Which Summit County homes need an evaluation
The rule follows the house’s water and sewer, not the city it sits in. Summit County Public Health requires a point of sale evaluation for any residential home with a sewage treatment system, meaning a septic or other on-site system, or a private water system such as a well, before the property transfers.
It applies in every Summit County community, city or township, wherever a house isn’t on public sewer or public water. If you’re not sure what you have, look at your utility bills: a house with no sewer charge on any bill is likely on septic, and one with no water bill is likely on a well. Permit records from the health district can confirm it.
Homes on public water and public sewer don’t need this evaluation, though a city may have its own point of sale program, covered in our guide to point of sale inspections in Northeast Ohio.
Two ways to get it done and what each costs
The evaluation can be done by a registered private contractor or by the health district itself. Summit County Public Health’s 2026 fee schedule lists:
| Service | Both systems | Well only | Septic only |
|---|---|---|---|
| SCPH performs the evaluation | $550 | $175 | $375 |
| SCPH reviews a registered contractor’s evaluation and issues the certificate | $90 | $45 | $45 |
When a private contractor does the evaluation, the contractor’s own fee is on top of the review fee and varies by company. The health district publishes a list of registered contractors on its point of sale page. Credit card payments carry an added fee.
What the evaluator checks
The visit takes about 1 to 2 hours, according to Summit County Public Health. For a well, the evaluator tests the water system’s flow rate, and the county’s well-and-septic and well-only fees include an initial water sample. For septic, the evaluator checks whether the system is working.
How to get ready:
- Uncover the tank lids. Lids must be accessible, so dig them out if they’re buried.
- Don’t pump the tank first. The county says not to.
- Arrange interior access. A lockbox code or someone to let the evaluator in.
- Keep water running if you can. Vacant homes and homes without running water must still be inspected, but it is easier to evaluate a system in use.
- Pull your records. Permits, pumping receipts and any operation permit help the evaluator.
After the report: certificate, follow-up and the sale
The contractor sends the report to the health district, which reviews it within 3 business days and issues a certificate. Records are available through the district’s online records search.
The key point for sellers: “The results of the inspection will not prevent a property from transferring.” If the evaluation finds significant issues, the health district follows up with the current owner to make sure the system isn’t creating a public health nuisance. The buyer will see the report, so a failing system becomes a price and repair conversation.
Ohio’s disclosure form also asks about the water supply and the sewer system, under R.C. 5302.30. Disclose what you know, and attach the evaluation.
Exemptions are the buyer’s to request
Only the buyer can ask for an exemption, and only on three grounds Summit County Public Health lists:
- A point of sale evaluation of the system within the last two years.
- A system replaced within the last two years.
- A transfer that is exempt from the conveyance fee through the Summit County Fiscal Office.
Completed applications go to wqpos@schd.org. A seller who had the system evaluated recently should give the buyer that report so the buyer can apply.
Operation permits continue after closing
The evaluation is a one-time sale step, but septic systems also carry an ongoing permit. Summit County Public Health says Ohio’s 2015 rules require an operation permit for every household with a sewage treatment system. Each permit states how often the system must be inspected and serviced, and the homeowner hires a registered service provider. The new owner takes over that permit.
County permit fees if the system has to be replaced
When an evaluation leads to a replacement, buyers and sellers usually ask what the county side costs. The 2026 Summit County Public Health fee schedule lists these permit fees, separate from the contractor’s price for the work:
| Permit or service | 2026 fee |
|---|---|
| Site review application, replacement system | $200 |
| Installation permit, replacement household system | $550 |
| Alteration permit, existing household system | $235 |
| Operation permit, most household systems | $30, once every 2 years |
| Abandonment permit | $50 |
The installation work itself, including design, soil testing by a private professional and excavation, is the large cost and varies widely by lot. Get at least two written quotes from registered installers before you set a price or a repair credit. The county’s permit fees are a small share of the total.
How Stark County compares
Stark County has a septic step at sale too, but it runs differently. The 2025 title-company list says Stark requires a septic inspection at transfer, and the Stark County Health Department’s sewage page posts a property transfer guidance document, a waiver form and a list of property transfer service providers. Its records page notes septic and well records usually don’t predate the early 1960s. Call the Stark County Health Department at 330-493-9904 for the current rules.
If the evaluation shows a failing system and you’d rather not replace it before selling, our page on selling a house with septic problems covers that choice. You can also ask us about a house with septic or a well.
