# New Hampshire — Septic system inspection at property sale: which states require it

For New Hampshire, inspection required at sale? is Prior to the transfer of any developed waterfront property using a septic system, where any portion of the septic system is within 250 feet of the reference line as defined in RSA 483-B:4, XVII, the buyer of the property shall, at the buyer's expense, engage a New Hampshire licensed septic system evaluator to conduct a septic system evaluation; who obtains / pays is the buyer of the property shall, at the buyer's expense, engage a New Hampshire licensed septic system evaluator; exemptions is the buyer may accept an evaluation prepared for the seller of the property if the evaluation was completed within 180 days of the date of property transfer; authority is Section 485-A:39, verified against its source on 2026-08-18.

- **State:** New Hampshire _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Inspection required at sale?:** Prior to the transfer of any developed waterfront property using a septic system, where any portion of the septic system is within 250 feet of the reference line as defined in RSA 483-B:4, XVII, the buyer of the property shall, at the buyer's expense, engage a New Hampshire licensed septic system evaluator to conduct a septic system evaluation _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Who obtains / pays:** the buyer of the property shall, at the buyer's expense, engage a New Hampshire licensed septic system evaluator _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Exemptions:** the buyer may accept an evaluation prepared for the seller of the property if the evaluation was completed within 180 days of the date of property transfer _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Authority:** Section 485-A:39 _(verified: appears in the quote below)_

## What the source says

> I. Prior to the transfer of any developed waterfront property using a septic system, where any portion of the septic system is within 250 feet of the reference line as defined in RSA 483-B:4, XVII, the buyer of the property shall, at the buyer's expense, engage a New Hampshire licensed septic system evaluator to conduct a septic system evaluation. However, the buyer may accept an evaluation prepared for the seller of the property if the evaluation was completed within 180 days of the date of property transfer. The septic system evaluation prepared for the seller by a New Hampshire state licensed septic system evaluator with stated findings shall be given to the buyer and acceptance of the evaluation shall be acknowledged in writing by the buyer.

## Source

- https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/l/485-a/485-a-39.htm

Last verified: 2026-08-18. Review by: 2027-08-18.
Part of [Septic system inspection at property sale: which states require it](https://referencesource.org/septic-inspection-at-property-transfer/).