Why Some Burlingame Home Sales Need a Sewer Test Before Closing, and Others Don't
October 22, 2026
October 22, 2026
Burlingame's point-of-sale sewer lateral rule concerns a buried pipe that runs from the house to the street.
The city's code and procedure handout describe testing, repair and replacement, and the city publishes permit fees.
Burlingame Municipal Code § 15.12.110 is short. Its core requirement reads:
"Whenever any property is to be transferred to or vested in any other person or entity and that property includes any buildings or structures constructed more than 25 years prior to the date of transfer or vesting, the sewer lateral(s) to that property shall be tested for infiltration and all necessary repairs or replacements performed to prevent all infiltration. The city engineer shall establish or approve testing procedures. All repair or replacement work shall be completed and approved by the city prior to transfer of title."
The city's procedure handout defines a building's construction date as the date its building permit was finaled.
The rule has been in place for decades. The handout says Ordinance No. 1329 was adopted July 7, 1986, took effect August 7, 1986, and was modified by Ordinance 1623 on March 23, 2000. The current point-of-sale language, exceptions and definition are attributed to Ord. 1623.
The code lists five exceptions. Confirm how the rule applies to your property with Burlingame Public Works.
| Situation | Period or condition listed |
|---|---|
| Condominium or cooperative apartment buildings and their units | Exception, except as a condition of converting a building to condos or co-ops |
| Lateral passed a test, with partial or no repairs, any repairs done under city permit and inspection | 10 years after the test was accepted |
| Permitted alterations to the lateral's location or connections after a test, inspected and approved by the city | 10 years after city approval |
| Complete lateral replacement | 25 years after the work was accepted |
| Lateral with fewer than three joints and no more than 10 feet long | Exception if the city engineer finds testing unnecessary |
The code defines the lateral as the piping outside the structure, or running between structures, that ends at a cleanout, wye or manhole acceptable to the city engineer.
The handout tells owners to check with the Building Department on the structure's age and whether the lateral was tested or repaired in the past ten years. For a seller, that lookup belongs in the same early conversation as pre-sale renovation planning, because its answer can add a contractor to the schedule.
The city's procedure handout lays out these testing steps:
The handout is a working procedure document, not a dated public notice. Owners should confirm current scheduling steps directly with Burlingame Public Works before planning around it.
Step three is where an otherwise simple test can grow, and step five is where the timeline can stretch.
The city's own fees are modest compared with the stakes of a delayed close. Burlingame's FY 2026-27 Master Fee Schedule, effective July 1, 2026, lists $283 for the Sewer Lateral Test encroachment permit and $746 for a Sewer Lateral Replacement with Cleanout, including sidewalk replacement. Those figures went up from $276 and $728 under the prior year's schedule. The FY 2025-26 schedule also had a separate $174 Re-Test fee, and the draft for this year marked that line for removal. The fee schedule went before the City Council at a public hearing on May 4, 2026.
Permit fees are the only costs the city publishes. Contractor charges for the test, and for any repair or replacement, are separate and depend on the pipe.
The city also stays out of who pays. The city's handout says the city makes no determination about who pays for testing and repairs, and that this "is to be decided between the parties involved in the sale."
Testing and repair work can involve a plumber's and the city's calendars.
The lateral's history can be part of the broader sequencing in our sellers' guide. A buyer in contract can ask how the parties plan to handle a test result.
What does the code say about condominium and cooperative apartment buildings? The code lists an exception for condominium and cooperative apartment buildings and their units, except when a building is being converted to condos or co-ops. Confirm how the rule applies to your property with Burlingame Public Works.
What does the handout say about additions? The city's procedure handout also mentions testing when two or more plumbing fixture units are added to a property. That provision comes from the handout, not from § 15.12.110, so owners planning an addition should confirm it with the city.
What does the code say about lateral replacement? The code lists a 25-year period after the work was accepted for complete lateral replacement. For a tested lateral with partial or no repairs, it lists a 10-year period after the test was accepted. Confirm how the rule applies to your property with Burlingame Public Works.
Is "constructed more than 25 years" based on the year the house was built? The handout measures it from the date the building permit was finaled.
This post is general information about a city requirement, not legal, tax or financial advice. Confirm how the rule applies to your property with Burlingame Public Works and your own transaction professionals.
If you're thinking about selling in Burlingame, The Laugesen Team can help you plan your listing timeline. Request a Complimentary Market & Home Valuation to get started.
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