Find a septic pro near you
Septic work splits into three trades, and most businesses only do one or two of them. Knowing which one you actually need - and what licence they should hold in your state - saves you ringing around. Pick your state below, or tell us the job and we'll match you with an accredited local operator.
The three types of operator
-
Installers
Licensed plumbers/drainers who design and install new systems, replace failed ones, and handle council approvals. Ask: which licence do you hold, who lodges the council application, and is the soil or land capability assessment included in the quote?
-
AWTS service agents
Technicians who do the mandatory routine services on aerated systems - usually quarterly. Ask: are you recognised for my brand, what does a service actually include, and do you lodge the report with council? See AWTS servicing requirements.
-
Pump-out operators
Vacuum-truck operators who desludge tanks every few years and where they dispose of the waste matters. Ask: where does the waste go, is disposal included in the price, and can you access my tank? See how often to pump out and typical costs.
Choose your state
Licensing is state-based - a QBCC licence means nothing in Victoria. Each state page explains the accreditation to check before you hire.
Queensland
QBCC-licensed installers and on-site sewage service agents.
New South Wales
Licensed plumber-drainers and council-recognised AWTS servicers.
Victoria
Registered plumbers working under council septic permits.
Western Australia
Licensed plumbers and Health-authorised ATU service technicians.
South Australia
Licensed plumbers working under wastewater works approvals.
Tasmania
CBOS-licensed plumbers installing accredited systems.
Northern Territory
Advanced tradesman plumbers and certifying plumbers.
ACT
Licensed plumber-drainers for Canberra's unsewered blocks.
The licence to check, state by state
Licensing is state-based, and so is the approval that has to exist before any installer starts. This is the one thing to confirm before you compare prices. The state pages carry the full detail and the register to check.
| State | What to check |
|---|---|
| Queensland | Septic and AWTS work in Queensland sits under the Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018, and the people doing it must be licensed by the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC). For a new system or a replacement drainfield, your installer needs a QBCC plumber or drainer licence - and the job itself needs council approval first, which is covered in our Queensland approvals guide. |
| New South Wales | In NSW, any drainage work on a septic or AWTS must be done by the holder of a plumbing and drainage licence issued through NSW Fair Trading (now administered by Building Commission NSW). You can check any tradesperson's licence for free on the Service NSW licence check. |
| Victoria | Victorian septic work is a two-permission job. The property owner needs a permit from council to install or alter the system (issued under the Environment Protection Act 2017 for systems treating under 5,000 litres a day), and the person doing the work must be a plumber licensed or registered with the Building and Plumbing Commission (which took over plumbing registration from the Victorian Building Authority) in the classes covering sanitary and drainage work. |
| Western Australia | In Western Australia the system comes before the installer: whatever you're quoted must be on the WA Department of Health's list of approved wastewater systems, and you need your local government's approval to construct or install an apparatus for the treatment of sewage before work starts - the process is in our WA approvals guide. The sanitary plumbing and drainage connecting the system must be done by a plumber licensed under WA's plumbing licensing scheme (administered through Building and Energy), so ask for the licence number and check it before signing. |
| South Australia | South Australia runs on-site systems under the SA Health On-site Wastewater Systems Code. Before anything goes in the ground you need a wastewater works approval - usually from your local council, or SA Health for larger systems - and the system itself must be a product approved under the code. |
| Tasmania | In Tasmania, installing or altering any on-site wastewater system needs a plumbing permit from your council's permit authority before work begins, and the installation must be done by a plumber licensed through Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS) and qualified for wastewater work. You can verify any licence on the CBOS occupational licence search. |
| Northern Territory | Territory septic work runs under the NT Code of Practice for On-site Wastewater Management, and the licensing is stricter than most owners expect. Only a plumber holding an advanced tradesman licence from the Plumbers and Drainers Licensing Board may contract for and carry out plumbing and drainage work, and the finished job must be certified - which only a certifying plumber registered with the NT Building Practitioners Board can do. |
| ACT | The ACT is a special case: on-site systems are only permitted where there's no access to the reticulated sewer network, which in practice means rural blocks and non-urban leases on Canberra's fringe. If your block qualifies, you must apply to the ACT Government for approval under the Public Health Regulation 2000 before installing or altering a septic tank or treatment plant - the health directorate assesses the application. |
The order things happen in, everywhere
Whatever the state calls it, a legal install runs assessment, approval, installation, inspection, sign-off. The site and soil assessment comes first because it decides the system type and the size of the trenches or irrigation area, which is where most of the cost lives. Approval comes second and is lodged by your installer or the system supplier in most cases. Installation is licensed work. Inspections happen at set stages, usually before backfill and at completion. The paperwork you are handed at the end is what a buyer's solicitor will ask for when you sell (see selling a house with a septic system, or if you are the buyer, what to check before you buy a house on septic). Our approvals guide covers each state's version in full.
For an aerated system the obligations continue after sign-off: a mandatory service, usually quarterly, with reports to council in most states. A plain septic tank needs a pump-out every three to five years. Both are covered in our servicing guides.
What it costs
National ranges for 2026. State fees and the assessment type vary; each state page has the local figures.
| Item | Typical range | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Site and soil assessment (land capability assessment in Victoria) | $500 - $900, or $1,500 - $3,000 in VIC | Assessment costs |
| Conventional septic system, installed | $8,000 - $15,000 | Septic system cost |
| AWTS, installed | $12,000 - $25,000 | AWTS cost |
| AWTS quarterly service contract | $720 - $1,600 a year | Servicing cost |
| Septic tank pump-out | $300 - $600 | Pump-out cost |
What to ask before you hire
- Installer: which licence do you hold and can I check it; who lodges the approval; is the assessment in the price; is the system on the approved list for my state.
- Service agent: are you recognised for my brand; what does a visit include; do I get a written report; do you lodge it with council.
- Pump-out operator: where does the waste go; is disposal in the price; can your truck reach my tank; will you tell me if the tank looks damaged.
A quote you can compare is itemised. If it is a single number, ask for the breakdown before you compare it with anything.
Common questions
Do I need council approval to replace a septic tank like for like?
Almost always, yes. Every state treats a replacement as an installation, and the approval is what makes the work legal and insurable. Your installer usually lodges it. The one common exception is a straight pump-out or a repair to pipework, which is maintenance, not installation.
Can one business do the install, the servicing and the pump-outs?
Some can, and in regional areas one operator often covers two of the three. But the licences differ, so ask which parts of the job they hold the licence for and which parts they subcontract. A quote that bundles all three is fine as long as each part is done by someone licensed for it.
What should I have ready before I ask for quotes?
Your postcode, the job (new system, replacement, service, pump-out or a problem), roughly how many bedrooms or people the house has, whether you already have a soil or site report, and any council correspondence. With that, an operator can give you a real number rather than a call-out to look.
How does Septic Help make money?
When you request a quote, the operator we introduce you to pays us a referral fee. You pay nothing, it does not change your price, and it does not change what our guides say. We do not publish operator names or contact details; every introduction comes through the quote form.
Skip the ring-around
Tell us what you need - install, service or pump-out - and your postcode. We'll match you with one accredited operator in your area and email you their introduction. Reply to it and they'll quote.