A Use Permit is required in the following situations:
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Douglas County Health Department will require all Use Permit inspections to include time-stamped photos of the system starting December 1, 2023. Include the photos in a Word or PDF document with the application and Use Permit Inspection Form. Photos will provide the Environmental Health Specialists with details to support comments included in the reports.
Any inspections conducted after December 1, 2023 should include pictures of the following items:
*Include if applicable.
To obtain a use permit, the following is required:
If applicable, the following forms are also required:
Use Permit inspections must be conducted by a Certified NAWT inspector. View a List of Certified Inspectors.
Submit use permit applications to Douglas County Health Department at [email protected] or in person at 410 Wilcox St., Ste 103, Castle Rock, CO 80104.
The Use Permit Program identifies OWTS that were never permitted and establishes a record for those systems.
A Use Permit authorizes the use of an OWTS. It recognizes that the owner of an OWTS is responsible for the proper use and maintenance of the OWTS.
In cases where the home is being sold or changing ownership, the owner or seller of the home will be required to obtain the Use Permit. In all other cases, the current owner of the property will be required to obtain the Use Permit.
An approved and certified third-party inspector (not an employee of Douglas County) will do the inspection. That inspector will check the septic tank, electrical connections, controls and pumps (if applicable), and the soil treatment area (leach field). The inspector will need to inspect all items listed on the Inspection Form and answer whether or not they are acceptable.
All deficiencies with the OWTS found by the inspector will need to be repaired before DCHD can issue a use permit. Examples of deficiencies include improperly functioning pumps, electrical connections that don’t meet code, damaged septic tank lids, risers and lids below grade, etc. Before receiving a use permit, verification that repairs have been completed must be provided.
Please see our schedule of fees.
Use Permits in Douglas County were required beginning July 1, 2011.
The NAWT website has an inspector search feature.
A property owner, seller, use permit inspector, or real estate agent may submit an application.
If the OWTS was originally permitted by TCHD, you can search for the files through Tri-County Health Department’s website. If they are not available, call us at 720-643-2400.
If the OWTS is malfunctioning (typically with surfacing sewage), the owner of the property will be required to obtain a repair permit and repair the OWTS.
The Douglas County Health Department will issue a conditional use permit if the purchaser submits a notarized form to DCHD and the form is approved. The Agreement to Repair form requires that the purchaser obtain a repair permit and complete the repair within a specified length of time.
Once you submit a completed application and inspection report and the fee is paid, the Environmental Health staff will review the application and report. If the application and inspection report is complete, DCHD will issue a Use Permit. The turnaround time is generally 2-3 business days. If the inspection report indicates that there are deficiencies with the OWTS that have not been repaired, DCHD will notify you of what needs to be done for DCHD to approve the application. Once those issue(s) are resolved, DCHD will issue the Use Permit.
A Use Permit for a sale is valid until the date of real estate closing or for a period of 12 months, whichever comes first. Once the property has sold, or the use permit has been issued for another triggering event (outlined above, including the addition of a bedroom, the addition of a modular unit, etc.), the use permit does not expire until another triggering event occurs.
