Septic Systems
Septic-Wastewater Treatment & Disposal
Time of Transfer
Iowa’s time of transfer septic system inspection law (SF261) was passed by the Iowa legislature in April of 2008 and took effect July 1, 2009. The new law requires that every home/building served by a septic system have that septic system inspected prior to the sale or deed transfer for the home/building. The purpose of the law is to eliminate sub-standard or polluting septic systems. A sub-standard septic system is one that has no treatment (secondary treatment) following the septic tank or has a secondary treatment system that has failed. These sub-standard septic systems pose an environmental and public health hazard and require repair. If you have a septic system with a septic tank AND a secondary treatment system such as a seepage (leach) field, sand filter or other approved device, and it is not creating a public health or environmental hazard, it does not have to meet current code. All inspections must be conducted by an inspector that has been certified by the department.
List of Certified Time of Transfer Inspectors
