Selling a house in Westchester: when a sewer lateral certificate is required
Updated October 30, 2026 · 2-minute read · Old House Sewer Lines
A sewer lateral inspection is required before a house changes hands in two southern Westchester municipalities confirmed as of October 2026: Rye, the city, and Mamaroneck, the village. Both demand a discharge compliance certificate, known as a DCC, before a "renewal event," which includes a title transfer. To get one, a Westchester-licensed plumber must video the full lateral and certify that no storm water source drains into the sanitary sewer.
The two laws share most of their text but differ on timing and fees. The comparison below draws on the Rye code notice (City of Rye), the village code (Village of Mamaroneck Code, Chapter 282) and the village's compliance form (Village of Mamaroneck form).
| City of Rye | Village of Mamaroneck | |
|---|---|---|
| Law | L.L. 4-2021, Chapter 161, Article III | L.L. 16-2017, Chapter 282, Article IV |
| In force | Enforcement from January 1, 2022 | Original law 2007; current version effective 12-29-2017 |
| Earlier certificate can be reused | Within 5 years | Within 10 years, if no significant change |
| Fee | Set by city fee schedule (amount not confirmed) | $150 on the village form |
| Escrow at closing | Not confirmed | Allowed; work finished within six months |
What the plumber has to show
Each law insists the signer hold a plumbing licence good for business across Westchester County. The plumber checks every storm and sanitary connection, confirms that leaders, pumps, drains and similar lines do not empty into the sanitary sewer, and supplies a closed-circuit television video of the entire lateral. Force mains and pumped systems get a pressure test instead of a video. Since a 2024 amendment, the Village of Mamaroneck also wants every sump pump on the property identified along with where it discharges. A camera survey has limits; what a sewer camera can miss explains them.
If the line fails
Failing the inspection does not automatically stop a sale in the village. The Building Inspector may let the closing proceed if the seller deposits enough money with the Village Treasurer and agrees to finish the work within six months. Outside a sale, both codes give an owner 60 days from notice to repair a defective lateral before the municipality may step in and lien the cost. Repair approaches are compared in sewer line repair options, and step-by-step detail sits in the village certificate guide and the Rye law summary.
Other towns
The county has promoted laws like these. A model agreement for Long Island Sound municipalities asked each one to bring a point-of-sale law to its board by July 1, 2016, requiring that "a licensed plumber or professional engineer certify that there are no sump pumps, leaders, gutters or any other stormwater connections" plus a clean video, before title transfer (Westchester County model agreement). Which municipalities signed it was not confirmed.
Scarsdale and the Town of Mamaroneck, which includes Larchmont, are reported to have sale-time rules, but neither text could be verified; sellers there should ask the building department before listing. Nothing primary, for or against, turned up for New Rochelle, White Plains, the Pelhams, Eastchester, Tuckahoe, Bronxville or Yonkers. Buyers anywhere can order their own camera inspection; see a sewer scope before you buy.
Key facts
- Rye and the Village of Mamaroneck require a discharge compliance certificate before title transfer; the village allows escrow (City of Rye).
- A county-licensed plumber signs off, backed by video of the lateral from house to main (Village code).
- Rye honors a prior certificate for 5 years; the Village of Mamaroneck for up to 10.
- The village form lists a $150 fee (Village of Mamaroneck).
- The county's model agreement set a July 1, 2016 date for towns to propose point-of-sale laws.
- Scarsdale and Town of Mamaroneck rules are unverified; check before listing.