Scituate has coastal neighborhoods, a water resource district and partial town sewer, so septic rules here depend a lot on where your home is. Here's what applies to Title 5 inspections in Scituate.
Title 5 inspections in Scituate
Standard Title 5
$425- Required for home sales and transfers
- Town records and water usage pulled for you
- Report filed with your Board of Health
Confidential System Evaluation
$500- Full camera inspection of the lines
- Private report to you. Nothing filed with the town
- Find problems on your own timeline, before you list
Not an official Title 5 inspection. It can't be used for a sale or transfer.
Scituate rules that go beyond state Title 5
- Title 5 inspectors must hold a permit from the Scituate Board of Health.
- Groundwater is set by observation in March or April, or by a DEP soil evaluator at any time of year.
- In Humarock and other coastal tidal areas, groundwater is adjusted for a high tide of at least 11.0 ft.
- An approved outlet tee filter is required.
- Parts of town are on sewer, and the Board of Health has a policy for abandoning a septic system when you connect.
What this means for you
If your system fails, ask the Board of Health about Scituate's Community Septic Management Program. It offers betterment loans for failed systems in environmentally sensitive areas, which can spread the cost of a replacement over time.
Scituate Board of Health
Scituate Board of Health
600 Chief Justice Cushing Highway, Scituate, MA 02066
Phone: 781-545-8725
Septic and Title 5 information from the town
Summarized from the town's published regulations as of September 2026. Rules change, so always confirm current requirements with the Board of Health.
If your Scituate system needs work
A failed inspection or a Conditional Pass isn't the end of the road. J. Bean Excavation handles septic repairs and full replacements, working with your engineer and the Scituate Board of Health. We also do drainage and land clearing.
Have questions first? See the Title 5 FAQ.