Snohomish County schedules its new septic property-transfer program for November 1, 2026. As of October 9, the County had yet to open the Report of Property Transfer (RPT) application and fee.
Start with the records already held. Label every document and gap before deciding what to ask for next.
Classify the evidence before filling the gap
| Evidence condition | What to preserve | Next record question |
|---|---|---|
| A drawing is present | Exact title, preparer, date and system identity | Does later evidence refer to the same system? |
| Two items conflict | Both versions and the precise location or date conflict | Which dated item resolves the mismatch? |
| No drawing is present | Search note, identifiers tried and related service records | Who holds the named missing drawing? |
The County’s Property Transfer page says an existing as-built needs no new drawing; no as-built calls for a certified septic contractor’s site plan; an inaccurate drawing uses inspection notes, with a site plan optional. It distinguishes a reviewed designer or engineer as-built from an approximate unofficial site plan.
Keep these preparation records separate from the RPT the Health Department may later return with or without deficiencies.
Build a dated identity worksheet
Create one line for each item in the folder:
- exact document title and its source;
- property wording and any system identifier printed on it;
- drawing, inspection or service date;
- preparer, reviewer or agency named on the item;
- the mismatch, missing page or unexplained interval.
Use the document’s own label. A contractor sketch, an inspection note and a reviewed drawing can describe the same physical system while answering different record questions. Record which item supplied each location or date instead of merging them into a new composite plan.
This worksheet also exposes a false match. If a service entry identifies a different system, address variant or installation period, keep it in a separate row until another identifier connects it to the file.
Read an OnlineRME gap by date
OnlineRME service-history submissions began in late 2017, so older maintenance may be absent. Older maintenance can be missing from it even when the work happened. The County identifies the latest inspection as important to transfer preparation.
The County’s As-Built Records page points to OnlineRME for as-built drawings and service history for current and past Snohomish septic systems. A drawing may show location, year and system type. Some systems predate record requirements, and more material may be in the Health Department file.
The linked OnlineRME property search uses location selectors, street number and street name, with an exact-match option. Enter the street name without its direction or suffix.
Reconcile two fictional files
Imagine a fictional file containing Drawing A, a later inspection note and contractor Sketch B. The note places the tank differently from Drawing A, while Sketch B has no review mark. This is a conflict among identified records, and the drawings themselves are present. Preserve all three, state the location conflict, and ask which dated record resolves it.
Now imagine a second fictional file with service entries but no drawing. Record that absence separately. Its diagnosis is “missing drawing,” separate from the first file’s “conflicting locations.” Ask for the drawing by name and retain the failed-search note, because the search outcome and the document gap are different evidence.
The examples describe no real property, system or transfer. They show why “missing” and “inaccurate” are different labels.
Ask for one missing object
Prepare the property address, system identifier if known, approximate installation year, document title, relevant inspection date and the exact object needed. The As-Built Records page lists Land Use at SHD-EHQ@snoco.org and 425-339-5250 for assistance. Ask whether the Health Department file contains the named drawing or related record.
If the OnlineRME attempt fails, use the address-not-found guide to preserve the exact input, date and failure before changing identifiers. The King County approved-as-built guide is useful when authenticating a King County drawing; Snohomish County’s own records and process still apply.
A drawing or search result doesn’t prove approval, compliance or a completed transfer. Ask the Health Department whether a particular property falls within the transfer program.
A septic file says nothing about the water source. For the well side, see how to match a Snohomish well report to the county’s water-supply requirement.
Snohomish Health Department property-transfer and as-built pages checked October 9, 2026.