Septic rules and requirements in Moore County, North Carolina
Septic permits in Moore County are issued by the Environmental Health. A new system permit costs $450. USDA rates most of the soil in the county Very limited for septic absorption fields — 59.5% of the rated acres. Moore County — Environmental Health · checked 2026-09-24
Environmental Health
Issues the permit
checked 2026-09-24
$450
Septic system permit
checked 2026-09-24
Very limited
USDA rating, 59.5% of rated acres
checked 2026-09-24
Who issues septic permits in Moore County?
Environmental Health, at 1042 Carriage Oaks Drive, Carthage, NC 28327, 910-947-6283. It is part of county government. The state writes the rules it applies.
A service of the Moore County Health Department.
Open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except holidays. Call first for an inspector.
Moore County — Environmental Health · checked 2026-09-24
What does a septic permit cost in Moore County?
$450 for a septic system permit, on the county's own schedule.
Applies to a Type I-III system for a home of 1 to 3 bedrooms.
| Type I - III System Permit | $450 | a type i-iii system for 1 to 3 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|
| Type I - III System Permit | $613 | a type i-iii system for 4 to 5 bedrooms |
| Type I - III System Permit | $1,048 | a type i-iii system for 6 bedrooms or more the source lists as 6 or more bedrooms, or another system type, private |
| Type I - III System Permit | $250 | a type i-iii system the source lists as expansion or relocation of an existing system |
| Type IV - VI System Permit | $1,172 | a type iv-vi system for 1 to 5 bedrooms |
| Type IV - VI System Permit | $1,391 | a type iv-vi system for 6 bedrooms or more the source lists as 6 or more bedrooms, or another system type, private |
| Site Re-visit | $100 | a system the source lists as required when the site is not prepared per the new application instructions |
| Consultative Visit | $100 | a system the source lists as initiated by the owner or a representative |
| Existing System Inspection | $100 | any system |
| Re-Issue Permit (redraw or engineered flow reduction) | $50 | a system the source lists as reissuing a permit for a redraw or an engineered flow reduction |
| Re-Issue Permit (redraw/site visit) | $150 | a system the source lists as reissuing a permit with a redraw and a site visit |
The county sets this fee. It is higher for a bigger home.
Moore County Environmental Health — Fee Schedule (FY 2025/2026) · checked 2026-09-24
Is the soil in Moore County suitable for a septic system?
USDA rates most of the county Very limited for septic absorption fields — 59.5% of the rated acres. A rating describes the ground, not a parcel. The county's site evaluation decides each lot.
USDA NRCS Soil Data Access (SSURGO) · checked 2026-09-24
What Moore County sets itself
The state writes the code. Moore County adds the rules below. They are what makes this page differ from the North Carolina requirements.
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$100
Applies to a visit when the lot is not ready.
The county sets these fees. The state code sets no fee schedule for a county.
Moore County Environmental Health — Fee Schedule (FY 2025/2026) · checked 2026-09-24
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No fee for a name change. It costs $50 for a redraw or a flow change. It costs $150 for a redraw with a site visit.
Moore County Environmental Health — Fee Schedule (FY 2025/2026) · checked 2026-09-24
Sources
Each figure above has a government source and a checked-on date. USDA's Soil Data Access service supplies the soil records. A script writes them, and nobody types them.
- Moore County — Environmental Health
- Moore County — Septic / Wells
- Moore County Environmental Health — Fee Schedule (FY 2025/2026)
- N.C. Department of Health and Human Services — On-Site Water Protection
- Moore County Environmental Health — Application for Improvement Permit and/or Construction Authorization
- Guilford County — On-site Wastewater
- USDA NRCS Soil Data Access (SSURGO)
Verify before you act. Septic rules are set locally and they change. Check anything here before you spend money on it. Call the Environmental Health, on 910-947-6283.