Polk County
Polk County Public Works — Environmental Health Services
In short
Polk County Public Works — Environmental Health Services issues 2 permits we publish for Polk County, last verified 2026-10-14. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.
What this agency issues
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onsite Wastewater (Septic) System Permit — Commercial (Polk County outside Des Moines)only if it applies to you | Polk County Public Works — Environmental Health Services | Per the Polk County Public Works Fee Schedule effective 1/1/2026: Septic Tank Fee - Commercial $324.00; Septic Abandonment Fee $77.00. | per permit | 2026-10-14 |
| Polk County Onsite Wastewater Treatment and Disposal System Contractor's Licenseonly if it applies to you | Polk County Public Works — Environmental Health Services | $102 per license (Septic Contractor's License Fee, Polk County Public Works Fee Schedule effective 1/1/2026); non-certified installers also file a $15,000 surety bond | License period set by Polk County Chapter III, the Onsite Wastewater Treatment and Disposal System Regulation (§3-5) | 2026-10-14 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
About each permit
Onsite Wastewater (Septic) System Permit — Commercial (Polk County outside Des Moines)
A business site in Polk County that is served by an onsite wastewater (septic) system needs a county permit and construction authorization before the system is installed, built, repaired, modified or improved (Chapter III, the Polk County Onsite Wastewater Treatment and Disposal System Regulation, §3-8(A), adopted June 19, 2012 and effective July 1, 2012); a site on a public sewer has no septic permit. The Environmental Health Services page states that "Polk County has jurisdiction throughout the County except for the City of Des Moines," so this applies inside the county's other cities as well as the unincorporated area. Under §3-7(H), commercial systems must be designed by a licensed engineer, and a system serving a business that needs a food service establishment license may have to meet the FOG ordinance's grease-control requirements. The page states that a permit fee must be paid before the permit is issued, that inspections are required and that the permit holder schedules them (515-286-3705), and that only contractors licensed with the Environmental Health Services Division may work on systems, except for abandonments. Under the Polk County Public Works Fee Schedule headed "Effective 1/1/2026" (linked from the county's Public Works Forms & Resources page as the 2026 Public Works Fee Schedule), the Septic Tank Fee - Commercial is $324.00 and the Septic Abandonment Fee is $77.00.
Polk County Onsite Wastewater Treatment and Disposal System Contractor's License
Under §3-5(A) of Chapter III, the Polk County Onsite Wastewater Treatment and Disposal System Regulation (license requirement effective January 1, 2013), no person may install, reconstruct, maintain, alter or repair an onsite wastewater treatment and disposal system on property within Polk County, Iowa, or provide onsite services assisting in that work, without a valid Polk County Onsite Wastewater Treatment and Disposal System Contractor's License, unless the work is done for and directly supervised by a license holder. There are two tracks. A certified installer submits proof of an Iowa On-Site Wastewater Association or National Environmental Health Association Certified Installer of On-site Wastewater Treatment Systems credential (Basic or Advanced). A non-certified installer files a $15,000 surety bond from a surety authorised in Iowa and either letters of recommendation from three clients for work in the 365 days before applying, with the final approved permits, or comparable evidence of experience. The Environmental Health Services page states that anyone can obtain a septic abandonment permit. Under the Polk County Public Works Fee Schedule headed "Effective 1/1/2026" (linked from the county's Public Works Forms & Resources page as the 2026 Public Works Fee Schedule), the Septic Contractor's License Fee is $102.00. Applications go to Environmental Health Services (515-286-3705).
Contact
- Jurisdiction
- Polk County
- Phone
- 515-286-3705
Contact details are taken from the agency’s own site or its published fee schedule. Where we have not verified a phone number we leave it blank rather than guess.
Sources
Every fee and term above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.
- Chapter III, Polk County Onsite Wastewater Treatment and Disposal System Regulation (adopted June 19, 2012; effective July 1, 2012), §§3-5, 3-7, 3-8Polk County, Iowa · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
- Environmental Health Services page (septic systems, contractor's license)Polk County, Iowa, Public Works · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
- Polk County Public Works Fee Schedule, Effective 1/1/2026Polk County, Iowa, Public Works · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
- Public Works Forms & Resources page (2026 Public Works Fee Schedule link)Polk County, Iowa, Public Works · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
Other offices serving Polk County
The full permit list for this jurisdiction
Industry permit lists that include this agency
Iowa jurisdictions
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.