License check
How to check a cesspool company's license in Suffolk or Nassau
A license number takes a minute to check and tells you the company can legally do the work. Here is who issues it in each county, where to look it up, and what else to ask, from the official pages we read on 2026-11-03.
In Suffolk County
- Septic work in Suffolk falls under the county's Liquid Waste license, which covers residential and septic tank work along with commercial, industrial and sewer drain treatment work.
- Suffolk's Liquid Waste license comes with endorsements for specific work, such as septic tank pumping and conventional septic system installation, and county law sets out ten of them.
- For the septic tank pumping endorsement, Suffolk requires proof that the company owns a dedicated pump or vacuum truck, among other items.
- Applicants for Suffolk's Liquid Waste license must document 5 of the last 10 years of employment with a licensed employer.
- The Suffolk Liquid Waste license fee of $400 includes one endorsement, each additional endorsement adds $200, and the application fee of $200.00 is non-refundable.
- Under Article 5 of Suffolk's Sanitary Code, no business other than a municipality may remove, collect, transport or dispose of sewage or other offensive material without a permit.
- 1Step 1Select Liquid Waste License in Suffolk's License and Complaint Violation Look Up to check a cesspool or septic company by name or license number.
- 2Step 2A call to Suffolk Consumer Affairs at (631) 853-4600 also verifies a septic company's license.
In Nassau County
- Nassau's septic FAQ says installers must hold a Nassau County Home Improvement License issued by the Department of Consumer Affairs.
- Cesspool builders and cleaners are on the list of who must be licensed by Nassau Consumer Affairs.
- 1Step 1Look for the cesspool company's home improvement license in Nassau's Valid Business License Search, which lists businesses with valid licenses.
Towns with a license of their own
- Town of Huntington: Huntington requires a liquid waste collection license for any business that collects or transports liquid waste or septage in the town.
- Town of Huntington: The liquid waste license application fee in Huntington is $500 including the first vehicle, plus $200 for each additional vehicle.
- Town of Shelter Island: Shelter Island's notice to contractors says every contractor or subcontractor working on the island, landscapers included, needs a town license.
Beyond the license
- Ask for a certificate of insurance sent to you by the insurer, naming you as the certificate holder.
- Ask who files the permit and books the inspections, and get it in the contract.
- Get the price, the scope, the start and finish dates and the payment schedule in a written contract.
Related
Questions homeowners ask
Is my Long Island home on a cesspool or a sewer?
Ask your town, or the county health department, whether your street has a sewer. Many Suffolk homes and some Nassau homes have no sewer connection and use a cesspool or septic system.
Are there grants to replace a cesspool on Long Island?
Yes, in some places: the town pages below list the county, state and town programs their official pages describe, with the amounts and rules as printed.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from these official pages. Rules and fees change, so confirm with the office before you file anything.
- Suffolk County Consumer Affairs, Liquid Waste License Application (CA-L16) (read 2026-11-03; page dated 3/26)
- Suffolk County Department of Health Services, Sanitary Code Article 5 (PDF) (read 2026-11-03)
- Suffolk County, License and Complaint Violation Look Up (read 2026-11-03)
- Suffolk County Consumer Affairs, Licensing and Enforcement (read 2026-11-03)
- Nassau County, Septic FAQ (read 2026-11-03)
- Nassau County Consumer Affairs, Who Must Be Licensed? (read 2026-11-03)
- Nassau County Consumer Affairs, Valid Business License Search (read 2026-11-03)
- Town of Huntington, Liquid Waste License (read 2026-11-03)
- Town of Shelter Island, Notice to All Contractors (read 2026-11-03)
Checked 2026-11-03. Facts come only from the official pages listed, read on that date.
Talk the job through before you call anyone
Tell us about the house and the job in about four minutes. Revival calls you, free, to go over the scope, the budget, the timing and your town's permit office. Contractor matches open as our first licensed partners sign.