Florida Department of Health Septic (OSTDS) Construction Permits in Miami-Dade, Broward & Palm Beach
- Endless Life Design
- 57 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems, commonly called septic systems, serve roughly 30% of Florida's population and protect the groundwater that supplies about 90% of the state's drinking water. For South Florida properties not connected to central sewer, a Department of Health construction permit is the gateway to a compliant build. Endless Life Design coordinates these approvals across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach so site work proceeds on schedule.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What the OSTDS Program Regulates
Who Has Jurisdiction: DOH, DEP, and Your County Health Department
When a Septic Construction Permit Is Required
The OSTDS Construction Permit Application (DEP Form 4015)
Site Evaluation and System Sizing
Operating Permits for ATU, PBTS, and Commercial Systems
The Private Provider Inspection Option
County and Municipality Inspection Comments for Permit Approval
Related Resources
Why Choose Endless Life Design
WHAT THE OSTDS PROGRAM REGULATES
The OSTDS program ensures every onsite system is properly designed, constructed, and maintained through permitting and inspection. It governs conventional septic tanks and drainfields as well as advanced systems such as aerobic treatment units (ATUs) and performance-based treatment systems (PBTS). The program's purpose is to safeguard groundwater and prevent sanitary nuisances as defined in Chapter 386, Florida Statutes.
WHO HAS JURISDICTION: DOH, DEP, AND YOUR COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
Jurisdiction shifted under the Clean Waterways Act of 2020. Effective July 1, 2021, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) became the governing authority for OSTDS, and the technical rules moved from the Department of Health's Chapter 64E-6, Florida Administrative Code, to DEP's Chapter 62-6, F.A.C.
Despite that transfer, county health departments continue to perform the actual permitting and inspection in most counties, including Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach. As of January 2, 2025, DEP directly administers septic permitting in 16 panhandle and north Florida counties only; the tri-county South Florida region is not among them, so your local county health department remains the permitting office.
WHEN A SEPTIC CONSTRUCTION PERMIT IS REQUIRED
A construction permit is required before installing a new system, and a modification or repair permit is required before altering or repairing an existing one. Abandonment of a system must also be permitted. Beginning work without an issued permit exposes the owner to enforcement, including a notice to abate when a failing system creates a sanitary nuisance.
THE OSTDS CONSTRUCTION PERMIT APPLICATION (DEP FORM 4015)
Applications are submitted on DEP Form 4015, Application for Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal System Construction Permit. The complete packet runs four pages:
Page 1 — Application for Construction Permit
Page 2 — Site Plan (may be waived where a site plan meeting Chapter 62-6, F.A.C. specifications is provided separately)
Page 3 — Site Evaluation
Page 4 — Supporting certification and signatures
The application is filed with the county health department's environmental public health program, which reviews it, requests revisions if needed, assesses fees, and issues the permit.
SITE EVALUATION AND SYSTEM SIZING
A site evaluation performed by a qualified professional establishes soil conditions, the seasonal high water table, and setbacks from wells, surface water, and property lines. These findings drive system sizing and the selection of a conventional versus an alternative system. In some counties, professional-engineer-designed systems are required by local ordinance for new construction and certain modifications.
OPERATING PERMITS FOR ATU, PBTS, AND COMMERCIAL SYSTEMS
Operating permits are required for aerobic treatment units, performance-based treatment systems, commercial septic systems, and systems on land zoned industrial or manufacturing (or the equivalent). Operating permits are renewed with the department every two years, and ATU/PBTS owners must maintain a valid maintenance contract for the life of the system.
THE PRIVATE PROVIDER INSPECTION OPTION
Since July 1, 2022, owners, or contractors with the owner's authorization, may hire a qualified private provider to perform OSTDS inspections rather than waiting for a county inspector. This option can compress timelines on active sites when scheduling is tight.
COUNTY AND MUNICIPALITY INSPECTION COMMENTS FOR PERMIT APPROVAL
Plan reviewers and inspectors commonly return the following comments before approving an OSTDS permit. Addressing them up front prevents resubmittals:
Setbacks to potable wells, surface water, and property lines not clearly dimensioned on the site plan.
Seasonal high water table and soil profile from the site evaluation missing or inconsistent with the proposed drainfield elevation.
Estimated sewage flow not matching the building's fixture count or use classification.
Required professional-engineer design or signature absent where local ordinance mandates it.
Owner authorization form not included when a contractor or private provider is acting on the owner's behalf.
Operating-permit and maintenance-contract documentation missing for ATU or PBTS systems.
RELATED RESOURCES
WHY CHOOSE ENDLESS LIFE DESIGN
Endless Life Design is a licensed Florida general contractor serving Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties across construction, engineering, architecture, interior design, and 3D rendering. Our team coordinates Department of Health, environmental, and building-department approvals as one accountable process, so your project advances from blueprint to certificate of occupancy without avoidable delay.
Endless Life Design — Licensed Florida General Contractor. Visit endlesslifedesign.com, call (305) 680-3283, or email endlesslifedesign@endlesslifedesign.com.
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