# Rhode Island — Septic system inspection at property sale: which states require it

For Rhode Island, inspection required at sale? is Any cesspool found to be serving a building or use subject to sale or transfer shall be removed and replaced with an OWTS or the building served by the cesspool shall be connected to a public sewer system within twelve (12) months of the date of sale or transfer; authority is R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-19.15-12, verified against its source on 2026-08-18.

- **State:** Rhode Island _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Inspection required at sale?:** Any cesspool found to be serving a building or use subject to sale or transfer shall be removed and replaced with an OWTS or the building served by the cesspool shall be connected to a public sewer system within twelve (12) months of the date of sale or transfer _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Authority:** R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-19.15-12 _(verified: appears in the quote below)_

## What the source says

> (a) Any cesspool found to be serving a building or use subject to sale or transfer shall be removed and replaced with an OWTS or the building served by the cesspool shall be connected to a public sewer system within twelve (12) months of the date of sale or transfer. (b) Should the manner of wastewater disposal be unknown, an inspection shall be conducted to determine if a cesspool is present on the property. This inspection shall be done by a system inspector prior to the time of sale or transfer.

## Source

- https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE23/23-19.15/23-19.15-12.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/).