCHD issues a Conditional Use Permit when the buyer submits a notarized Agreement to Repair — repairs (or sanitation-district connection) must be completed within 90 days (extendable up to 12 months for good cause).
Exemptions	Covered-transaction exclusions (no inspection required): change in ownership solely to include/exclude a spouse or child(ren); transfer subject to life estate; foreclosure/forfeiture (later resale by the foreclosing entity requires it); redemption from a tax sale (later resale requires it); demolished or uninhabitable premises; vacation/granting of a public right of way; transfer to a trust or to oneself as trustee; and systems never connected to a dwelling/structure or never occupied.

County application / forms

Details to confirm with the county

We couldn't confirm the following from Douglas County's official pages. Check these with the county before you rely on them:

• No explicit winter/snow inspection rule (or spring-inspection agreement) was found in the Douglas OWTS Regulation 26-01 or on the use-permit/FAQ pages.

Verified July 2026 · Source: Douglas County Health Department — Use Permits (Septic Systems) / OWTS Regulation 26-01