Register your septic tank
Why does it need to be registered?
An individual septic tank serving a household, if it is properly maintained doesn’t pose a great threat to the environment. Where there are a lot of septic tanks, the combined discharges can have an effect on the quality of groundwater and of watercourses that pass through the area.
Your environmental regulator needs to know where they are located and how many there are. This is in order to make decisions about whether allowing other activities, or discharges, will cause pollution problems for groundwater, streams or rivers or lochs/loughs.
Your Septic Tank must be registered.
Check if your septic tank is already registered
You can check if your tank has already been registered by contacting your environmental regulator. If you are unsure then it is best to check and avoid making an unnecessary payment. The NIEA and SEPA have records of all registered septic tanks.
In Northern Ireland: you can search the Domestic Consent Public Register
DAERA: Domestic Consent Public Register
In Scotland: You can request a check from SEPA by completing the online form.
SEPA: Septic tank registration check
Register your septic tank
If your tank is not registered then you must register it with your environmental regulator.
In Northern Ireland you should visit the Northern Ireland Environment Agency website for an application form and guidance documents.
NIEA has launched an online service for the registration of septic tanks. You can find the online platform at:
You can find information about septic tank discharges, and a link to the online service at:
DAERA: Regulating water discharges
In Scotland you should visit the SEPA website.
Visit the SEPA webpage where you can find information that will allow you to either:
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Register an existing septic tank (small sewage discharge) which is more than 2 years old and serving up to nine properties
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Register a new septic tank (small sewage discharge) serving up to 3 domestic properties or, for commercial sewage discharges, a population equivalent of up to 15 P.E. (population equivalent)
SEPA: Registration of septic tanks and small sewage discharges
Further information
Scotland: Where does my sewage go? fact sheet