Does Montgomery County, Missouri require a septic inspection to sell a home?
No county inspection requirement at sale is published. Montgomery County's Health Department administers the county Sewer Ordinance as a construction/installation permit program: a $165 permit fee for a new system, with staff following up on complaints. Its published program materials do not tie an inspection to a property sale. What usually drives a septic and well inspection here is your buyer's mortgage.
Source: Montgomery County Health Department, On-Site Septic Systems program page. Reviewed 2026-09-16.
Who and what this applies to
- This applies if your home in Montgomery County is on a private septic system and/or private well.
- The trigger is your buyer's loan and inspection contingency: FHA, VA, USDA.
- A real local wrinkle: the county lets a homeowner self-install a system, but only after attending a class and passing the test at Missouri DHSS — not a shortcut around licensing, just a different path to it.
What a seller should do
- Find the records and confirm the system type — the pre-listing checklist.
- Book the septic inspection and the water test early, with a DHSS-licensed inspector and a certified lab.
- If a problem turns up, get a written bid from a licensed installer and pull the county permit timeline. See your options if it fails.
Costs and deadlines
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Water-test age limit at closing | FHA 180 days · USDA 180 days · VA 90 days |
| Septic inspection | $300–$700 in Missouri |
| County construction/installation permit | $165, per the county Health Department — only required if building or installing a system, not for an existing, unmodified system at sale |
Scope of this page
- This page is based on the Health Department’s current program page. The full text of the county Sewer Ordinance was not available online.
- Processing times for a repair or replacement permit vary. Ask the Health Department for the current timeline.
- Whether the county expects a private well water test at a sale is a question for the Health Department; lender rules apply regardless.
For questions about a specific property, call the Montgomery County Health Department in Montgomery City at (573) 564-2495.
Official authorities
- Montgomery County Health Department — 400 Salisbury Street, Montgomery City, MO 63361 · (573) 564-2495 · the county Sewer Ordinance, construction/installation permits.
- Missouri DHSS — On-site Wastewater Treatment Program — (573) 751-6095 · the statewide baseline and the licensed-inspector / suspended lists.
Choosing an inspector
Use a Missouri DHSS-licensed inspector, checked against the suspended list. The inspector and the repair contractor stay separate under 19 CSR 20-3.070(10). See choosing a septic inspector and a repair contractor.
Sources & last verified
- , montgomerycountyhealth.org. Reviewed 2026-09-16. The program page describes a construction and installation permit process and no inspection at sale.
- . Reviewed 2026-09-16.
- ; ; . Reviewed 2026-09-16.
Corrections: corrections@homecleared.com.
Common questions
- What does Montgomery County’s septic permit cost?
- $165 for a construction/installation permit, per the county Health Department’s current program page — separate from any inspection or repair cost.
- Can I install my own septic system in Montgomery County?
- Yes, with a caveat: the county allows a homeowner to self-install a system after attending a class and passing the test at DHSS — that step is required before you can do the work yourself.
- Does Montgomery County follow up after a permit is issued?
- The county’s program is complaint-driven after installation — the Health Department can follow up on a complaint, but the program materials describe no scheduled or sale-triggered inspection.
- Who administers septic permits in Montgomery County?
- The Montgomery County Health Department, (573) 564-2495.