There's no statewide Texas rule that a septic system be inspected every time a house sells. Most inspections happen because the buyer, the lender or the local permitting office asks for one. For a VA loan, the system has to “adequately dispose of all domestic wastes in a sanitary manner,” and the appraiser looks at it. If the appraiser notes a problem, expect a full inspection and repairs before closing.
Why the septic system matters in a sale
On a house with city sewer, the plumbing ends at the property line. On septic, the whole treatment system is part of what you're buying: the tank, the drain field and, on an aerobic system, the air pump, alarm and spray heads. A tank that just needs pumping is routine. A drain field that has failed means a replacement system, and in our area a new system typically runs between $7,000 and $14,000 depending on the soil, the county's rules and the type of system.
That's why both sides of a sale want the answer before the closing date, not after it.
What a septic inspection usually looks at
- Finding the system. Where the tank and drain field are, and whether the lids can be reached.
- The tank itself. Cracks, the condition of the inlet and outlet, and how much sludge and scum has built up. The tank usually needs to be pumped for a proper look, and we do both in one visit.
- The drain field. Soggy ground, standing water or sewage surfacing over the field.
- How the house drains. Slow drains, gurgling or backups at the lowest fixtures.
- Aerobic equipment, if the system has it: the air pump, the alarm and the spray heads.
When the question is the line between the house and the tank, a sewer camera inspection shows what's going on before anyone digs.
What a VA loan actually requires
The VA's minimum property requirements (VA Pamphlet 26-7, Chapter 12) set the standard for homes on septic: an individual sewage disposal system must “adequately dispose of all domestic wastes in a sanitary manner which will not create a nuisance, or in any way endanger the public health.”
The VA appraiser looks at the system as part of the appraisal. When the appraiser notes a problem, the VA calls for approval from the local health authority, which in practice means an inspection and any needed repairs before the loan closes. Many lenders also ask for an inspection on their own, so it pays to book one early rather than wait to be told.
Gringo Pumping is veteran-owned, and VA closings get priority on our schedule. Tell us the closing date and we'll work back from it.
Aerobic systems come with a maintenance contract
A lot of newer homes in South Texas have aerobic systems. In Texas, a new aerobic system starts out under a maintenance contract with a licensed provider, and after two years some single-family homeowners can take over the maintenance themselves, depending on local rules (TCEQ). When the house changes hands, the septic permit follows the property, and the local permitting office may want proof of a current maintenance contract within a set time after closing.
If you're buying, ask for the current contract and the last few service reports. If you're selling, gather them before you list.
Who handles septic permits where you live
In Texas, septic permits go through a local permitting authority approved by TCEQ, usually the county. In Alice, that's Jim Wells County. Across Nueces County, Corpus Christi included, it's the Corpus Christi-Nueces County Public Health District. You can look up any address's office on TCEQ’s permitting-authority lookup. That office is who to ask whether a permit is on file and whether the house has any local requirements at sale.
Selling? Inspect before you list
Finding a problem on your own schedule gives you choices: fix it, price it in, or disclose it up front. Finding it three days before closing hands the buyer a negotiating chip. Before you list, pull together what a buyer will ask for:
- the septic permit and any final inspection paperwork,
- the date of the last pump-out and who did it,
- the maintenance contract and service reports, if the system is aerobic,
- any repairs, alarms or backups you know about.
Texas REALTORS publish a seller form for exactly this, “Information About On-Site Sewer Facility” (TXR 1407), which asks for the system type, its age, when it was last pumped and whether a maintenance contract is in place. Having the answers ready makes it a five-minute form instead of a scramble.
Buying? Ask these before you close
- When was the tank last pumped, and by whom? If nobody knows, assume it's due.
- Is it a conventional system or aerobic?
- If it's aerobic, is the maintenance contract current?
- Where are the tank and the drain field?
- Any backups, repairs or alarms in the last few years?
- How many bedrooms was the system permitted for? A house that has added bedrooms since may have outgrown its system.
The bottom line
Book the septic inspection early, get the paperwork in hand, and don't let the tank be the reason a closing slips. We do real estate and VA loan septic inspections across Alice, Corpus Christi, Robstown, Kingsville and the Coastal Bend, usually with the report back within a day or two of the visit. Call (361) 800-3929, 24 hours a day.
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