Selling a Jeffco Home on a Septic System or Well: What the County Requires
The short answer
If you're selling a Jefferson County home on septic, the county generally requires the system to be inspected and a Use Permit issued by Jefferson County Public Health before the sale. Under the county's OWTS Regulations effective June 15, 2026, the only age exemption is a system installed and approved less than one year before closing. Wells have no county sale permit, but annual testing is recommended.
Septic: the Jeffco Use Permit
Jefferson County Public Health runs the Use Permit Program. In the county's words, prior to the sale of a property with an onsite wastewater treatment (septic) system, owners must have the system inspected and obtain a use permit. Under the OWTS Regulations that took effect June 15, 2026, a Use Permit is required unless the system was installed and approved less than one year before closing. (The county's Use Permit web page still describes an older five-year exemption; the regulation governs.) The permit is valid until closing or 6 months, whichever comes first.
What that looks like in practice:
- A qualified inspector. County regulations define a Use Permit inspector as a registered professional engineer, an NAWT- or NSF-certified onsite wastewater inspector, or equivalent.
- County forms. Jeffco lists Form 700 (Use Permit Application), Form 701 (Inspection Report) and Form 702 (Pumping Report), among others, on its forms page.
- Lead time. I tell sellers to schedule this early, before listing if possible. If the inspection turns up a problem, you'd much rather know before you're under contract.
Transfers that are exempt
Jeffco's 2026 regulation lists of transactions that don't need a Use Permit. They include:
- adding or removing a spouse or children from title
- a transfer into your own trust
- foreclosure transfers (but not the later resale)
- new homes that haven't been occupied, and systems that have never been used
- properties not served by septic at all
If you're not sure your sale is exempt, call Jefferson County Environmental Health Services at 303-232-6301 before you assume.
Wells: no sale permit, but testing matters to buyers
Jefferson County Public Health is clear that if your home is on a private well, you're responsible for keeping the water safe. Colorado doesn't regulate private well water quality. The county recommends:
- testing the water every year
- having the well inspected each year by a qualified water well contractor
- typical tests for bacteria, nitrate and fluoride
The county also notes that radiation, including uranium, occurs naturally in many groundwater supplies in Jefferson County. Right now, the county offers free bacteria and nitrate test kits to private well owners while supplies last.
When I'm on the buyer side in the foothills, well water testing is almost always part of the inspection conversation. A recent test in hand as a seller can make that easier for everyone. Ask a lab or Jeffco Public Health which tests make sense for your well.
A simple seller checklist
- Find your septic records and the date the system was installed.
- Book a qualified Use Permit inspector, and pumping if needed.
- Gather your well permit and any past water test results.
- Test the well if you haven't in the past year.
- Keep everything together for buyers and your title company.
Thinking about updates before you list? My remodel-before-selling guide for Jeffco West covers which projects to look at first. Foothills homes also bring up insurance questions for buyers, which I cover in my wildfire insurance guide.
FAQs
Does Jefferson County require a septic inspection before selling a home? Generally yes. Jefferson County Public Health requires owners to have the septic system inspected and obtain a Use Permit before the sale, unless the system was installed and approved less than one year before closing (Jefferson County OWTS Regulations, effective June 15, 2026).
Which home sales are exempt from the Jeffco septic Use Permit? Jeffco lists exemptions including adding or removing a spouse or children from title, transfers into your own trust, foreclosure transfers, new homes never occupied, and systems never used. Call Jefferson County Environmental Health Services at 303-232-6301 to confirm.
Who can do a Jeffco septic Use Permit inspection? County regulations require a registered professional engineer, an NAWT- or NSF-certified onsite wastewater inspector, or equivalent.
Is well water testing required to sell a home in Jefferson County? There is no county sale permit for wells, and Colorado does not regulate private well water quality. Jefferson County Public Health recommends testing private wells every year.
Let's talk
If you're getting ready to sell a foothills home on septic or a well, I'm glad to help you line up the timing so it doesn't hold up closing. Reach out to me here.
Braden Wahr, The Apollo Group. General information only, not legal advice. Confirm requirements for your property with Jefferson County Public Health.
