Pierce County, Washington: septic system inspection at sale
Checked on November 9, 2026 against the official rule. Rule set by Tacoma-Pierce County 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
Washington also has a statewide rule: see the Washington page. Where both apply, follow both.
| Question | What the official text says |
|---|---|
| What is required | Septic tanks pumped and inspected by certified company; TPCHD issues Report of System Status (RSS) Source: tpchd.org |
| Triggered by | sale Source: tpchd.org |
| Deadline | before sale; TPCHD aims to review within 10 business days Source: tpchd.org |
| How long a report is valid | One year from issue Source: tpchd.org |
| Exemptions |
Source: tpchd.org |
| Fee | $480 for a Report of System Status for a real estate transaction ($240 for a second application submitted with it) (2026 fee schedule) Source: tpchd.org |
| If the system fails | Major deficiencies resolved before RSS; 90-day conditional RSS where buyer takes responsibility Source: tpchd.org |
| Who may inspect | TPCHD certification. official list (tpchd.org) Source: tpchd.org |
| Official forms | tpchd.org Source: tpchd.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: Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
Checked on November 9, 2026: read on the official site.
Private wells in Pierce County
In 2015 about 65,912 of Pierce County’s 843,954 residents (8%) got their drinking water from a private well, by the USGS estimate. That is the 36th highest share of the 39 Washington counties in the USGS table, and the 4th highest number of private-well users.
As we read it, this rule covers the septic system, not the well.
Source: USGS county water use 2015 (Dieter et al., 2018). Ranks count the Washington counties in the USGS table (1 = highest).
Certified labs nearest to Pierce County for a well water test
Labs on the Washington certified drinking-water list that the list marks as taking samples from homeowners or outside clients, certified for coliform bacteria, nearest first. 1 of them is in Pierce County.
| Lab | Town | Distance | Certified on the list for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Management Laboratories, Inc. | Tacoma, WA · in this county | 1 mile | coliform bacteria, nitrate, arsenic |
| Thurston County Health Department Laboratory | Olympia, WA | 21 miles | coliform bacteria, nitrate |
| AmTest Laboratories | Renton, WA | 23 miles | coliform bacteria, nitrate, arsenic |
Source: WA Ecology - Environmental Laboratories Accredited for Drinking Water Analyses (with scopes) (Information current as of 11/13/2026; read November 15, 2026). Straight-line distance from the centre of Pierce County (the average of its Census ZIP-area points); “approx.” = lab placed at its ZIP centre. Call the lab first: lists do not say which household tests each lab takes or what it charges.
Nearest other sale-time rules
Buying or selling near a county line? These are the closest other local rules in our census to Pierce County.
| Rule | State | Distance | Covers | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thurston County | Washington | about 26 miles | Septic system | November 9, 2026 |
| King County | Washington | about 29 miles | Septic system | November 9, 2026 |
| Island County | Washington | about 68 miles | Septic system | November 9, 2026 |
| Skagit County | Washington | about 90 miles | Septic system | November 9, 2026 |
| Clallam County | Washington | about 101 miles | Septic system | 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.
All rules: by state · Washington.