Home / Pine County Point-of-Sale Septic Inspection Guide
Pine County point-of-sale septic inspection guide
Buying or selling a home with a septic system in Pine County? Here is what the inspection is, how long it lasts, what happens in winter, and who to check with.
Last checked against the sources below: 2026-10-10
The short version
Pine County's septic (SSTS) ordinance requires a certificate of compliance when land with a dwelling, or with another building that must have a septic system, is sold or transferred. The county has required point-of-sale inspections countywide since its ordinance took effect on April 1, 2014. Some cities and townships run their own septic programs under their own ordinances, so the office and the details can differ by parcel.
The demand is real: MPCA's report on 2025 data estimates about 15,538 septic systems in Pine County, with 264 construction permits and 399 compliance inspections that year.
Sources: Pine County SSTS Ordinance (2025) §8.01.04 · Pine County septic systems page · MPCA SSTS annual report, 2025 data
What a compliance inspection is
A compliance inspection is a full evaluation of the system by an MPCA-licensed inspector, reported on MPCA's inspection form. For an existing system it checks the watertightness of the tanks, the vertical separation between the bottom of the drain field and saturated soil or bedrock, and any sewage backup or surfacing. It ends in a certificate of compliance or a notice of noncompliance.
Under Pine County's ordinance, the inspector must submit the result to the county within 15 calendar days of the inspection, and the county delivers it to the owner within 15 calendar days after that.
The seller's septic disclosure is not a compliance inspection and cannot replace one. A pump-out receipt is not one either. Under the county ordinance, an evaluation done by someone other than the owner to prepare a disclosure statement counts as a compliance inspection and must follow the state rules.
Sources: Pine County SSTS Ordinance §8.01.01, §8.01.03
How long an inspection stays valid
A certificate of compliance for an existing system is valid for three years, and one for a new or replacement system is valid for five years, unless evidence of noncompliance turns up. At sale, the county accepts a certificate on file from within the past three years for a system older than five years, or within five years for a newer system.
Some transfers are exempt, including land with no dwelling or plumbed building, transfers that do not require a Certificate of Real Estate Value, tax-forfeiture transfers, and buildings connected only to a municipal or other approved sewer system.
Sources: Pine County SSTS Ordinance §8.01.03 E, §8.01.04 A–B
Getting ready for the inspection
The tank part of the inspection has to be done on an empty tank unless a tank integrity assessment from the past three years is available (see below). Ask your inspector what they need before they arrive, such as access to the lids and recent pumping records, so you are not paying for two visits.
If the system does not pass
A notice of noncompliance lists what does not meet the rules. Under the county ordinance, a system that is an imminent threat to public health, such as sewage surfacing or backing up into the home, must have the threat removed within 15 days and be fixed within 10 months. A system that fails to protect groundwater must be fixed within 18 months. If the required fix is more than a minor repair, a construction permit application is needed.
At a sale, buyers and sellers decide in writing who handles the inspection and any upgrade, and file a signed statement with the county.
Sources: Pine County SSTS Ordinance §4.02, §8.01.03 C, §8.01.04 D
Shoreland properties
Shoreland is split. Pine County handles shoreland septic in Munch, Pine City and Royalton townships, while those townships handle the rest. Arna and Pokegama townships and the cities of Pine City, Rock Creek and Henriette handle shoreland septic themselves. Everywhere else, the county handles both. Shoreland rules can be stricter, and in county jurisdiction any permit or variance in shoreland triggers a compliance inspection.
Sources: Pine County Ordinance Jurisdiction sheet, May 29, 2025 · Pine County SSTS Ordinance §8.01.03 A(v)
Rush City and Harris
Rush City and Harris are in Chisago County, so Pine County's rules do not apply there. Chisago County requires a septic inspection before a sale in its unincorporated areas that are not served by public sewer. See our Rush City and Harris pages.
Sources: Chisago County point-of-sale page
Closing in winter and the June 1 date
For sales between November 15 and April 15, when frozen soil keeps an inspector from determining compliance, Pine County requires a winter agreement. It includes an SSTS permit application and a promise to have a licensed business complete the inspection by the following June 1. If the system passes, the permit fee is refunded. If it fails, an escrow must be set up and the system upgraded.
Sources: Pine County SSTS Ordinance §8.01.04 C · Pine County buying and selling page
If no inspection was done before the sale
If a sale closes without a compliance inspection, Pine County requires a transfer agreement filed with Planning and Zoning, and the inspection results must reach the county within 60 days after the transfer. The county's buying-and-selling page puts that on the buyer; on the transfer agreement, the buyer or the seller can take responsibility. If the seller does not provide a certificate of compliance, the ordinance calls for an escrow of 150% of a written installer estimate (or 110% of a signed contract price). Without an escrow, the buyer is responsible for the inspection and any upgrade.
Sources: Pine County buying and selling page · Pine County transfer agreement form · Pine County SSTS Ordinance §8.01.04 A(iv)–(v)
The tank is checked empty
Since a 2021 change to Minn. R. 7082.0700, the tank integrity part of a compliance inspection must be done on an empty tank, through a maintenance hole when one is available. That assessment stays valid for three years, so a recent one can sometimes be reused. Otherwise, plan on scheduling a pump-out with the inspection.
Sources: Minn. R. 7082.0700, subp. 4
Who runs septic rules where
These local units run their own septic programs. Everywhere else, Pine County handles septic. Confirm with the unit before you list or buy.
| Local unit | Type | Shoreland septic | Non-shoreland septic | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Pine City | City | City | City | City handles all septic, including shoreland |
| City of Rock Creek | City | City | City | City handles all septic, including shoreland |
| City of Henriette | City | City | City | City handles all septic, including shoreland |
| Arna Township | Township | Township | Township | Township handles shoreland too |
| Pokegama Township | Township | Township | Township | Township handles shoreland too; stricter shoreland rules |
| Munch Township | Township | County | Township | Shoreland goes through Pine County |
| Pine City Township | Township | County | Township | Shoreland goes through Pine County |
| Royalton Township | Township | County | Township | Shoreland goes through Pine County |
Sources: Pine County Ordinance Jurisdiction sheet, May 29, 2025 · MPCA SSTS report, 2025 data, App. B
Questions
Is the seller's disclosure enough?
No. The disclosure tells the buyer what the seller knows about the system. It does not replace a compliance inspection.
Who can do the inspection?
An MPCA-licensed septic inspection business. You can check a license in MPCA's SSTS search.
Does every inspection need a pump-out?
Not always. The tank must be assessed empty, but a tank integrity assessment from the past three years can be used. If there is no recent one, plan on a pump-out with the inspection.
What if we close in January?
For sales between November 15 and April 15, when frozen soil prevents a determination, Pine County requires a winter agreement with an SSTS permit application and an inspection by the following June 1.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ by city, township, and county and can change. Confirm with the local unit that covers your property before you list or buy.