Suffolk County recommends inspections every three to five years for most residential systems, with reporting requirements every three years. If you have an older system, a larger household, or you’ve had previous issues, annual inspections make more sense.
The timing really depends on your system’s history and condition. If you’ve maintained regular pumping schedules and haven’t experienced problems, every five years is usually adequate. But if you’ve dealt with backups, slow drains, or odor issues, more frequent monitoring helps prevent bigger problems.
For real estate transactions, you’ll need a current inspection regardless of when your last one was performed.