Hawaii septic rules
Septic pumping rules in Hawaii.
Hawaii requires a state license or permit to pump or haul septage. Below: who regulates, what pumpers have to keep, and where to find the official forms. Checked against official sources on October 8, 2026.
The rules
What a pumper in Hawaii should know.
A guide, not legal advice. Counties and local health departments can add their own rules on top of the state's, so check with the county where the system is.
- Who regulates septic systemsRun by the state
Hawaii Department of Health, Wastewater Branch. The Department of Health Wastewater Branch administers individual wastewater systems statewide under HAR Chapter 11-62; properties on sewer fall under the county or private sewer provider instead.
The state program- Pumper and hauler licensingState license
Operations that pump or haul wastewater or wastewater sludge, including septage, grease and cesspool pumping, must register with the Wastewater Branch under HAR 11-62-50(b)(4) and Subchapter 6 (11-62-60, 11-62-61). Registrations expire November 15 of each even-numbered year, list every vehicle by license plate and tank size, and must include copies of authorization to dispose at each facility used. Registered vehicles carry a Wastewater Branch placard. To discharge at a municipal treatment works, haulers also need a permit from the county.
Licensing details- Where septage can go
Registrants must submit authorization to dispose of wastewater and sludge at any state, county, federal or private facility they use (HAR 11-62-61), and need a county permit to discharge at a municipal wastewater treatment works. Land application of domestic septage is limited to agricultural land, forest or reclamation sites and must meet pathogen and vector attraction requirements (HAR 11-62-44).
Disposal rules- Records and reports
Under HAR 11-62-62, each pumper must keep records of the number of systems and grease traps pumped, owner name, location (street address or tax map key), date pumped, type and volume pumped, any test results, disposal site and disposal date, and make them available on request to any state, county or federal wastewater agency. The Branch provides a Wastewater Sludge Pumping and Hauling Form for this.
Reporting rules- Inspections
Not confirmed from an official source. Ask the state program linked above, or your county health department.
- The rule book
Hawaii Administrative Rules Chapter 11-62 (Wastewater Systems), Subchapter 6 (11-62-60 to 11-62-62)
Official forms
Get the forms from the source.
We link to the state's own pages instead of keeping copies, because forms change. Your county may use its own forms as well, and those are the ones an inspector will expect.
In PortaPro
Upload your county's form once. Fill it from every job.
- Your form, filled from the job
Upload the current PDF from your county or the state, place the fields on it, and bind them to job data. Each pump-out fills it with the customer, site, tank, gallons pumped and technician, and you download a finished PDF.
How Regulatory Forms works- Service reports on the driver's phone
Every account comes with a septic inspection checklist and a pumping service report with gallons pumped and a disposal manifest. Drivers fill them on site and they are filed with the job.
PortaPro for septic companies- Prefer paper for now
Print our free septic pumping service report. It has the fields most programs ask for.
Free septic service report
Questions
Do I need a license to pump septic tanks in Hawaii?
Hawaii requires a state license or permit to pump or haul septage. Operations that pump or haul wastewater or wastewater sludge, including septage, grease and cesspool pumping, must register with the Wastewater Branch under HAR 11-62-50(b)(4) and Subchapter 6 (11-62-60, 11-62-61). Registrations expire November 15 of each even-numbered year, list every vehicle by license plate and tank size, and must include copies of authorization to dispose at each facility used. Registered vehicles carry a Wastewater Branch placard. To discharge at a municipal treatment works, haulers also need a permit from the county.
Where do I get Hawaii septic forms?
From the state's own pages, linked on this page. Many counties and local health departments use their own forms on top of the state's, so check with the county where the system is too.
Does PortaPro come with Hawaii forms built in?
No. Forms change, and counties use their own, so PortaPro doesn't ship copies. You upload the current PDF from your county or state once, place the fields on it, and PortaPro fills it from each job: customer, site, tank, gallons pumped and technician. When the agency updates its form, you upload the new one.
How current is this page?
We read the official sources listed at the bottom on October 8, 2026. Rules and forms change, so treat this as a starting point and confirm with the agency before you rely on it. This is not legal advice.
Sources
Official pages we read on .
- https://health.hawaii.gov/wastewater/
- https://health.hawaii.gov/wastewater/home/pumperhauler/
- https://health.hawaii.gov/wastewater/files/2023/04/11-62-Wastewater-Systems-CtrlFEnter.pdf
- https://health.hawaii.gov/wastewater/files/2026/04/RegistrationForm_Pumper-and-Hauler_ADA.pdf
- https://health.hawaii.gov/wastewater/files/2026/08/PumperHaulerRecordkeepingForm_ADA.pdf
Other states
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Keep the county's paperwork with the job.
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