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Emeryville · Buying & selling

Sewer lateral inspection in Emeryville

Emeryville's own rules on sewer lateral inspection, with the code text for every value.

Each rule below links to the section of the Emeryville Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What Emeryville's code says

Emeryville code What Emeryville's code adds
How long a certificate lasts
  • 7 years.
    Applies: When the building sewer lateral is repaired.
    § 7-8.207 · code text
    A compliance certificate issued by EBMUD to a property owner pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be valid for seven (7) years if the building sewer lateral is repaired, except as indicated in subsections (d) and (e) of this section, or twenty (20) years if the building sewer lateral is replaced.
  • 20 years.
    Applies: When the building sewer lateral is replaced.
    § 7-8.207 · code text
    A compliance certificate issued by EBMUD to a property owner pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be valid for seven (7) years if the building sewer lateral is repaired, except as indicated in subsections (d) and (e) of this section, or twenty (20) years if the building sewer lateral is replaced.
  • 20 years from the date issued.
    Applies: Individually owned units in a common interest development served by a single or shared building sewer lateral.
    § 7-8.207 · code text
    The compliance certificate issued by EBMUD shall be valid for twenty (20) years from the date issued.
Deadline to comply
  • Repair or replace it within 48 hours of notice.
    Applies: A faulty building sewer lateral that the Director deems an emergency.
    § 7-8.210 · code text
    the property owner shall cause the repair or replacement of said faulty building sewer lateral within forty-eight (48) hours from the date of notification, verbal or written.
  • A new certificate within 5 years after the old one expires.
    Applies: Individually owned units in a common interest development, after the compliance certificate expires.
    § 7-8.207 · code text
    Upon expiration of the compliance certificate, the association must obtain a new compliance certificate pursuant to the requirements of this chapter within five (5) years thereafter.
Fee or permit
  • A sewer lateral permit, a City- and EBMUD-witnessed verification test, and an EBMUD compliance certificate filed with the City.
    Applies: When a triggering event occurs, such as a sale or transfer, construction over $100,000, or a water meter size change.
    § 7-8.207 · code text
    obtain a sewer lateral permit
  • A valid EBMUD compliance certificate is needed before final approval of City permits tied to the triggering events.
    Applies: Permits for construction over $100,000, water meter changes, violation notices, voluntary requests, lateral repairs and subdivisions.
    § 7-8.207 · code text
    must present the City with a valid compliance certificate from EBMUD for the property prior to final approval of any and all City permits issued pursuant to subsection (a)(2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7) or (8) of this section.
When an inspection is required
  • Before the sale or transfer of the whole property or its fee interest.
    Applies: Excludes partial or leasehold interests and transfers between co-owners, into revocable/living trusts, by estate fiduciaries, to spouses, domestic partners, lineal relatives, or in divorce/separation.
    § 7-8.207 · code text
    Prior to the sale or transfer of an entire real property estate or the fee interest in that real property estate.
  • Applying for a building permit for work over $100,000 in value, or over $100,000 combined within 3 years.
    Applies: Construction or remodeling.
    § 7-8.207 · code text
    Whenever a property owner or its authorized agent applies for a building permit for any type of construction on the subject property that exceeds one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00) in construction valuation or exceeds one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00) in cumulative construction valuation for all building permits issued for any type of construction on the subject property over a three (3) year period.
  • Applying to EBMUD to make the property's water meter larger or smaller.
    Applies: A change in water service size.
    § 7-8.207 · code text
    Whenever a property owner or its authorized agent applies to EBMUD to increase or decrease the size of the property's water meter.
  • Getting a written City violation notice about the sewer lateral's condition, based on testing by the City or its representative.
    Applies: A notice of violation based on testing.
    § 7-8.207 · code text
    Whenever a property owner or its authorized agent has received a written notice of violation from the City with respect to the condition of the building sewer lateral based on testing conducted by the City or its authorized representative.
  • Getting a written City violation notice about the sewer lateral's condition, based on observations by the City or its representative.
    Applies: A City inspection.
    § 7-8.207 · code text
    Whenever a property owner or its authorized agent has received a written notice of violation from the City with respect to the condition of the building sewer lateral based on observations from the City or its authorized representative.
  • Voluntarily requesting a compliance certificate.
    § 7-8.207 · code text
    Whenever a property owner or its authorized agent voluntarily requests a compliance certificate.
  • Voluntarily requesting a permit to repair or replace the building sewer lateral.
    Applies: Repair of the building sewer lateral.
    § 7-8.207 · code text
    Whenever a property owner or its authorized agent voluntarily requests a permit to repair or replace the building sewer lateral.
  • Getting approval to divide a parcel or parcels of land.
    Applies: Subdivision of property.
    § 7-8.207 · code text
    Whenever a property owner or its authorized agent obtains approval of the division of a parcel or parcels of real property pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 6 of Title 9.
Owner's responsibility
  • The owner handles inspections, permit, construction, City and EBMUD inspections, verification test, abandoning inactive laterals, certificate, final inspection.
    Applies: When a triggering event occurs, such as a sale or transfer or construction over $100,000; public-entity parcels need not file the certificate.
    § 7-8.207 · code text
    It shall be the responsibility of the property owner to perform all required inspections of their building sewer lateral, obtain a sewer lateral permit, perform all required construction, schedule inspections with the City and EBMUD, perform and pass a verification test witnessed by the City and EBMUD for each building sewer lateral serving the property, abandon any inactive building sewer lateral, obtain and file with the City a compliance certificate from EBMUD as specified in the EBMUD Regional PSL Ordinance
  • The property owner is responsible for all required maintenance, repairs and inspections.
    § 7-8.206 · code text
    It shall be the responsibility of the property owner to perform all required maintenance, repairs and inspections to keep the building sewer lateral in the condition as specified by subsection (b) of this section.
  • The association or responsible party for the common interest development is responsible for compliance.
    Applies: Individually owned units in a common interest development served by a single or shared building sewer lateral.
    § 7-8.207 · code text
    the association or responsible party for the common interest development shall be responsible for compliance with all of the following requirements:

Who this affects

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Frequently asked questions

Does Emeryville require a sewer lateral inspection when you sell a home?

Emeryville's code: Before the sale or transfer of the whole property or its fee interest. (Excludes partial or leasehold interests and transfers between co-owners, into revocable/living trusts, by estate fiduciaries, to spouses, domestic partners, lineal relatives, or in divorce/separation.) (§ 7-8.207); 7 years. (When the building sewer lateral is repaired.) (§ 7-8.207).

General information, not legal advice.

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