Rye's sewer lateral law for home sales
Updated October 30, 2026 · 2-minute read · Old House Sewer Lines
Rye's sewer lateral law requires a discharge compliance certificate before a house in the City of Rye is sold or substantially renovated. The city adopted Local Law 4-2021 on May 5, 2021, adding Article III to Chapter 161 of its code, and its Building Department notice states: "Enforcement of this law will begin on January 1, 2022" (City of Rye notice).
The certificate is the city's proof that a private lateral is sound and carries only sewage. According to the notice, the aim is to confirm the pipe has no cracks or breaks and no "unauthorized connections such as sump-pump discharges, roof leaders or yard drains."
When it applies
Section 161-18.1 ties the requirement to a "renewal event." In Rye that means a transfer of title, or permits for work worth more than half of the property's assessed value. Either way, the requirement applies only if no inspection has been done in the previous five years. Section 161-18.1B lets the city accept a certificate "issued within the preceding five (5) years." That window is half the Village of Mamaroneck's, whose ten-year rule is described in the village certificate.
What the inspection involves
Under § 161-16 the certification comes from a plumber licensed to work in Westchester County. It must include closed-circuit television video covering the entire lateral, which Rye defines as the pipe from the house all the way to the public sanitary main; a force main or pump system is pressure-tested instead. The plumber also certifies that no culvert, hose, leader, pump or other line discharges into the sanitary sewer. What a sewer camera inspection shows explains what the video can and cannot reveal.
New and replacement laterals have their own route. Under § 161-18D the city's Building Inspector inspects the new pipe and issues the certificate if it complies. The fee is "as set forth in the fee schedule"; the amount was not confirmed, so ask the Building Department.
Deadlines and penalties
If a lateral is found defective, Rye gives the owner 60 days from awareness or notice to repair it. After that the city may do the work and place a lien for the cost on the property (§ 161-18). Violations carry fines of up to $500 and/or up to 15 days, with each day a separate offense (§ 161-18.3). Options for fixing a failed line are compared in spot repair or full replacement.
The upkeep standard behind the inspection sits in § 161-17: no roots, grease or solid buildup, no seepage in or out, sound joints. How Rye and Mamaroneck define the lateral quotes it.
Background
Rye's city website places responsibility squarely on owners: "Property owners are responsible for maintaining all private sewer laterals (lines) that extend from their property to the City's sewer lines" (City of Rye, Sewer Lateral Information). The same page points residents to an optional private sewer line protection program; questions to ask about protection plans lists what to read in one. Rye sits in the Blind Brook and Mamaroneck Valley county sewer districts, according to the county's 2026 tax schedule, and its law follows a county model that asked Sound Shore municipalities to adopt sale-time lateral checks (Westchester County).
Key facts
- Adopted May 5, 2021 as L.L. 4-2021; enforced from January 1, 2022 (City of Rye).
- Triggers: a title transfer, or permits for work above 50% of assessed value, with no inspection in the prior five years.
- A Westchester-licensed plumber supplies CCTV of the full lateral, or a pressure test for pumped systems.
- Defects must be fixed within 60 days; fines reach $500 and/or 15 days per offense.
- Rye says owners maintain laterals out to the City's sewer lines (City of Rye).