Benzie and Leelanau counties, Michigan: septic system and well inspection at sale
Checked on November 9, 2026 against the official rule. Rule set by Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department.
General information, not legal advice. This is our summary of the official rule as we read it. The ordinance or code and the health department decide: confirm with them before you list, sign or close.
The rule
| Question | What the official text says |
|---|---|
| What is required | Health Department evaluation of the existing septic system and/or well (including coliform and nitrate water tests), with written results furnished to the buyer and seller Source: bldhd.org |
| Triggered by | sale, conveyance, assignment or transfer of ownership of a dwelling/habitable building/premises Source: bldhd.org |
| Deadline | before the sale or transfer Source: bldhd.org |
| Who arranges it | owner or the owner's designated agent Source: bldhd.org |
| How long a report is valid | Evaluation within the previous 36 months is accepted; well water samples within 6 months are accepted Source: bldhd.org |
| Exemptions |
Source: bldhd.org |
| Fee | FY 2027 (effective 2026-11-01): Sewage Evaluation $300; Well Evaluation (incl. coliform and nitrate) $250; Water Sample only $140; lower rates ($195 sewage, $190 well) if a prior evaluation/permit since 1/1/90 exists (2026-2027 fee schedule) Source: bldhd.org |
| If the system fails | Owner/buyer submits a corrective action within 30 days; corrective work done within 120 days of approval; before closing, either show substantial conformance or give proof of a contract plus surety/cash deposit of 1.5 times the cost and a covenant to finish within 150 days of transfer Source: bldhd.org |
| Well part | Well evaluation with bacteria (coliform) and nitrate sampling at a State-certified lab; construction and isolation distances checked Source: bldhd.org |
| Who may inspect | BLDHD sanitarians perform the evaluation; page lists contractors only. official page (bldhd.org) Source: bldhd.org |
| Official forms | portal.laserfiche.com Source: bldhd.org |
| In force since | January 27, 2023 Source: bldhd.org |
This is our summary of the official rule as we read it. The ordinance or code and the health department decide: confirm with them before you list, sign or close. Rule set by: Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department.
Checked on November 9, 2026: read on the official site.
Published costs
What the official fee schedule or guide for Benzie and Leelanau counties says, with the year it applies to. The other 3 items published in Michigan are listed for comparison; they are different items, so we do not average them.
| Jurisdiction | Item | Amount | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benzie-Leelanau DHD (this rule) | Sewage evaluation (time of transfer) | $300 | FY2027 | bldhd.org |
| Benzie-Leelanau DHD (this rule) | Well evaluation incl. coliform and nitrate | $250 | FY2027 | bldhd.org |
| Elk Rapids Township / HDNW | Real estate transfer evaluation incl. water analysis | $378 | 2026 | nwhealth.org |
| Grand Traverse County | County time-of-transfer review, well and septic | $300 (septic only $200, well only $200), on top of evaluator fee | 2026 | gtcountymi.gov |
| Ottawa County | Real estate transfer evaluation, sewage + water | $412 (sewage only $306) | 2026 | web.archive.org |
Inspectors, pumpers and labs set their own prices on top of these; the official source is the one that counts.
Private wells in Benzie County and Leelanau County
Private-well users in the counties this rule covers, by the USGS 2015 estimate:
| County | Private-well users (2015) | Share of residents | Rank by share in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benzie County | 13,693 | 78% | 17th of 83 |
| Leelanau County | 17,008 | 77% | 19th of 83 |
This rule covers the well as well as the septic system. USGS models about 1,766 private-well users in Benzie County with arsenic above 10 µg/L, EPA’s limit for public water (2010 population base; 95% range 1,109 to 2,677), the 35th highest of 82 Michigan counties. It is a screening estimate, not a result for any one well. USGS models about 1,846 private-well users in Leelanau County with arsenic above 10 µg/L, EPA’s limit for public water (2010 population base; 95% range 1,150 to 2,857), the 33rd highest of 82 Michigan counties. It is a screening estimate, not a result for any one well.
Source: USGS county water use 2015 (Dieter et al., 2018); USGS domestic-well arsenic estimate (Ayotte, Medalie and Qi, 2017). Ranks count the Michigan counties in the USGS table (1 = highest).
Soils and septic systems here
USDA soil surveys rate 98% of Leelanau County’s rated land “very limited” for a conventional septic drain field, 2% “somewhat limited” and 0% “not limited”, the 40th highest “very limited” share of 78 Michigan counties with survey data. The most common limits: fast seepage below the field (risk to groundwater) on 92%; steep slopes on 59%; poor filtering (coarse sand or gravel) on 50%.
Where soils are limited, inspections more often find drain fields that sit in seasonally wet soil, and replacement systems are often mounds or other engineered designs. A county-wide rating, not a test of one lot: a site evaluation decides. Source: USDA NRCS Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO), via Soil Data Access, rating “ENG - Septic Tank Absorption Fields”, read November 15, 2026.
Nearest other sale-time rules
Buying or selling near a county line? These are the closest other local rules in our census to Benzie and Leelanau counties.
| Rule | State | Distance | Covers | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Traverse County | Michigan | about 18 miles | Septic system and well | November 9, 2026 |
| Elk Rapids Township | Michigan | about 38 miles | Septic system and well | November 9, 2026 |
| Milton Township | Michigan | about 38 miles | Septic system and well | November 9, 2026 |
| Torch Lake Township | Michigan | about 38 miles | Septic system and well | November 9, 2026 |
| Village of Elk Rapids | Michigan | about 38 miles | Septic system and well | November 9, 2026 |
Straight-line distance between county centres (the average of each county’s Census ZIP-area points). Townships, villages and health districts are placed at the centre of their county.