Lorain County’s current home-sale septic application and its 2026 fee schedule agree: the evaluation costs $350 without sampling. That payment is separate from the recurring operation-and-maintenance (O&M) permit. Our September 13 check also found why an older application can give a reader a different answer. Application; fee schedule, page 2.
Which fee pays for which service?
| County item | Published amount | What to check before paying |
|---|---|---|
| One-year O&M permit | $40 | The County says 2026 annual billing is complete; payments are no longer accepted. |
| Three-year O&M permit | $120 | The listed three-year cycle runs through the end of 2026; this is not an offer of a new three-year term. |
| Home-sale HSTS inspection | $350, without sampling | Obtain the current application and ask whether the property needs additional sampling or services. |
The County sewage page says all Lorain County homeowners with household sewage treatment systems need an O&M permit. It describes both listed billing groups as having permits valid through the end of 2026. Check your own system’s permit conditions rather than treating a fee receipt as a sale-evaluation report.
LSL’s simple comparison, $120 ÷ 3 = $40 per year, shows no annualized price difference between those listed permit fees. It does not establish which billing cycle a household can choose or include maintenance costs.
The old $200 instruction is not in the currently linked application
The older County-hosted PDF still says $350 at the top and $200 in its submission instruction. That conflict was the basis of our earlier warning.
The application now linked from the County sewage page says $350 in both places. Both files display the same August 31, 2023 update date, so comparing the date alone would miss the change. Page 2 of the 2026 fee schedule independently lists the home-sale inspection at $350 without sampling. The schedule is effective January 1, 2026 and revised January 21.
Use the application reached through the County’s sewage page, not a saved copy of the old PDF. We have not established when the County changed its link or what any particular applicant paid.
A closing date does not establish an inspection date
The current application makes scheduling dependent on a submitted application and nonrefundable fee. Before committing to a transaction deadline, use these questions with LCPH:
- Occupancy: Has the home been continuously occupied for 30 days? If vacant, ask about the form’s limited possibility for an operational mechanical discharging system with water and electricity.
- Recent pumping: Give the actual pumping date; pumping within 30 days can delay evaluation. Do not postpone needed maintenance merely to fit a transaction timetable.
- Conditions on site: Report obstructing vegetation, excessive rain or snow deeper than two inches. Ask whether the visit can proceed.
- Access: Arrange the required prepared system access, utilities, owner/representative signature and access person aged at least 18. The County will not uncover lids or evaluate an unprepared system.
Use qualified help for heavy covers, excavation and electrical or sewage components. Do not enter a tank or alter connections to satisfy this checklist.
What the buyer actually receives
The evaluation combines records review and site observation; components below liquid may not be visible. The report identifies observed concerns and correction timeframes. It goes to the person providing access, who distributes it as the transaction requires; the County retains it as a public record. Application, pages 1–2.
An O&M permit and that report answer different questions. Neither this comparison nor an unremarkable observation guarantees future system performance or determines a private contract requirement.
LSL compared the County’s current links, both application versions and the 2026 fee schedule. This document review involved no property inspection, staff interview or test transaction. The consolidated guide retains the earlier article’s O&M distinction and replaces duplicated fee-warning coverage with the current evidence.