Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-10-10
Septic permitting in Missouri is mixed: 64 counties use county health departments, 45 go through a state agency, and 6 through regional districts.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 → Full Missouri profile →
115 counties · mixed — varies by county · permit status scouted for 115
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS)
Adair County Health Department - Onsite Sewage ↗Andrew County Health Department
Andrew County Health Department - Sewage ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS — OWTS Construction Permit Required ↗Audrain County Health Department - Environmental Public Health Services
Environmental Public Health Services — ACHD ↗Barry County Health Department, Environmental Services
Environmental Services | Barry County Health ↗Barton County Health Department (Environmental Health)
Environmental Health – Barton County Health ↗Bates County Health Center - Environmental Health (under Missouri DHSS)
Environmental Health ↗Benton County Health Department (enforcing the 1991 Benton County Wastewater Treatment Systems Ordinance)
Onsite Wastewater / Septic ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) - Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS - OWTS permitting authority by county (Bollinger) ↗Boone County Resource Management (On-Site Wastewater)
On-Site Wastewater Systems | Resource Management ↗Buchanan County Planning & Zoning (onsite wastewater under Missouri DHSS standards)
Zoning Order ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) - Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Butler County Health Department | On-site Sewer Program ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS)
Caldwell County Zoning Permits Required ↗Callaway County Health Department (onsite wastewater under MO DHSS, 19 CSR 20-3)
OWTS Construction Permit Process — Callaway County authority listing ↗Camden County Wastewater Department
Camden County Wastewater Department ↗Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center
Cape Girardeau County On-Site Sewage Ordinance, Ordinance 03-02 ↗Carroll County Health Department (under Missouri DHSS Onsite Wastewater program)
Missouri DHSS — OWTS Construction Permit Required ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) - Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Environmental Public Health - Carter County Health Center ↗Cass County Environmental Health Department
Cass County Missouri Wastewater Treatment Systems Ordinance ↗Cedar County Health Department (Environmental)
OWTS Construction Permit Process ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) - Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS - OWTS permitting authority by county (Chariton) ↗Christian County Health Department
Christian County Health Department - Wastewater ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) - Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS - OWTS permitting authority by county (Clark) ↗Clay County Public Health Center - Environmental Health (Onsite Sewage program)
Individual Sewage Disposal Rules and Regulations for Clay County, Missouri ↗Clinton County Health Department (on-site wastewater; applications routed via Planning & Zoning)
Planning and Zoning | Clinton County Missouri ↗Cole County Health Department
Ordinance Adopting the Amended Cole County Environmental Protection and Safety Code ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) - Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS - OWTS permitting authority by county (Cooper) ↗Crawford County Health Department (county Onsite Wastewater Ordinance)
OWTS Construction Permit Process ↗Dade County Health Department (Environmental Public Health)
OWTS Construction Permit Process ↗Dallas County Health Department (Environmental Health)
OWTS Construction Permit Process ↗Daviess County Health Department (under Missouri DHSS Onsite Wastewater Program)
OWTS Construction Permit Process — Daviess County listing ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS - Onsite Wastewater Treatment ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS — OWTS Construction Permit Required ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) - Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS — OWTS Construction Permit Required ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) - Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS - OWTS permitting authority by county (Dunklin) ↗Franklin County (On-Site Sewer / Building Permits Department)
County of Franklin On-Site Wastewater Disposal Code ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) - Onsite Sewage Program
Gasconade County Health Department - Waste Water ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS — OWTS Construction Permit Required ↗Greene County Resource Management Environmental Division (installers also certified with Missouri DHSS)
Environmental Division ↗Missouri DHSS Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program – Northeast Regional Office (Macon)
Missouri DHSS — Onsite Wastewater Resources ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) - Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS - OWTS permitting authority by county (Harrison) ↗Henry County Health Center
Henry County Wastewater Treatment Systems Regulation No. 89-1 ↗Hickory County Health Department
Hickory County Wastewater Ordinance ↗Holt County Health Department
Missouri DHSS — Onsite Wastewater Complaints ↗Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services (DHSS) — Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS — Onsite Wastewater Treatment ↗Howell County Health Department (Environmental Public Health)
Howell County Health Department ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
OWTS Construction Permit Process — Iron County listing ↗Jackson County Public Works On-Site Wastewater program
Individual On-Site Wastewater Disposal Permits ↗Jasper County Health Department (Environmental Services)
Jasper County Wastewater Treatment Systems Ordinance ↗Jefferson County Code Enforcement Division
Codes & Ordinances ↗Johnson County Community Health Services - Environmental Health
Wastewater Treatment ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (Onsite Wastewater Treatment)
Knox County Health Department - Environmental Services ↗Laclede County Health Department, Environmental Services
OWTS Construction Permit Process | Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services ↗Lafayette County Planning & Economic Development (unincorporated parcels 25 acres or less); Lafayette County Health Department (other cases)
Lafayette County Health Department - Sewage System ↗Lawrence County Health Department
Septic — Lawrence County Health Department ↗Missouri DHSS Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS — OWTS Construction Permit Required ↗Lincoln County Health Department (Onsite Ordinance; MO DHSS oversight)
On-site Septic Systems and Subdivisions ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS - OWTS Construction Permit Application Process ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) - Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS - OWTS permitting authority by county (Livingston) ↗Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services (DHSS) Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program (local administrative authority typically the county health department)
Missouri DHSS — Onsite Wastewater Treatment ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
On Site Sewage Services | Madison County Health Department ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) - Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Phelps/Maries County Health Department - Safe Environment (OWTS permit notice) ↗Marion County Health Department (Environmental Health)
Marion County MO - County Coordinator ↗McDonald County Health Department
McDonald County Health Department - Environmental ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS — OWTS Construction Permit Required ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) - Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS - OWTS permitting authority by county (Miller) ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) - Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS - OWTS permitting authority by county (Mississippi) ↗Missouri DHSS Onsite Sewage Program (locally supported by Moniteau County Health Center)
Moniteau County Health Center - Waste Water ↗Monroe County Health Department
Environmental Health – Monroe County Health Department ↗Montgomery County Health Department (County Sanitarian)
OWTS Construction Permit Process ↗Morgan County Health Center (Environmental Health)
Morgan County Health Center - Waste Water ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) - Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS - OWTS permitting authority by county (New Madrid) ↗Newton County Health Department - Environmental Health
Waste Water (Septic) Permits ↗Nodaway County Health Center, Environmental Health
Environmental Health – Nodaway County Health Center ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) - Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS - OWTS permitting authority by county (Oregon) ↗Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services (DHSS), Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Osage County Health Department - Environmental Health ↗Ozark County Health Department (county Onsite Wastewater Ordinance)
OWTS Construction Permit Process ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services - Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS — OWTS Construction Permit Required ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS)
Perry County Health Department ↗Pettis County Health Center (Environmental Public Health)
OWTS Construction Permit Process – Pettis County ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) - Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Phelps-Maries County Health Department - Safe Environment ↗Pike County Health Department
On-site Septic Systems and Subdivisions ↗Platte County Health Department, Environmental Health (Sewage Program)
Platte County Health Department - Sewage Program ↗Polk County Health Center
Polk County Health Center - Septic Permits and Inspections ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) - Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) - Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS - OWTS permitting authority by county (Putnam) ↗Ralls County Health Department - Environmental (Onsite Wastewater)
Ralls County Health Department - Environmental ↗Randolph County Health Department
Randolph County On-Site Domestic Wastewater Treatment Systems Ordinance ↗Ray County Health Department Environmental Health / Ray County Septic Inspector
County Planning & Zoning – Ray County, Missouri ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) - Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS - OWTS permitting authority by county (Reynolds) ↗Ripley County Health Department
Water & Sewer | Ripley County Health Department ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) - Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Environmental Health | Saline County Health Department ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS — OWTS Construction Permit Required ↗Missouri DHSS Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program – Northeast Regional Office (Macon)
Missouri DHSS — Onsite Wastewater Resources ↗Scott County Health Department
Environmental ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services - Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri Dept. of Health and Senior Services - Onsite Wastewater Treatment ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program)
Shelby County Health Department, On-Site Sewage Management ↗St. Charles County Division of Building and Code Enforcement
St. Charles County Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS) ↗St. Clair County Health Center (Environmental/Sanitation)
OWTS Construction Permit Process ↗St. Francois County Health Center, Environmental Health Department
OWTS Construction Permit Process ↗St. Louis County Department of Public Health
OWTS Construction Permit Process — St. Louis County authorities ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Onsite Sewage ↗Ste. Genevieve County Health Department (Environmental / Onsite Sewage)
OWTS Construction Permit Process ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program ↗Stone County Health Department
OWTS Construction Permit Process — Stone County ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (Onsite Wastewater Program); Sullivan County Health Department assists
Sullivan County Health Department – Sewage Information ↗Taney County Environmental Services Department (OWTS program)
Environmental Services - Taney County, MO ↗Texas County Health Department (under Missouri DHSS onsite sewage rules)
OWTS Construction Permit Process ↗Vernon County Health Department (Environmental Health)
OWTS Construction Permit Process ↗Warren County Sanitarian
warrencountymo.org ↗Washington County Health Department
OWTS Construction Permit Process ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (Onsite Wastewater Treatment)
OWTS Construction Permit Process ↗Webster County Health Unit
Onsite Wastewater ↗Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program
Missouri DHSS — OWTS Construction Permit Required ↗Wright County Health Department (Environmental Public Health)
OWTS Construction Permit Process ↗Every county here has a full profile — its index score, water, land prices, and the rest of its building rules. See the Missouri state page for all counties ranked, or the national septic guide.
Off-grid gear
Before the Missouri septic office sees a parcel, you can test it yourself. What we'd bring:
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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.