What matters most
San Bernardino County’s published standards list new construction before issuance of a building permit among the circumstances requiring a PERC report. County-reviewed testing requires advance notice, a qualified professional, a site-specific report, and a plot plan that supports the proposed and replacement disposal areas.
Key takeaways
- Confirm the reviewing authority and sewer availability before authorizing field work.
- County standards require notice to Environmental Health Services at least two working days before PERC testing.
- The report is more than a test time; it documents parcel, proposed use, site conditions, testing locations, and design basis.
- A successful percolation result does not override groundwater, soil profile, slope, setbacks, space, or agency review.
When San Bernardino County requires a PERC report
The County’s published standards identify new construction before the building permit, subdivisions, constrained sites, certain mountain or forest areas, commercial and industrial OWTS projects, some replacement systems, holding-tank applications, and certain prohibition-related requests among the circumstances requiring a report.
An addition, ADU, remodel, or replacement may depend on existing-system records, proposed wastewater flow, development footprint, and County direction. Obtain parcel-specific confirmation instead of relying on a generic checklist.
What happens before field testing
Start with the APN, project location, proposed use and bedroom count, preliminary building and grading layout, water source, available records, and possible primary and replacement disposal areas. Determine whether the parcel is in an incorporated city, district, or unincorporated County review path.
For County-reviewed PERC work, submit the testing notification at least two working days before the field test and coordinate the responsible qualified professional. Test locations should evaluate a buildable site plan rather than an arbitrary open corner of the parcel.
Who prepares the testing and report
San Bernardino County identifies several types of registered or certified professionals who may qualify for this work, subject to the scope permitted by their registration. Confirm that the proposed professional is accepted for the specific test, report, and site conditions before scheduling.
Excavation support and access may be provided separately, but the responsible professional should establish the locations, procedure, documentation, and report scope before holes are opened.
What the report and plot plan may need to show
Depending on the site, the submittal may include vicinity and assessor information, proposed land use, structures, bedroom count, OWTS type, proposed grading, topography, geology and hydrology, drainage, flood features, springs, streams, wells, existing systems, test locations, and calculations supporting the design rate.
County materials generally call for topographic information and identify a primary system plus a 100% expansion area, relevant setbacks, water features, wells, structures, and ground-surface information on sloping sites. The responsible professional and County determine the final level of mapping.
Where the application is submitted
The County states that OWTS design-review and sewage-holding-tank applications are submitted through Land Use Services’ EZOP system. Some designated maintenance or alternative-treatment operating matters follow the intake route identified by Environmental Health Services.
Confirm the current portal and application type before filing. A combined building project and a standalone wastewater submittal may not follow the identical sequence.
What to send Calicore for a proposal
Send the property address or APN, proposed structure and bedroom count, available survey or site plan, water-source information, anticipated grading, access conditions, prior septic records, and any written County direction or correction notice.
Calicore can define a coordinated scope for septic soil testing, OWTS design support, design-level topographic mapping, grading and drainage, and permit coordination.
A septic percolation report is an onsite-wastewater siting and design document. It is not a structural foundation or subsurface design investigation.
This page provides general educational information based on agency materials available when reviewed. Septic, grading, building, and wastewater requirements can change and may vary by parcel, jurisdiction, proposed use, site conditions, and agency interpretation. The permitting agency determines the required scope and whether a project is approved. Confirm current requirements before testing, design, excavation, or construction.
Frequently asked
Questions about this topic
Do I need a perc test before applying for a building permit?+
The County’s published PERC standards list all new construction before the building permit as a circumstance requiring a report. Existing-system modifications and additions require parcel-specific review.
Can a contractor prepare the County PERC report?+
The County states that the report must be prepared by a qualified professional and identifies accepted professional registrations. A contractor may provide coordinated excavation or field support.
Does a successful perc test guarantee a septic permit?+
No. Soil profile, groundwater or limiting layers, setbacks, slope, available area, proposed flow, sewer availability, and agency review all matter.