Building a new home on septic, buying land, or replacing an old system in metro Atlanta? Your county needs a soil test, often called a perc test, and a septic permit before any system goes in. We handle both. We book the soil test with a DPH-approved soil professional, prepare your permit application and file it with your county environmental health office. A soil test starts at $650. A soil test plus permit application for a home starts at $950. We serve all 9 metro Atlanta counties. In a typical case, your permit is approved about 5 weeks after your invoice is paid, and you can speed up the soil visit if you need to.
Every soil test is done by a professional Georgia DPH approves for septic soil work. We book them and manage the visit for you.
We prepare and submit your complete application packet to the county. You never visit the health department.
Soil visit about 2 weeks after payment, results in 3 to 5 business days, then about 2 weeks for the county. Need it sooner? Expedite for $100 per day.
The Georgia Department of Public Health governs all on-site sewage systems through Rule 511-3-1 and its Manual for On-Site Sewage Management Systems. Every new septic system goes through your county environmental health office in two steps. First a soil test, then a permit application. Skip either one and the county will not approve your project.
You need a soil test if you are building a new home on septic, buying a lot that is not on public sewer, or replacing a septic system where the county wants new soil data. If you are building, the county also asks for this soil test for a building permit before it signs off.
Full details on state requirements, approved products and certified professional directories are available at Georgia DPH On-Site Sewage Management.
Georgia DPH allows a Certified Soil Classifier, a Registered Engineer or a Registered Geologist to do the soil test for a septic permit. A general contractor, plumber or septic installer cannot do it, and a homemade perc test in your yard will not count for a permit. We book the right professional for your lot so your report meets county standards on the first submission. If your lot needs a full septic system engineering plan, we handle that too.
That is the whole point of hiring us. You make one call, and we take care of the soil test, the paperwork and the county.
Here is where our pricing starts for a residential lot in metro Atlanta. Your exact price depends on the lot, and we give it to you before anything is booked.
Starting at $650
The soil test your county needs, most often a Level 3 soil survey, booked with a DPH-approved soil professional. The price can go up on bigger lots, wooded land or steep slopes.
Starting at $950
For a residential lot. We book the soil test, prepare your septic permit application and file it with your county for you.
Quoted for your lot
Some lots need extra soil work, like a Level 4 study, or an engineered system design. We tell you up front and quote it before any extra work starts.
Whoever orders it pays for it. On a new build, that is usually the owner or the builder. When land is being bought and sold, the buyer and seller decide in the purchase contract, and many buyers order their own test before closing so they can choose where the house will go.
Planning the whole build? The soil test is the first step, and it decides what type of system your lot can take. Once your permit is issued, we can design and handle your septic installation too.
Ready to book? Once your invoice is paid, we schedule the soil scientist’s field visit, usually within 2 weeks. Need it sooner? We can expedite it for $100 per day.
Ready to book? We schedule fast to keep your timeline on track.
A soil test is not a pass or fail test. It shows what type of soil your lot has and what kind of septic system it can hold under your county’s standards. Your county decides which soil test your lot needs, and we book that one.
Already have a soil test from another professional? We can review it and use it for your permit if your county still accepts it. Call 404-694-3060 and we will tell you if it is usable.
A Level 3 soil test, also called a Level 3 soil survey, is where most new home lots start. The soil professional digs borings across the lot, at least 4 for every acre, and maps the soils. The signed report shows the soil types, how deep the water table and rock sit, and what type of system the soil can support. That report goes into your permit application.
Sometimes the county wants more soil data before it approves the permit, usually when an alternative system is planned. That extra work is a Level 4 study, and it looks closely at the exact spot where the drainfield will go. If your county asks for one, we book it and add it to your permit file.
Here is how it works after you call us. These times are typical estimates. Some steps move faster, and some take longer.
In a typical case, that is about 5 weeks from paid invoice to approved permit. Heavy rain can push the field visit back if the lot is flooded or unsafe to dig. The soil scientist makes that call.
We tell you exactly what your county needs when we book.
Most metro Atlanta counties accept a soil report for 2 to 5 years. Some want a new test after about 3 years, or if the lot has been graded or changed. We check your county’s rules before we book the test.
You are ready to build the system. We can design and install it, and the county inspects the installation before it is covered. Keep your soil report and permit with your home records, because they show what your lot can hold if you ever add on or sell.
Each county handles septic permits through its own environmental health office. We book the soil test and file the permit application in all 9 metro Atlanta counties we serve.
We file septic permits with Fulton County Environmental Health for homes across Fulton, from Sandy Springs and Alpharetta down to Fairburn and Palmetto, where heavy clay is common. The steps of a septic permit in Fulton County GA run from soil test to approval, and we handle each one.
For Gwinnett lots near Lawrenceville, Snellville and Lilburn, we prepare the site plan with your soil report and file the full application, so it is complete the first time it reaches the county.
Cobb County and Douglas County share one public health district, so permits for both go through the same office. For homes in Marietta, Smyrna and Kennesaw, we handle the same steps we cover for a septic permit in Marietta GA. In DeKalb, permits go through the county Board of Health. Lots near Stone Mountain and Lithonia can sit on granite, which the soil test will show before you plan the build.
| County | Soil Test | Soil Test and Permit Application | Who Files the Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fulton County | From $650 | From $950 | We file it for you |
| Gwinnett County | From $650 | From $950 | We file it for you |
| Cobb County | From $650 | From $950 | We file it for you |
| DeKalb County | From $650 | From $950 | We file it for you |
| Forsyth County | From $650 | From $950 | We file it for you |
| Rockdale County | From $650 | From $950 | We file it for you |
| Douglas County | From $650 | From $950 | We file it for you |
| Clayton County | From $650 | From $950 | We file it for you |
| Fayette County | From $650 | From $950 | We file it for you |
Prices are for residential lots and start at these amounts. Your exact quote depends on the lot, and we give it to you before anything is booked.
A lot of people call us asking for a perc test. A perc test measures how fast water drains into the soil. In Georgia, a perc test on its own will not get you a septic permit. The county needs a full soil test report from a DPH-approved soil professional, so that is what we book for you. It already covers what a perc test would show, so you do not need both. Perc test prices by county are compared in perc test cost across metro Atlanta.
Yes, and it is a smart move. Ask the seller for written permission for the soil scientist to dig, and order the test during your due diligence period, before you close. Tell us where you want the house, so the test covers that spot. A test somewhere else on the lot may not help you.
The soil test results tell us what kind of system your lot can hold. Some lots need an engineered septic system design instead of a standard drainfield. The worst cases are lots on a steep slope. Those can need an engineered system such as an Eljen system, which usually means spending $20,000 to $30,000 or more on the system. We go over the results with you before you plan the build, and our drainfield installation team can install the system your county approves.
We book the soil test your county requires with a DPH-approved soil professional, and we know the soil across all 9 metro Atlanta counties.
You never visit the health department. We prepare the application, submit it and follow up until your permit is issued.
Soil visits are usually set about 2 weeks after payment. Need it sooner? We can expedite for $100 per day.
Soil test from $650. Soil test and permit application from $950. You get your exact price before anything is booked.
If your lot needs extra soil work or a special system, we tell you early, before you spend more.
The same team that books your soil test can design and install your new system.
Septic Tank Guru provides soil testing for septic systems and permit management across all 9 metro Atlanta counties. Call 404-694-3060 to confirm we cover your address.
Sandy Springs · Atlanta · East Point · Fairburn · Alpharetta · Roswell
Marietta · Smyrna · Kennesaw · Acworth · Powder Springs · Austell
Lawrenceville · Lilburn · Snellville · Norcross · Buford · Loganville
Decatur · Stone Mountain · Tucker · Lithonia · Clarkston · Avondale Estates
Douglasville · Lithia Springs · Jonesboro · Forest Park · Riverdale
Cumming · Conyers · Fayetteville · Peachtree City · Tyrone
A soil test starts at $650. A soil test plus septic permit application for a residential lot starts at $950. The price can go up on larger, wooded or steep lots, or if the county asks for extra soil work. We give you the exact price before anything is booked.
A perc test measures how fast water drains into your soil. In Georgia, the county needs a full soil test report for a septic permit, not a perc test alone. That report covers drainage plus soil type, water table and rock depth, so it is what we book for you.
Your county decides. Most new home lots start with a Level 3 soil survey. If an alternative system is planned or the county needs more data, it can also ask for a Level 4 study. We book whichever your county requires.
Not for a permit. Georgia DPH only accepts soil tests from a Certified Soil Classifier, a Registered Engineer or a Registered Geologist. A homemade test can tell you a little about drainage, but the county will not use it. We book the right professional for you.
In a typical case, about 5 weeks from paid invoice to approved permit. The soil scientist’s field visit is usually about 2 weeks after payment, or sooner if you expedite for $100 per day. Results take 3 to 5 business days. The county usually inspects within about 7 days and approves the permit about 7 days later. Some cases move faster and some take longer.
Most metro Atlanta counties accept a soil report for 2 to 5 years. Some ask for a new test after about 3 years, or if the lot was graded or changed. We check your county’s rule before booking.
A soil test is not pass or fail. It shows what type of soil your lot has and what kind of system it can hold under your county’s standards. Some lots need an engineered septic design. The worst cases, like a lot on a steep slope, can need an engineered system such as an Eljen system, which usually costs $20,000 to $30,000 or more. We go over your results with you before you plan the build.
Often, yes. If the old drainfield failed, or the new system will go in a different spot, the county usually wants new soil data before it issues a repair or replacement permit. Your county makes the call, and we check before booking anything.
Georgia DPH allows a Certified Soil Classifier, a Registered Engineer or a Registered Geologist to do the soil test for a septic permit. A general contractor or septic installer cannot do it. We book the right professional for your lot and handle the permit paperwork that follows.
Yes. After you call, we send your invoice. Once it is paid, we book the soil test, prepare the site plan and permit application, submit it to your county environmental health office and follow up until the permit is issued. You do not need to visit the county office. Call 404-694-3060 and we will walk you through it for your county.
Soil test from $650. Soil test and permit application from $950. All 9 metro Atlanta counties covered. Typical permit in about 5 weeks, with expedite available.
Serving Fulton – Gwinnett – Cobb – DeKalb – Forsyth – Rockdale – Douglas – Clayton – Fayette Counties and all surrounding metro Atlanta communities.
