What should I be aware of if I am buying an unsewered property?
What should I be aware of if I am buying an unsewered property?
Not all unsewered properties can be developed for residential use. You must be able to legally build an onsite wastewater disposal system (“septic system”) for your proposed dwelling, otherwise you will not receive a building permit to construct. The sections below will provide detailed answers to this question, but for convenience, the primary things you should work with your realtor or the seller to determine are:
Any single one of these issues could prevent you from being able to obtain a construction permit if the relevant legal requirements are not met. It is therefore extremely important to discuss each of these with your realtor and/or the seller, and if possible to verify on your own before committing to the purchase of a property that you might not be able to build on.
Search Guam EPA
Waste System Permit Application Update
Notice to the Public: Pursuant to Public Law 37-105, GEPA’s interim authority to issue construction and operating permits for Type 4 facilities and holding tanks expired on July 31, 2025. GEPA is unable to proceed with the review or approval of Waste Disposal System permit applications until regulations have been adopted.
UPDATED AS OF JULY 18, 2024: Requirements for Septic Systems
Please be advised that the Toilet Facilities and Sewage Disposal Chapter codified in 10 GCA Chapter 48 has been amended through the enactment of Guam Public Law 37-105.
On July 18, 2024, Bill 175-37(COR) as substituted and amended on the floor was signed into law as Guam Public Law 37-105 and is effective upon enactment. As a result of this enactment, certain conditional environmental clearances issued by the Guam Environmental Protection Agency for building permits issued by the Department of Public Works have changed and will now be performed in accordance to this new law and its amended provisions.
Permitting Tips Presentations: Contractors, Home Builders and Property Buyers
In case you missed our Construction & Industry Forum on March 29, 2023, you can click on the links below to access presentations about Guam EPA’s construction permitting process:
In Guam, the use of onsite wastewater disposal systems commonly referred to as ”septic systems,” is regulated through a number of laws and regulations. These laws and regulations cover specific requirements for the permitting, design and construction of septic systems in Guam. Guam EPA has developed this FAQ to help you understand the application of various requirements to the design, permitting, and construction of a septic system for a single family dwelling.
Guam Business License & Permit Center Window Hours
Guam Business License and Permit Center Agency Window Hours:
