Soil and Septic Site Evaluators in Fairfax, VA
7 licensed evaluators serving Fairfax, Virginia.
5 MAOE · 1 MCOE · 1 JAOE
About soil and septic evaluations in Virginia
The person who signs off on a Virginia soil evaluation must hold a state license as an onsite soil evaluator, issued under Chapter 23 of Title 54.1 of the Virginia Code by the Board for Waterworks and Wastewater Works Operators and Onsite Sewage System Professionals. Virginia issues four license classes split along two axes: Journeyman vs. Master, and Conventional vs. Alternative system types. A journeyman must work under a master evaluator's direct supervision; a master can sign off independently. The health department will only accept a design certified by a licensed onsite soil evaluator, or by a professional engineer working in consultation with one, so confirm a license is current and covers your system type before hiring.
The evaluator's fee is private and market-set: Virginia firms report hand-dug test holes running roughly $200 to $1,500, and excavator-dug pits from about $500 up to $3,000 or more, with typical jobs described by one Central Virginia firm as running several hundred dollars for a single test site. The state permit fee is fixed and published: $425 for a construction permit with no evaluator/engineer documentation attached, $225 when that documentation is attached and the system is under 1,000 gallons per day, and $1,700 for a combined well-and-septic permit over 1,000 gallons per day with documentation attached. These are two separate charges to two separate parties; ask for an itemized quote.
Frequently asked questions
How many licensed soil and septic site evaluators serve Fairfax, VA?
7 state-licensed evaluators are listed for Fairfax in our roster, sourced from the Virginia licensing board: 5 MAOE, 1 MCOE, and 1 JAOE.
How much does a perc test or soil evaluation cost in Fairfax?
The evaluator's fee is private and market-set: Virginia firms report hand-dug test holes running roughly $200 to $1,500, and excavator-dug pits from about $500 up to $3,000 or more, with typical jobs described by one Central Virginia firm as running several hundred dollars for a single test site. The state permit fee is fixed and published: $425 for a construction permit with no evaluator/engineer documentation attached, $225 when that documentation is attached and the system is under 1,000 gallons per day, and $1,700 for a combined well-and-septic permit over 1,000 gallons per day with documentation attached. These are two separate charges to two separate parties; ask for an itemized quote. Larger parcels, difficult access, and rush requests price above the range.
How do I verify a Virginia evaluator's license?
Look up the evaluator on the Board for Waterworks and Wastewater Works Operators and Onsite Sewage System Professionals (Virginia DPOR) license search at https://www.dpor.virginia.gov/LicenseLookup.