The HHE-200 is a design and an application, not permission to dig
A Maine licensed site evaluator studies the lot, soil conditions, available area, setbacks, and expected wastewater flow. The evaluator records the proposed system on the HHE-200. That drawing is the technical basis for a new system or a replacement, but it does not become an issued local permit merely because the evaluator signed it. The municipal Local Plumbing Inspector reviews the submission, collects the applicable fee, and signs the permit when the proposal is accepted.
That distinction matters around Portland because authority stays local even though Maine CDC Subsurface Wastewater Unit writes the statewide rule. A property owner on Peaks Island works with Portland Permitting & Inspections; an owner in Windham or Gray works with that town's inspector. The contractor can coordinate construction, but cannot approve the design or substitute a field opinion for the inspector's decision.
Primary source: Maine CDC HHE-200 permit forms and guidance.
A practical order for a new or replacement system
Start with the property records you already have. An old HHE-200, pumping receipt, inspection report, or sketch can save search time, but none proves the current condition below grade. Next, retain a Maine licensed site evaluator for the design. Submit that design to the municipality, wait for the local permit, then schedule excavation and installation. The Local Plumbing Inspector must be able to see required work before it is covered.
Maine CDC revised its subsurface wastewater forms in 2026. The state says older forms remain acceptable through January 1, 2028, so an older-looking form is not automatically invalid during that transition. The useful question is whether the version is complete, fits the current project, and has the municipal approval needed for work to proceed.
- Find existing plans and system records.
- Hire a licensed site evaluator.
- Obtain the municipal permit.
- Keep required work exposed for inspection.
- Retain the signed design and final records.
Who to call when the answer is regulatory
For a parcel within Portland, contact City of Portland Permitting & Inspections at 207-874-8703. For statewide form or rule questions, the Maine CDC Subsurface Wastewater Unit publishes program materials and can be reached at 207-287-2070. A nearby town's code office may have different intake steps, local fees, and inspection scheduling even though every town applies the same statewide technical rule.
Use the official office for boundary questions, variances, local fee totals, and whether a particular repair needs a design. Use the service call for physical access, pumping, or contractor coordination. Keeping those roles separate prevents a sales conversation from being mistaken for a permit ruling.
Primary source: City of Portland Permitting & Inspections.
Planning a maine permits & hhe-200 call
Have the property address, best callback number, system records, last service date, and a plain description of the current condition ready. Mention buried lids, gates, ferry access, steep or soft ground, long hose distance, snow storage, and any alarm. The assigned contractor, rather than this website, confirms availability, scope, price, and whether the job fits its equipment.
Portland itself is substantially sewered, so begin by confirming that the parcel uses an onsite system. Island properties and isolated outer parcels can have septic records even while the dense mainland relies on municipal collection. Nearby towns have their own mixtures. A neighborhood name or ZIP code is not proof of wastewater service.
Credential and disposal questions are reasonable
Maine DEP licenses each conveyance used to transport Category C septage. Program materials call for a decal on the driver's side window, a license kept with the conveyance, and shipment records. Pumped material goes to an authorized receiving or disposal facility; ask the assigned contractor to name the destination for your load.
This lead-routing site does not assign a credential number to itself and does not imply ownership of a truck. Ask the contractor who accepts the call to identify the business performing the work, explain relevant licensing or subcontracting, show current insurance if that matters to your project, and state where pumped material will go.
Primary source: Maine DEP non-hazardous waste transporter program.
After the visit
Keep a record of the date, work completed, pumped quantity when applicable, components accessed, observations, destination, and recommended follow-up. Mark access points on a property sketch using fixed measurements. If a problem requires design or permitting, record exactly what the contractor observed and take that information to a licensed site evaluator or the Local Plumbing Inspector.
A useful invoice describes work rather than making broad promises about the future. Ask questions while the condition is visible, and do not allow required inspection stages to be covered early. For recurring symptoms, compare notes across visits so the next professional sees a timeline instead of one isolated episode.