While the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) promotes agritourism and supports farm diversification, it does not issue lodging permits or enforce sanitation rules.
These responsibilities fall under local and state public health authorities.
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) oversees regulations related to wastewater treatment and disposal at the state level. However, for most farms, county health departments are the primary agencies responsible for permitting and inspecting septic and sewage systems.
Although DEQ and county agencies work together, individual county Environmental Health offices are typically the main point of contact for farmers needing septic system approvals or modifications.