Selling an RV Park in Washington State: LOSS Permits, Water, and Records

1. Who Regulates Your Septic Depends on Design Flow

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) sorts on-site sewage systems by design flow (DOH regulatory jurisdiction):

DOH's LOSS program page lists "campgrounds and recreation vehicle parks" among the typical users of large systems (DOH LOSS program). So a mid-size or larger park may be under the state LOSS program instead of the county.

What a LOSS means for you:

• An annual operating permit. Under WAC 246-272B-01300, owners "shall obtain an operating permit from the department and shall renew it annually." DOH says all existing LOSS must get and renew annual operating permits.
• Engineered design. DOH says a professional engineer licensed in Washington must prepare and stamp all LOSS design documents.
• A qualified operator. Depending on the system type, DOH says the operator may need Ecology wastewater certification, local health approval, or qualification on the proprietary technology.
• Older systems. Under WAC 246-272B-01300(3), LOSS permitted before the current rule that don't fully meet it "may continue in service without upgrade until modified, expanded, or repaired." DOH can require upgrades if there is a threat to public health or the environment.

Why a buyer cares: if you are a LOSS, the buyer will inherit the operating permit, its conditions, and any upgrade that a repair or expansion triggers. If you are under 3,500 gallons per day, your county or health district file is the paper trail they will pull.

DOH publishes current LOSS review and operating permit fees on its LOSS program page. Check there rather than relying on an old number.

More detail is in the Washington section of our septic and water compliance explainer. See our septic page for what an inspector checks in the field.

2. Water: Group A or Group B

Washington splits public water systems into Group A and Group B (WAC 246-290-020):

• Group A systems meet the federal Safe Drinking Water Act definition of a public water system. The EPA puts that at 15 or more service connections, or an average of at least 25 people for at least 60 days a year (EPA).
• A transient noncommunity (TNC) Group A system includes one that serves "twenty-five or more different people each day for sixty or more days within a calendar year." The EPA names campgrounds as an example of a transient non-community system.
• Group B is a public water system that does not meet the Group A definition (see chapter 246-291 WAC).

If your park has a well, call DOH's Office of Drinking Water or your local health jurisdiction and confirm your classification. Then gather your system ID, sample history, any violation letters, operator details, and well, pump, storage, and treatment records. Our water systems page has the full checklist.

3. County Rules, Permits, and Flood

Washington counties set their own land-use and operating rules for RV parks, and they vary. For example, Yakima County's code requires anyone continuing to operate an existing campground or RV park in the county to "obtain an annual operating permit from the Building and Fire Safety Division" (Yakima County Code 19.18.130). Your county may handle it differently.

Ask your county planning and health offices what permits and approved site count are on file for your park. Check flood status at the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. Our wild cards page covers title, zoning, permits, and flood.

4. Records Buyers Want

• T-12: trailing twelve months, month by month
• Rent roll by 30A/50A, transient vs. monthly
• 12 months of utility bills
• Septic permit, plus your LOSS operating permit and reports if you have one
• Water system records if you have a well
• Three years of tax returns that tie to the books

See books, T-12, and rent roll.

5. Deal Structures

Way-Ya-Go matches owners to Cash, Hybrid Debt-Takeover, or 100% Seller-Financed Installment offers. Your CPA and attorney should model the choice. Read seller financing and closing and taxes at sale. To see how buyers build a price, see what is my park worth. To compare paths, see broker vs. cash buyer vs. facilitator.

Common Mistakes

• Not knowing which agency has your septic file. The buyer will find out in a day.
• Letting a LOSS operating permit lapse. The rule requires annual renewal.
• Planning a repair or expansion without asking what upgrades it triggers.
• Guessing at your water classification.
• Going to buyers with books that don't match the tax return.