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Septic Permits2026Tiny, Tay, Midland, Penetang, Wasaga, Collingwood, Oro-Medonte, Springwater
Septic Permits by Town: Who Issues, Fees and Timelines (2026)
In south Georgian Bay your septic permit comes from the local municipality (in Tiny, through its approval agent Tatham Engineering), fees run roughly $640 to $880 for a new system, and a complete file usually gets an answer in about 10 business days. Below is the town-by-town table, what a complete application needs, why files get bounced, and the order things actually happen in.
Updated October 2026 · Georgian Bay Siteworks, the site work division of ICFHome.ca
Insured to $2,000,000Site work division of ICFHome.caBuilding since 1979250+ projects in Simcoe County
The Table: Who Issues, What It Costs, How Long
Fees below are from each municipality’s own page or fee by-law as of 2026. Fee schedules change every year, usually on January 1, so treat these as a starting point and confirm before you pay. Where a town does not publish a number we say so rather than guess.
| Town | Who issues | New system fee | Timeline | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiny | Township, with Tatham Engineering as approval agent | $637 (Class 2-5, 3 inspections); repair/tank/lot suitability $337 | Not published | Review letter $263; extra inspection $187; building without a permit adds 100% to the fee. Apply on Cloudpermit or paper. |
| Tay | Building Services (building@tay.ca, 705-534-7248) | Set in By-law 2025-11 (not listed on the page) | 10 business days after Planning and Operations sign off | Septic file search $75, 3-5 business days. 2026 septic permit package on the Township site. |
| Midland | Town Building Department (building@midland.ca, 705-526-4275) | $740.55 Class 4 or 5; repair $228.19 | Houses target 10 working days after a complete file | By-law 2026-2, effective Feb 9, 2026. Inspections run 1-4 pm; book by 11 am for same day. |
| Penetanguishene | Town Planning and Building (705-549-7453) | Not published online – call | Not published | Building staff shared with Midland under an agreement running to end of January 2027. |
| Wasaga Beach | Town Building Department (705-429-1120) | Not itemized in the 2026 fee schedule – call | About 10 business days for small projects | Building permit form plus Schedules 1 and 2. Four inspections: base, install, bed, final. NVCA area. |
| Collingwood | Town Building Services | $675 new/replacement; repair $170; tank $170; decommission $85 | About 10 business days complete; 20+ if incomplete | Site Evaluation Report required. Zoning review can add 5-10 business days. NVCA area. |
| Oro-Medonte | Township Building via Cloudpermit | $650 new/repair/replacement; tank only $248.25 | Not published | Where required, 2 backhoe test holes 5 ft deep at the bed. Fixture count form plus cross section. |
| Springwater | Building Services (705-728-4784 ext. 2017) | $876.37 new; $656.73 replacement; repair $220.73 | Not published | Test-hole inspection before permit unless T-time analysis provided. As-built before final. Septic search $163.91. |
| Innisfil | Town Building Department (705-436-3710) | Per Fees and Charges By-law (application fee due at submission) | Complete files within 10 business days | Needs granular analysis of sand before install inspection. NVCA or LSRCA may also apply. |
We left Barrie off the table. Most of the city is on municipal sewer, and we could not find a current city septic page to cite. If you have a rural Barrie property, call the City building department directly.
Builder truth: the permit fee is the cheapest line on the whole job. The expensive part is a file that sits for three weeks because a sketch was missing a well.
What a Complete Application Includes
Every town words it differently, but the bones are the same across the Simcoe County municipalities we work in. Compare the Wasaga checklist, the Collingwood page and the Oro-Medonte guideline and you get this list:
- Building permit application (or the town’s sewage system form).
- Schedule 1 – the designer, with their BCIN qualification. Design is done by a qualified designer, which is what SepticReplacement.ca handles.
- Schedule 2 – the installer. If the installer is in the business, they must be registered with a BCIN and name a qualified supervisor.
- Design calculations – daily design flow from bedrooms, floor area and fixture count, then tank and bed sizing.
- Site plan to scale – house, tank, bed, every well on your lot and the neighbours’, the lake or stream, property lines, driveway, easements and slopes.
- Cross section – existing grade, finished grade, imported fill depth, depth to water table or bedrock.
- Soil information – test holes, T-time, or a site evaluation report (Collingwood requires one).
- Owner authorization if someone else is applying for you, and conservation authority sign-off where it applies (NVCA covers Wasaga, Collingwood and Springwater, not Tiny).
Why Files Get Bounced
Missing wells
Your neighbour’s dug well 25 m away counts. If it is not on the plan, the examiner cannot check the 30 m clearance and the file stops.
No cross section
A raised bed on Bay sand without depths and fill heights is just a rectangle on paper. Towns want to see how high it sits and what is under it.
Installer unknown
You can apply before you pick an installer, but most towns then need a new Schedule 2 before construction starts. Forget it and the inspection gets refused.
Zoning not cleared
Collingwood notes zoning review adds 5-10 business days. A bed in a setback or a second unit the zoning does not allow will hold the whole permit.
The Order of Steps That Actually Works
- Pull the records on the existing system first (see below). Old drawings save a designer a day of guessing.
- Book locates and dig test holes. Spring holes tell the truth about the water table on Bay sand.
- Designer prepares the layout and calculations. Start with the free septic check for a first look.
- Submit the full package. Answer examiner questions the same week.
- Permit issued and posted on site. Not before. Tiny charges an extra 100% if you build first.
- Installer books each inspection – base, installation, bed, final – and the as-built drawing goes in before final.
The full field side of this is in our septic installation process guide.
Records Search on an Existing System
Most towns will search their files for the original permit and as-built for a fee. In Tiny, Tatham Engineering does the search: $112 with a letter, $32 for a copy only. Give them the owner’s name at the time the system went in if you know it, plus lot, concession, plan and roll number. Tay charges $75 and quotes 3-5 business days. Springwater charges $163.91 for a mailed reply within 15 business days.
Older cottages sometimes have no record at all. That is not proof of anything except that the paper is gone, and it is a good reason to have the system opened up and looked at.
Adding a Bedroom or a Garden Suite
Bedrooms drive the design flow, so adding one can push an existing bed past what it was sized for. Tiny requires a sewage system review for additions, renovations, conversions and second units ($263 for the review and letter). Tay has a Sewage System Verification process for additions and renovations. If you are planning a second unit, read GardenSuiteOntario.com before you draw anything, because the septic answer often decides whether the suite is possible.
Want the Field Side Done Right?
We dig the test holes, clear the access and do the install work once your design and permit are in place. One crew, our own machines.
Related guides
Frequently Asked Questions
Who issues septic permits in Tiny Township?
The Township of Tiny issues them, with Tatham Engineering acting as its approval agent for all sewage system approvals. A new or replacement system permit is $637 in 2026.
How long does a septic permit take in Simcoe County?
Most towns aim for about 10 business days once the file is complete. Incomplete files in Collingwood run past 20 business days, and zoning review can add another week or two.
What documents do I need for a septic permit?
An application form, Schedule 1 for the designer, Schedule 2 for the installer, design calculations, a scaled site plan with all wells and water, a cross section, and soil information. Some towns also want a site evaluation report or test-hole inspection.
Can I install my own septic system in Ontario?
Some towns allow the owner to install on their own property; Springwater’s guide says the owner or a licensed installer may do it. Anyone in the business of installing must be a registered installer with a BCIN, and you still need a qualified design and a permit.
Does a garden suite need septic review?
Yes. Tiny requires a sewage system review for second units, additions and conversions, at $263 for the review and letter. An extra unit adds flow, so the existing bed may not be big enough.
How do I find records for an existing septic system?
Request a file search from the municipality. In Tiny it is $112 with a letter or $32 for a copy only through Tatham Engineering; Tay charges $75 with a 3-5 business day turnaround.
What happens if I build a septic without a permit?
In Tiny the permit fee is increased by an extra 100% for construction without a permit. You still have to get the permit and pass the inspections, so the work has to be inspectable.
