SEPTIC TANKS

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 17, ch. 9

in effect

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 17, § 900 Definitions.

Section 900. - Definitions. The following definitions shall apply in the interpretation and the enforcement of this chapter: A. Septic tank installer means any person, firm or corporation which engages in the business of installing or repairing septic tank systems; B. Septic tank system means all or any portion of any structure or system receiving waste products by pipe from any residence, business or industrial plant, other than those connected directly to an approved sanitary sewer; and C. Director means the Director of the City-County Health Department or his authorized representative.

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 17, § 901 License required.

Section 901. - License required. Any person who installs or repairs a septic tank system or systems shall obtain a license from the Director. A knowledge of plumbing shall not be required for a license but all such applicants shall show a knowledge of the construction, installation, operation and use of septic tank systems. Upon satisfactory proof of having the required knowledge in construction of septic tank systems, the Director shall, upon the payment of an annual fee of Fifty Dollars ($50.00), issue a license to install and repair septic tank systems; provided that such person shall first file a bond unto the City of Tulsa with the Director in the sum of Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) with a surety company authorized to do business in the state of Oklahoma, as surety thereon to the effect and on the conditions that he, the principal, the surety or either of them shall pay damages to any person resulting from the faulty or improper construction of any septic tank system constructed or repaired by him and that he shall faithfully perform the duties relating to such trade and shall comply with all conditions of the Revised Ordinances of the City of Tulsa relating to the same. In addition to the bond hereinabove required, the applicant shall also deposit with the Director the sum of Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) as a security deposit which will guarantee the payment of permit inspection fees. Such deposit shall be used to cover any delinquent or unpaid permit inspection fees and such may be deducted therefrom, as hereinafter provided. Violation of any of the provisions of this chapter or any condition of term of such license shall be deemed grounds for revocation or suspension of such license. A hearing regarding the suspension or revocation of such license shall be conducted by the Environmental Review Board as created in Section 718 of this title. Prior to such action, the Director shall notify the license holder in writing, stating the reasons for which the license is subject to revocation and advising that the license shall be revoked or suspended at the end of five (5) days following the service of such notice, unless a written request for a hearing is filed with the Director, by the license holder, within such five (5) day period. The notice of hearing shall be delivered in person or by certified mail to the license holder not less than ten (10) days before the time set for hearing. Notwithstanding the provisions contained herein, an owner may install a septic tank system on his own property, without a license, provided that he takes out the necessary permits and meets all other requirements as outlined in this chapter. Payment shall be made for the permit upon application.

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 17, § 902 Permit required.

Section 902. - Permit required. Before any person shall construct, repair or install any septic tank system within the corporate limits of the City of Tulsa wherever the plumbing system is connected directly or indirectly with the waterworks systems of the City of Tulsa, he shall obtain a permit therefor from the Tulsa City-County Health Department. The refusal, failure or neglect to obtain such a permit before commencing such construction, repair or installation shall be unlawful, and each day thereafter in which such work shall be unlawful and a separate offense. It shall be unlawful for any owner or agent in charge of any premises in the City of Tulsa or any premises outside the City, wherever the plumbing system is connected directly or indirectly with the waterworks system of the City of Tulsa, to install or allow to be installed any septic tank system without meeting the requirements of this chapter for proper permit and inspection by the City-County Health Department.

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 17, § 903 Percolation test required.

Section 903. - Percolation test required. A percolation test shall be required to determine the acceptability of soil before any person shall construct or install any septic tank system within the corporate limits of the City of Tulsa. Such percolation test shall be conducted in accordance with ODH Bulletin No. 600 and shall be performed by the Tulsa City-County Health Department, or persons certified by the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 17, § 904 Permit and inspection fee.

Section 904. - Permit and inspection fee. An inspection fee of Twenty-Five Dollars ($25.00) shall be paid to the Director of the Tulsa City-County Health Department upon the issuance of each permit to build, repair or install a septic tank system. Upon the payment of the inspection fee, it shall be the duty of the Director to inspect the plans of the proposed construction, the location and actual construction. Upon the completion of the work, the Director shall approve the septic tank system before any connection or use of the system is made. Any reinspection of a septic tank system shall be made only at an additional fee of Twenty-Five Dollars ($25.00) for each reinspection. All permit and inspection fees herein enumerated shall be paid to the Director of the Tulsa City-County Health Department and shall be charged to the licensed septic tank system installer on a monthly basis; and they shall be billed by the Tulsa City-County Health Department on the first of each month for all permit and inspection fees assessed during the preceding month. Such fees shall then be due and payable at once and if not paid in full by the 10th of the month in which billed, the total amount due and unpaid shall be deducted from the cash deposit of the licensed septic tank system installer in payment of such fees, at which time the issuance of permits to the particular licensed septic tank system installer shall be suspended until and unless the cash deposit is supplemented to bring it up to the required amount. (Ord. No. 15666)

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 17, § 905 Collection and deposit of fees.

Section 905. - Collection and deposit of fees. All fees collected by the Tulsa City-County Health Department under authority of these regulations shall be deposited with the County Treasurer of Tulsa County pursuant to 19 O.S.1991, § 681, and shall be transferred and added to the Health Department's appropriations pursuant to 63 O.S.Supp.1996, § 1-206.1.

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 17, § 906 Prohibited locations.

Section 906. - Prohibited locations. A. It shall be unlawful for any person to install, maintain, operate or use any septic tank system within the boundaries of any sewer district or where such system is upon any premises which abut upon any public district or public lateral sewer line, or which is within two hundred fifty (250) feet of such line. All septic tank systems hereafter constructed in violation of this section are hereby declared to be a public nuisance and shall be abated, except for septic tank systems installed as part of an approved and permitted Net-Zero Water Project authorized by Chapter 15 of Title 11-C of the Revised Ordinances of the City of Tulsa. B. It shall be unlawful for any person to construct, install or maintain any drive, paving, surfacing, swimming pool, lawn sprinkler system, building or other structure on or over the part of a lot or parcel of land containing septic tank system lateral lines. (Ord. No. 17025; Ord. No. 24169, § 3, 7-10-2019)

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 17, § 907 Construction regulations.

Section 907. - Construction regulations. No private sewage disposal system shall be constructed, repaired or installed unless it shall comply with the minimum requirements prescribed by the State Board of Health of the state of Oklahoma for such disposal systems. (Ord. No. 13666)

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 17, § 908 Hook-up to public sanitary sewer system required.

Section 908. - Hook-up to public sanitary sewer system required. The owner of a lot served by a septic tank system, in a subdivision also having a public sanitary sewer system, shall within ninety (90) days from the date of notification in writing by the City of Tulsa, at such owner's expense, disconnect from the septic tank system, and connect the building sewer line to the public sanitary sewer system, all in accordance with the Revised Ordinances and duly adopted regulations of the City of Tulsa. This Section shall not apply to a septic tank system installed as part of an approved and permitted Net-Zero Water Project authorized by Chapter 15 of Title 11-C of the Revised Ordinances of the City of Tulsa. (Ord. No. 17025; Ord. No. 24169, § 4, 7-10-2019)

Source: City of Tulsa, Revised Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ok/tulsa/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_TIT17HERE_CH9SETAFetched: 10/28/2026