Montana Septic Hauling Compliance Guide

Montana's septage disposal regulations are administered by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) under ARM 17.50, Subchapter 8. State licensure is required at the business level before any septage disposal activities can begin.

Record-keeping in Montana is notably thorough. ARM 17.50.813(1) enumerates ten categories of mandatory records, with key manifest fields including the type of material (waste type), location of each disposal site (destination address), volume of each material (total gallons), and date and time of each application. Haulers must retain these disposal and land application records for five years, as explicitly stated in ARM 17.50.813(2).

Montana also stands out for its semiannual reporting requirement under ARM 17.50.813(3). Haulers must submit a summary for the January-through-June period by July 15, and the July-through-December summary is due with the annual license renewal. This twice-yearly reporting cadence is more frequent than the annual or per-permit schedules found in most states.

Grease trap waste has its own dedicated rule in Montana, ARM 17.50.815, though the same septic tank pumper license covers grease trap servicing. The grease trap rule was created in 2001 and most recently amended in 2012. Licenses expire December 31 each year, with a $125 late fee if renewal is not received by April 1. Land application of grease trap waste is not allowed.