Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-08-08
Septic permitting in Minnesota is handled at the county level — county health departments approve systems in 87 of 87 counties.Every entry below names the approving authority for that county, cited to the authority’s own page.
Septic rules change and some cities run their own programs — treat this as a verified starting point, not legal advice. All states → Minnesota water rights & wells → Full Minnesota profile →
87 counties · county health departments · permit status scouted for 3
Aitkin County Environmental Services (Planning & Zoning)
Aitkin County Septic Systems ↗Anoka County Public Health and Environmental Services Department
Anoka County Sewage Treatment Ordinance #2018-5 ↗Becker County Planning & Zoning (Environmental Services)
Becker County Planning & Zoning - Permits and Forms ↗Beltrami County Environmental Services Department
Beltrami County Environmental Services - Septic System Management ↗Benton County Department of Development (Planning & Zoning)
Benton County, MN Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems ↗Big Stone County Environmental Services (SSTS program under MN Pollution Control Agency)
Big Stone County Environmental - Septic Systems ↗Blue Earth County Property and Environmental Resources Department
Blue Earth County – Septic Systems ↗Brown County Planning & Zoning (SSTS program)
Brown County Planning & Zoning ↗Carlton County Zoning and Environmental Services
Carlton County - Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems ↗Carver County Environmental Services - SSTS
Carver County Environmental Services ↗Cass County Environmental Services (SSTS program, under MN MPCA rules Ch. 7080-7083)
Cass County MN - Septic System (SSTS) Information ↗Chippewa County Land & Resource Management (SSTS program under Minnesota Pollution Control Agency)
Chippewa County MN - Land & Resource Management ↗Chisago County Environmental Services
Chisago County — Septic ↗Clay County Environmental Health (SSTS program under Minnesota Pollution Control Agency)
Clay County - On-site Septic Systems ↗Clearwater County Office of Environmental Services
Clearwater County MN - Environmental Services ↗Cook County Land Services (Planning & Zoning)
Cook County Land Services - Permits ↗Cottonwood County Environmental/Soil & Water Office (County Septic Inspector), under MPCA SSTS rules
Cottonwood County SSTS Installation Process Handout ↗Crow Wing County Land Services (Environmental Services)
Crow Wing County Septic ↗Dakota County Environmental Resources (County Ordinance 113 SSTS, under MPCA Minnesota Rule 7080)
Dakota County - Septic Systems ↗Dodge County Environmental Services Department
Dodge County Environmental Services - Building in Rural Dodge County ↗Douglas County Land and Resource Management
Douglas County Land & Resource Management ↗Faribault County Planning & Zoning / SWCD (SSTS program)
Faribault County Local Water Management Plan - County SSTS Program ↗Fillmore County Zoning / Land Use Office (SSTS program under MPCA Minn. Rules 7080-7083)
Fillmore County - Septic (SSTS) ↗Freeborn County Environmental Services
Freeborn County Sewer / SSTS Ordinance ↗Goodhue County Land Use Management - Environmental Health (Septic Division)
Goodhue County - Septic (Environmental Health) ↗Grant County Land Management / Environmental Services
Grant County MN - Ordinances ↗Hennepin County Environmental Health (SSTS Ordinance 19)
Hennepin County - Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems Standards Ordinance ↗Houston County Environmental Services Department
Houston County Zoning / Planning Department ↗Hubbard County Environmental Services Department
Hubbard County Environmental Services ↗Isanti County Zoning Department (Septic Specialist)
Isanti County Zoning Department ↗Itasca County Environmental Services (Subsurface Sewage Treatment System program, under MPCA Ch. 7080)
Itasca County - SSTS Ordinance ↗Jackson County Land Management Office / Environmental Services (SSTS, under MPCA)
Jackson County Minnesota - Subsurface Sewage Treatment ↗Kanabec County Environmental Services (SSTS, under MPCA)
Kanabec County MN - Septic Regulations & Permitting ↗Kandiyohi County Environmental Services (SSTS program)
Kandiyohi County Environmental Services - SSTS ↗Kittson County (SSTS program) under Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Local septic system programs ↗Koochiching County Environmental Services (SSTS program under Minnesota Pollution Control Agency)
Koochiching County, MN - SSTS (Septic System) Ordinance ↗Lac qui Parle County Environment Department (Planning & Zoning)
Lac qui Parle County SSTS Management Ordinance ↗Lake County Planning & Zoning / Environmental Services (SSTS program)
Lake County Planning & Zoning FAQ ↗Lake of the Woods County Land & Water Planning Office (SSTS)
Lake of the Woods County - SSTS Ordinance ↗Le Sueur County Environmental Services (SSTS Program)
Le Sueur County Septic Program ↗Lincoln County Environmental Office
Lincoln County, MN - Environmental Office ↗Lyon County Planning & Zoning (SSTS program)
Lyon County Planning and Zoning - Septic Systems ↗Mahnomen County Zoning & Sanitation (SSTS program, under MN Pollution Control Agency)
Mahnomen County – Zoning & Sanitation (SSTS) ↗Marshall County Environmental Services / Water and Land Office (under MPCA SSTS rules)
Marshall County MN - Environmental Services ↗Martin County Planning & Zoning (SSTS Program)
Martin County Septic Systems ↗McLeod County Environmental Services (Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems)
McLeod County - SSTS Septic System Permits ↗Meeker County Land Use Department (SSTS/sewer permits)
Meeker County Land Use Records ↗Mille Lacs County Environmental Resources (SSTS program)
Mille Lacs County - Septic System Compliance & Permitting ↗Morrison County Land Services (Planning & Zoning)
Morrison County - Septic Systems ↗Mower County Environmental Services (Subsurface Sewage Treatment System program, adopts MN Rules 7080-7083 under MPCA)
Mower County - Septic Systems ↗Murray County Environmental Services (Planning & Zoning Division)
Murray County Zoning/Permits ↗Nicollet County Planning & Zoning (SSTS Program)
Nicollet County Septic Systems ↗Nobles County Environmental Services
Nobles County Septic System Ordinance and Forms ↗Norman County Environmental Services Department
Norman County Environmental Services - Planning & Zoning ↗Olmsted County Inspections (SSTS program)
Olmsted County - Building, Well & Septic ↗Otter Tail County Land and Resource Management
Otter Tail County Septic Permit Applications ↗Pennington County (SSTS program under MPCA)
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Local septic system programs ↗Pine County Planning & Zoning / Land Services Department
Pine County Septic Systems (Planning & Zoning) ↗Pipestone County Environmental Services (Conservation & Zoning)
Pipestone County Environmental Services ↗Polk County Environmental Services (Subsurface Sewage Treatment System program, under MPCA Ch. 7080)
Polk County - Environmental Services ↗Pope County Land & Resource Management
Pope County Land & Resource Management - SSTS ↗Ramsey County Public Health - Environmental Health
Ramsey County Public Health - Environmental Health ↗Red Lake County Environmental Services (SSTS under the Red Lake County Septic Ordinance / MPCA)
Red Lake County - Environmental Services ↗Redwood County Environmental Office
Redwood County Environmental Office ↗Renville County Environmental Services
Renville County Environmental Services - Permits & Forms ↗Rice County Environmental Health
Rice County Environmental Health ↗Rock County Planning & Zoning / Land Management Office (SSTS program)
Rock County SSTS (Septic) Ordinance ↗Roseau County Environmental Services (under Minnesota MPCA Ch. 7080/7081)
Roseau County Environmental Services ↗Scott County Environmental Services (SSTS program)
Scott County, MN - Septic Systems ↗Sherburne County Planning & Zoning Department (SSTS under MN Rules 7080-7083 / MPCA)
Sherburne County - Septic Permits ↗Sibley County Zoning Department (SSTS program under Ordinance Article 300 and Minnesota MPCA rules)
Sibley County Septic (SSTS) ↗St. Louis County Planning & Zoning - Onsite Wastewater Division
St. Louis County Onsite Wastewater (Septic Systems) ↗Stearns County Environmental Services
Stearns County - Environment-Related Permits ↗Steele County Environmental Services / Planning and Zoning (SSTS)
Steele County Planning and Zoning Permits - Septic ↗Stevens County Environmental Services (SSTS, under MPCA)
Stevens County Minnesota - Septic Systems ↗Swift County Environmental Services
Swift County SSTS Ordinance ↗Todd County Planning & Zoning (SSTS program, under MPCA)
Todd County MN - Septic Systems (SSTS) ↗Traverse County SSTS program (administered through Traverse Soil & Water Conservation District, under MN Pollution Control Agency)
Traverse SWCD - County Programs ↗Wabasha County Planning & Zoning - Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems (SSTS) Program
Wabasha County - Wells & Septic ↗Wadena County Planning & Zoning Department
Wadena County MN - Planning & Zoning ↗Waseca County Planning & Zoning Department
Waseca County Permits and Forms ↗Washington County Department of Public Health and Environment
Washington County Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems (SSTS) ↗Watonwan County Land Management Department
Watonwan County MN - Septic Systems ↗Wilkin County Environmental Office
Wilkin County Zoning Permits ↗Winona County Planning & Environmental Services
Winona County Septic Systems ↗Wright County Environmental Health Office (Planning & Zoning; under MPCA)
Wright County Code 155.090 - Sewage & Wastewater Treatment Standards ↗Yellow Medicine County Land and Resource Management Office
Yellow Medicine County Land and Resource Management Office ↗Every county here has a full profile — its index score, water, land prices, and the rest of its building rules. See the Minnesota state page for all counties ranked, or the national septic guide.
General guidance, not legal advice. Off-grid, building, and land-use rules are often set at the county level and change often. Verify with your county and state before acting. Data reviewed 2026-06-26.
