La Plata County, Colorado: septic system inspection at sale
Checked on November 9, 2026 against the official rule. Rule set by La Plata County Public Health Department.
General information, not legal advice. This is our summary of the official rule as we read it. The ordinance or code and the health department decide: confirm with them before you list, sign or close.
The rule
| Question | What the official text says |
|---|---|
| What is required | NAWT-certified inspection report (within last 12 months, tank pumped if needed) submitted for a Continued Use Permit Source: cms9files.revize.com |
| Triggered by | transfer of title / sale Source: cms9files.revize.com |
| Deadline | before the transfer; permit issued ~5 business days after complete application Source: cms9files.revize.com |
| Who arranges it | seller Source: cms9files.revize.com |
| How long a report is valid | Continued Use Permit valid 12 months Source: cms9files.revize.com |
| Exemptions |
Source: cms9files.revize.com |
| Fee | $120 fee for the Continued Use Permit (2026 guide (dated 2026-05) fee schedule) Source: cms9files.revize.com |
| If the system fails | Owner applies for permit to repair; conditional permit if snow or frozen ground, with buyer's written agreement Source: cms9files.revize.com |
| Official forms | lpcgov.org Source: cms9files.revize.com |
| In force since | January 1, 2019 Source: cms9files.revize.com |
This is our summary of the official rule as we read it. The ordinance or code and the health department decide: confirm with them before you list, sign or close. Rule set by: La Plata County Public Health Department.
In force since January 1, 2019 (as the official text states).
Checked on November 9, 2026: read on the official site.
Published costs
What the official fee schedule or guide for La Plata County says, with the year it applies to. The other 7 items published in Colorado are listed for comparison; they are different items, so we do not average them.
| Jurisdiction | Item | Amount | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Plata County (this rule) | Continued Use Permit fee | $120 | 2026 | cms9files.revize.com |
| Archuleta County | transfer acceptance fee | $115 | 2024 | archuletacounty.gov |
| Gunnison County | Transfer of Title application fee | $60 | 2026 | gunnisoncounty.org |
| Boulder County | Property Transfer Certificate fee | $500 | 2026 | bouldercounty.gov |
| Clear Creek County | Use Permit fee | $100 | 2026 | co.clear-creek.co.us |
| Pueblo County | health-department inspection incl. pumping coordination | $385 | 2026 | pueblocounty.gov |
| Pueblo County | review fee when certified inspector's report submitted | $140 | 2026 | pueblocounty.gov |
Inspectors, pumpers and labs set their own prices on top of these; the official source is the one that counts.
Compared with other Colorado rules
- In force since 2019: the 2nd oldest of the 5 Colorado local rules whose start year we could read (tied with 2 others from the same year). Oldest: Boulder County (2008), Archuleta County (2019), Gunnison County (2019).
Our census of official rules, checked November 9, 2026; start dates as the official text states them.
Private wells in La Plata County
In 2015 about 5,298 of La Plata County’s 54,688 residents (10%) got their drinking water from a private well, by the USGS estimate. That is the 43rd highest share of the 64 Colorado counties in the USGS table, and the 15th highest number of private-well users.
As we read it, this rule covers the septic system, not the well.
Source: USGS county water use 2015 (Dieter et al., 2018). Ranks count the Colorado counties in the USGS table (1 = highest).
Certified labs nearest to La Plata County for a well water test
Labs on the Colorado certified drinking-water list that the list marks as taking samples from homeowners or outside clients, certified for coliform bacteria, nearest first. 1 of them is in La Plata County.
| Lab | Town | Distance | Certified on the list for |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Plata County Water Quality Laboratory | Durango, CO · in this county | 8 miles (approx.) | coliform bacteria |
Source: CDPHE Drinking Water Lab Certifications (Looker Studio report on cdphe.colorado.gov/dwlabs) (Live report, no edit date shown; data read by the report at 2026-11-02 20:39 UTC (Looker Studio dataTimestamp); read November 2, 2026). Straight-line distance from the centre of La Plata County (the average of its Census ZIP-area points); “approx.” = lab placed at its ZIP centre. Call the lab first: lists do not say which household tests each lab takes or what it charges.
Nearest other sale-time rules
Buying or selling near a county line? These are the closest other local rules in our census to La Plata County.
| Rule | State | Distance | Covers | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archuleta County | Colorado | about 42 miles | Septic system | November 9, 2026 |
| Gunnison County | Colorado | about 108 miles | Septic system | November 9, 2026 |
| Teller County | Colorado | about 182 miles | Septic system | November 9, 2026 |
| Summit County | Colorado | about 186 miles | Septic system | November 9, 2026 |
| Pueblo County | Colorado | about 186 miles | Septic system | November 9, 2026 |
Straight-line distance between county centres (the average of each county’s Census ZIP-area points). Townships, villages and health districts are placed at the centre of their county.