Septic system requirements in San Diego County, California
The septic rules landplan.io applies in San Diego County, what a septic tank costs there, and the parcel data we hold.
Updated
Design a septic system for an address in San Diego County
San Diego County has rules of its own in landplan.io (San Diego): Reviewed It sets system types and soil loading rates differently from California; the rest follows the state.
Septic systems allowed in San Diego County
The system types landplan.io permits in San Diego County:
- Drip Distribution System
- Leach Line System
- Horizontal Seepage Pit System
- Vertical Seepage Pit System
- Infiltrator Advanced Treatment Leachfield (ATL)
- Infiltrator Advanced Enviro-Septic® (AES)
Septic tank size in San Diego County
The daily design flow of a home: 150 gal/day per bedroom, at least 150 gal/day. The septic tank is sized from that flow:
| Daily design flow | Minimum tank |
|---|---|
| up to 240 gal/day | 1,000 gallons |
| 240 to 360 gal/day | 1,500 gallons |
| 360 to 600 gal/day | 2,000 gallons |
| 600 to 720 gal/day | 2,500 gallons |
| 720 to 840 gal/day | 2,750 gallons |
| 840 to 920 gal/day | 3,000 gallons |
| 920 to 1,040 gal/day | 3,250 gallons |
Septic setbacks in San Diego County
| From | To | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Polygon | Existing Septic Component to be Abandoned | 5 ft |
These are the values the landplan.io design engine applies in San Diego County. Confirm a design with the California health department or your county's before you build.
Parcel data in San Diego County
landplan.io has parcel boundaries for San Diego County (99.2% of its area): type an address and the design starts from the parcel.
Septic companies, designers and jobs in California
- Septic companies and distributors in California
- Septic designers in California
- Septic design jobs in California
Where the rules come from
The regulations and documents landplan.io's San Diego County, California rules are read from:
- Water Quality Control Policy for Siting, Design, Operation, and Maintenance of Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS Policy) (State Water Board Resolution No. 2012-0032 (OWTS Policy), codified references at 23 CCR §2, Div. 3, Ch. 15.5)
- 2025 California Plumbing Code, Appendix H - Private Sewage Disposal Systems (with Sections 713.0-721.0 of Chapter 7) (Cal. Code Regs. Title 24, Part 5 (2025 California Plumbing Code), Appendix H, Sections H 101.0-H 1201.0; Tables H 101...)
Near San Diego County
- Riverside County
- Orange County
- Imperial County
- Los Angeles County
- San Bernardino County
- Ventura County
- Kern County
- Santa Barbara County
- All of California
Questions
What septic systems are allowed in San Diego County?
landplan.io designs by San Diego County's own rules there and permits: Drip Distribution System, Leach Line System, Horizontal Seepage Pit System, Vertical Seepage Pit System, Infiltrator Advanced Treatment Leachfield (ATL) and Infiltrator Advanced Enviro-Septic® (AES).
What size septic tank do I need in San Diego County?
landplan.io sizes the septic tank in San Diego County from the daily design flow: up to 240 gal/day: 1,000 gallons; 240 to 360 gal/day: 1,500 gallons; 360 to 600 gal/day: 2,000 gallons; larger flows need larger tanks. A home's design flow is 150 gal/day per bedroom, at least 150 gal/day.
Does landplan.io have parcel data for San Diego County, California?
Yes: parcel boundaries cover San Diego County (99.2% of its area).