Prescott Septic InstallThe Arizona septic Notice of Transfer: what buyers must file
By Henry Ackfield ยท Updated
If you buy a home on septic in Arizona, you file a Notice of Transfer form, with its fee, within 15 calendar days after the sale. The seller handles the inspection before closing and gives you the report. This guide covers who does what, and where the form goes.
What is the Notice of Transfer?
It is the form that tells the state or county a septic system has a new owner. It is the last step of Arizona's transfer-of-ownership rule for onsite wastewater systems. Arizona requires a septic inspection within six months before a property is sold. (Source: Arizona Administrative Code R18-9-A316, checked October 2026.)
Who does what, and when?
| When | Who | What the rule requires |
|---|---|---|
| Within six months before the sale | Seller | the seller must hire an inspector with a qualifying training certificate and one of the licenses the rule lists, such as an Arizona-registered engineer or sanitarian. |
| Before the sale closes | Seller | before the transfer, the seller must give the buyer the inspection report and the system's permitting, operation and maintenance records. |
| Within 15 days after the sale | Buyer | the buyer must send a completed Notice of Transfer form, with its fee, within 15 calendar days after the transfer. |
(Source: Arizona Administrative Code R18-9-A316, checked October 2026.)
Where does the form go?
That depends on when the system was built: the form goes to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality for a system completed before January 1, 2001, and to the delegated county agency for a system built on or after that date. (Source: Arizona Administrative Code R18-9-A316, checked October 2026.)
Yavapai County runs its own delegated septic permitting program, with separate tracks for conventional and alternative systems. (Source: Yavapai County, Septic System Construction page, checked October 2026.) Check with the county which office takes the form for your system. If you do not know when your system was built, the inspection report and the permit records the seller hands over should show it.
What should the buyer get from the seller?
- The completed inspection report.
- Any permitting, operation and maintenance records for the system.
Read the report before closing. It is your best record of the system's condition on the day you bought the home.
What if the system failed the inspection?
A failed inspection usually means repair or replacement before or after closing, depending on what buyer and seller agree. Either way, the work needs a licensed CR-41 Septic Tanks and Systems installer and a county permit. See septic replacement for what that involves, and the cost guide for published price ranges.
Related
- Arizona septic inspection when selling a home
- Septic system installation in Prescott and Yavapai County
This is general information, not legal advice. Talk to your agent, attorney or Yavapai County about your sale.
Common questions
Who files the septic Notice of Transfer in Arizona?
The buyer. Under the state rule, the buyer must send a completed Notice of Transfer form, with its fee, within 15 calendar days after the transfer. (Source: Arizona Administrative Code R18-9-A316, checked October 2026.)
Where do I send the Notice of Transfer?
It depends on when the system was built: the form goes to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality for a system completed before January 1, 2001, and to the delegated county agency for a system built on or after that date. (Source: Arizona Administrative Code R18-9-A316, checked October 2026.) Yavapai County runs its own delegated septic permitting program, with separate tracks for conventional and alternative systems. (Source: Yavapai County, Septic System Construction page, checked October 2026.)
Does the seller have to give me the septic inspection report?
Yes. Under the same rule, before the transfer, the seller must give the buyer the inspection report and the system's permitting, operation and maintenance records. (Source: Arizona Administrative Code R18-9-A316, checked October 2026.)
What if the septic system failed the inspection?
Repair or replacement may be needed, and the transaction timeline is usually affected. Your agent, attorney and the county can advise on your specific sale.