How do you find your septic records?
Thurston County septic records sit in three places. The record drawing and permit history are held by the county's Building Development Center and its online permit portal. Pumping and inspection reports go into OnlineRME, a public database. Completed Time of Transfer reports can be viewed online as well. All of them are filed by the eleven-digit tax parcel number printed on your county tax statement.
Street to Drainfield · updated · sources listed at the end
Which records does the county keep for a septic system?
Four kinds matter to a homeowner. The record drawing, once called an "as-built," maps the parts. Permits show what was installed, repaired or approved, and when. Pumping and inspection reports show maintenance history. A Time of Transfer report, required before most sales, rolls those together with an evaluation. The county's Time of Transfer page links to an online lookup for each one.
How do you get the record drawing?
Search online first, then ask. The Time of Transfer page offers a "Check for Property Record Drawing" link into the county's permit portal. If nothing comes up, the county's Record Drawing Request form asks for the tax parcel number and site address and says requests are processed within five business days. Quality varies: the county's care page warns that drawings from before 1980 may be very rough sketches, while newer ones show the tank, drainfield, replacement area and pump chamber or mound, often with tank size and line lengths.
Where are past pumping and inspection reports kept?
They live in OnlineRME. Thurston County's homeowner requirements page describes it as a public database where you can look up reports submitted by your septic professional. On the site, choose Thurston County and enter the address or parcel number. Under Article IV of the Sanitary Code, reports are due within 30 days of the inspection or service, so a recent visit should show up within about a month.
What if the county has no drawing for your house?
Some older systems were never mapped well, and DOH's lid safety page suggests calling a professional septic company, which has experience finding hard-to-spot tanks. EPA's septic questions page adds that the property deed, building permit and design plans may record the system. Once a pro locates the tank, ask for a sketch with measurements and keep it. For clues you can check yourself, see where the septic tank lids are.
Can you check permit history or a Time of Transfer report?
Yes. The county's permits and resources page offers a current permit status lookup and a search for permits issued on a property in the past, using a permit, project or parcel number. The Time of Transfer page links to the status of a pending review and to completed reports. If your system holds an Operational Certificate, its status matters for a sale too.
Keeping a house file
Build your own copy of the record. DOH's care page advises keeping a diagram and a maintenance log, noting that both help when problems occur and are valuable to the next owner. Washington's rule, WAC 246-272A-0270, requires a seller to hand the buyer all available maintenance and repair records. A folder with the drawing, every report and receipts makes that easy; selling a house with septic covers the rest.
| Record | Where to find it | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Record drawing | County permit portal, or request form | Tax parcel number and site address |
| Permit history | County permit lookup | Permit, project or parcel number |
| Pumping and inspection reports | OnlineRME, Thurston County | Address or parcel number |
| Time of Transfer report | County permit portal | Parcel number |
Yours to do
- Find the eleven-digit parcel number on your tax statement.
- Search the county portal and OnlineRME for your address.
- Print every drawing and report and keep them in one folder.
- Ask the pumper for a measured sketch after each visit.
Leave to a licensed or certified pro
- Locating a tank that no record shows.
- Filing pumping and inspection reports with the county.
- Preparing a corrected drawing after a repair.
- Inspecting and pumping every tank before a sale.
On the record
- 11 digitsTax parcel number used to file septic recordsThurston County septic FAQ
- 5 business daysProcessing time for a record drawing requestThurston County Building Development Center
- 30 daysDeadline for filing inspection and maintenance reportsThurston County Sanitary Code, Article IV
- 1980Drawings older than this may be rough sketchesThurston County Environmental Health
Common questions
Where do I find my parcel number if I lost the tax statement?
The county's FAQ says to contact the County Assessor's office, which keeps parcel numbers for every property.
Can a buyer look up a house's septic reports before making an offer?
Yes. OnlineRME is public, and the county describes completed Time of Transfer reports as viewable online.
Why does my drawing show a "replacement area"?
That is the space set aside for a future drainfield. The county says every new home on septic must have one, and it should be protected like the working field.
What if the records show a second septic system?
Each system is tracked separately; at sale, the county requires a separate Time of Transfer application and fee for each one.
Is a record drawing a legal survey?
No. The county's sale sketch form says it is for general reference and not for legal use, and drawings vary in accuracy.
Sources
- Time of Transfer, Thurston County — online lookups for drawings, reports, permit and review status; read 6 November 2026
- Record Drawing Request form, Thurston County — parcel number and address, five business days; read 6 November 2026
- Homeowner Maintenance & Requirements, Thurston County — OnlineRME as a public database; read 6 November 2026
- Septic Systems Permits & Resources, Thurston County — permit lookup by permit, project or parcel number; read 6 November 2026
- Septic system FAQ, Thurston County — eleven-digit parcel number, Assessor; read 6 November 2026
- Thurston County Sanitary Code, Article IV - Sewage Disposal — 30-day report filing; read 6 November 2026
- Time of Transfer application packet, Thurston County — sketch is not for legal use, one application per system; read 6 November 2026
- Caring for Your Septic System, Washington State Department of Health — keeping records; read 6 November 2026
- WAC 246-272A-0270, Washington State Legislature — records to the buyer at sale; read 6 November 2026
- Frequent Questions on Septic Systems, US EPA — deeds, permits and plans as records; read 6 November 2026
How this page was put together. This page draws on Thurston County Environmental Health and Building Development Center pages and forms, the state septic rule and DOH and EPA guidance, all read on 6 November 2026. OnlineRME and the county's permit portal are named but not linked, because both run on outside platforms; reach them from the county pages above. The page leaves out office addresses, which differ between county pages.
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