How to Find Your Septic Tank Location

Check your county's OSSF permit records for a site diagram, or follow the sewer pipe from your house outward 10-20 feet to find the tank.

Knowing where your septic tank is buried matters more than you'd think. You need this information for pumping, inspections, home sales, and avoiding damage from digging or parking in the wrong spot. As Nathan Glavy, Extension Program Specialist with the Texas Water Resources Institute at Texas A&M, notes, keeping detailed records about your septic system, including its location, is one of the key steps for long-term system health and protecting local water quality.

According to the EPA, roughly 20% of U.S. homes rely on septic systems. In Texas, that translates to millions of properties with buried tanks. Many Texas homeowners buy a property and have no idea where the tank is. Previous owners didn't always pass along septic records, and the tank lid might be buried under a foot of soil and grass. Here's how to find it.

Method	Difficulty	Cost	Best When
County OSSF records	Easy	$0-$25	System was permitted (post-1990s)
Follow the sewer line	Moderate	$0	No records available
Probe the ground	Moderate	$15-$25 (probe rod)	You have a general area
Visual clues	Easy	$0	Yard shows signs of buried tank
Hire a professional	Easiest	$100-$300	DIY methods didn't work

How Do I Find My Septic Tank Through County Records?

Texas counties maintain OSSF permit records that include your septic system's location, installation date, and design specifications. Contact your county's environmental health or permitting department.

Every septic system installed in Texas requires a permit from the county's designated representative (usually the health department or an authorized agent). TCEQ's historical permitting data shows that Texas issued over 43,000 new OSSF permits in 2024 alone, which means thousands of permit files with tank location diagrams are added to county records each year. The permit file typically includes:

• A site diagram showing the tank, drain field, and house
• Distance measurements from the property line and house
• Tank size and type
• Installation date
• Name of the licensed installer

How to request records:

1. Call your county's environmental health department or OSSF program.
2. Provide your property address or legal description.
3. Ask for the OSSF permit and as-built drawing.
4. Some counties charge a small fee ($10-$25) for copies.

A few Texas counties now offer online permit searches. Check your county's website first.

Common Texas county contacts for OSSF records:

County	Department
Travis	Travis County TNR - OSSF Program
Hays	Hays County Development Services
Williamson	Williamson County Environmental Health
Harris	Harris County Public Health
Bexar	Bexar County Environmental Services
Collin	Collin County Environmental Health
Denton	Denton County Public Health

For other counties, search "[county name] OSSF permit" or call the county clerk's office and ask to be directed.

Limitations: Older systems (installed before modern permitting requirements) may not have records on file. If your home was built before the 1990s, records might be incomplete or nonexistent.

How Do I Trace the Sewer Line to Find My Tank?

Find where the main sewer pipe exits your home (usually through the basement or crawl space wall toward the backyard), then follow that line outward 10-20 feet. The tank is along that path.

This is the most practical DIY method when records aren't available.

Step 1: Find the sewer pipe exit. Go to your basement, crawl space, or look at the foundation wall on the back or side of your house. You're looking for a 4-inch pipe exiting through the wall, heading away from the house. In slab-on-grade homes (common in Texas), the pipe exits below grade. Look for a sewer cleanout cap near the foundation, which marks the line.

Step 2: Determine the direction. The sewer line runs in a straight path from the house to the tank. It doesn't curve (gravity-fed systems need a straight, downhill slope). Stand at the exit point and look directly outward.

Step 3: Walk the line. Walk 10-20 feet from the foundation along that straight line. Most residential septic tanks in Texas are installed 10-15 feet from the house, though some are further.

Step 4: Look for clues. As you walk, watch for:

• A slight depression or raised area in the ground
• Grass that's a slightly different shade or height
• A rectangular patch where snow melts first in winter
• Areas where the ground feels different underfoot (more solid or more hollow)

Can I Probe the Ground to Locate My Septic Tank?

Once you have a general area from methods 1 or 2, use a thin metal rod to probe the soil and locate the tank's edges. Push the rod in every 2 feet until you hit the solid concrete or plastic lid.

This works best after rain when the soil is soft. Use a 4-foot metal probe rod (available at hardware stores for $15-$25) or a long, sturdy screwdriver.

Start in the area you identified and push the probe into the ground every 2 feet in a grid pattern. You're feeling for:

• Solid resistance at 1-4 feet: That's likely the tank lid or tank wall.
• Hollow or softer spots: That's the soil between the tank and surrounding ground.
• Very different soil texture: Backfilled soil over the tank often feels different from undisturbed ground.

Once you hit something solid, probe around it to map the edges. Standard residential septic tanks in Texas are rectangular, roughly 5 feet wide by 8 feet long.

Safety note: Call 811 (Texas One-Call) before probing more than 12 inches deep, especially if you don't know the exact location of utility lines. Per the Texas Utilities Code, Chapter 251, it's free and required by law before any excavation in Texas.

What Visual Clues Reveal a Buried Septic Tank?

Greener grass strips, depressions in the lawn, exposed pipe caps, and areas where snow melts faster can all indicate your tank and drain field location.

Visual clues that point to your tank:

• Greener grass in a rectangular patch. The tank lid area may hold moisture differently.
• A slight depression. Soil above the tank settles over time.
• A raised area or mound. Some installations leave the area slightly elevated.
• A pipe or cap sticking up from the ground. This might be a riser, vent, or cleanout.
• An area where the lawn mower hits something hard. Tank lids close to the surface will catch a mower blade.

Visual clues for the drain field:

• Parallel strips of greener grass running away from the tank area.
• A large rectangular area where the lawn behaves differently (greener in drought, soggier after rain).

When Should I Hire a Professional to Find My Septic Tank?

Professional septic tank locating costs $100-$300 and uses ground-penetrating radar, electronic pipe locators, or sewer cameras to find the tank quickly and accurately.

When DIY methods don't work (no records, no visible clues, large property), a professional locator can find it in an hour or less.

Method	How It Works	Best For
Sewer camera	Feeds a camera through the pipe from a cleanout	Finding the pipe path to the tank
Electronic locator	Sends a signal through the pipe and detects it above ground	Tracing the sewer line direction
Ground-penetrating radar	Scans the ground for underground structures	Large properties with no other clues
Metal detector	Detects rebar, metal lids, or steel tanks	Older systems with metal components

Most septic pumping companies include locating as part of the service call if you're scheduling a pump-out. If you just need locating, call a plumber or septic company and ask for a locate-only visit.

What Should I Do After Finding My Septic Tank?

After locating your tank:

• Mark the corners with small landscape stakes or flags
• Measure the distance from the house and from a permanent landmark (fence corner, driveway edge)
• Take a photo with measurements noted
• Record the lid location so your pumping company can find it next time (saves you the $50-$150 lid digging fee)

Some homeowners install riser extensions that bring the lid to ground level ($200-$500 installed), eliminating the need to dig for access during every pumping. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension's Septic System Maintenance Guide specifically recommends "ensuring tank accessibility" and keeping detailed maintenance records as key steps for long-term system health.

When to Call a Professional

If you've tried the methods above and can't find your tank, call a septic company. DIY locating costs $0-$25 and works well for most properties, but a professional visit ($100-$300) saves hours of guessing on large lots or properties with no records. They locate tanks regularly and have the equipment to find buried systems quickly.

Need help locating your septic tank in Texas? Get free quotes from licensed Texas septic professionals

Frequently Asked Questions

How deep is a septic tank buried in Texas?

Most septic tanks in Texas are buried with the top of the tank 6 inches to 3 feet below the ground surface. The tank itself is typically 4-5 feet tall, so the bottom sits 4-8 feet underground. Newer installations often include risers that bring the access lid to ground level for easy maintenance.

Can I use a metal detector to find my septic tank?

Only if your tank has metal components. Metal detectors pick up steel tank walls, rebar in concrete tanks, or metal lid handles. They won't find a plain concrete or plastic tank with no metal. If your home was built before 1970, you might have a steel tank that's easy to detect. Newer concrete tanks with rebar usually give a signal.

How far is a septic tank from the house in Texas?

Typically 10-15 feet from the foundation, though some are up to 25 feet away. Per TCEQ setback requirements under 30 TAC Chapter 285, a minimum distance must be maintained between the tank and any building foundation. The tank connects to the house via the main sewer line, which runs in a straight line at a slight downhill slope (1/4 inch per foot is standard).

What do I do if my property has no septic records?

Start with the sewer line method (Method 2), then probe. If you can't find it with DIY methods, hire a professional locator ($100-$300). Once found, document the location and provide it to your county's OSSF program so future owners have the information. This is especially common with pre-1990s Texas homes.

Do I need to call 811 before looking for my septic tank?

Yes, call 811 (Texas One-Call) before probing or digging deeper than 12 inches. The service is free and required by Texas law before any excavation. It marks underground utility lines so you don't hit gas, electric, or water pipes while searching for your tank. Septic lines are not marked by 811, but knowing where utilities are keeps you safe.

Can a septic company find my tank during a pump-out?

Yes, most Texas septic companies include tank locating as part of a standard pumping service call. If they need to dig to find the lid, expect an extra $50-$150 for lid location. A standalone locate-only visit typically costs $100-$300 depending on property size and difficulty.

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Last updated: February 7, 2026 Reviewed by: Texas Septic Guide Editorial Team, TCEQ regulatory research