Selling a house in Mount Lebanon, PA: what the city requires
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania · Last checked November 2026
Selling in Mount Lebanon requires a sewer dye test before closing. The dye test certificate fee is $50.
What Mount Lebanon requires
Sewer dye test
- Who does it
- A licensed, registered plumber performs the test and completes the municipal form.
- Cost
- $50 municipal fee, plus the plumber's charge.
- Valid for
- 3 years
- Deadline
- Must pass before the municipality releases the lien letter and tax certification needed for closing.
- Applies to
- Required for property sales.
- Submit evidence of compliance at least 10 business days before closing.
- Mt. Lebanon has required point-of-sale dye testing since its 2004 ordinance. Blocked drains must be opened and included.
Who to call
Mount Lebanon
412-343-3400
Official page
Housing in Mount Lebanon
- Median year homes were built
- 1953
- Median home value
- $378,300
- Owner-occupied homes
- 9,867 of 13,646 (72%)
- Total housing units
- 14,640
Half the homes here were built in 1953 or earlier, so many sewer laterals are 73+ years old and made of clay or cast iron. Older laterals are the ones most likely to fail a test, so budget for a camera inspection before you list.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates for Mount Lebanon township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
Need this done in Mount Lebanon?
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How the sewer dye test process works
Most Allegheny County municipalities require a dye test before a sale. A plumber puts dye into downspouts, area drains and yard drains to prove that stormwater is not flowing into the sanitary sewer. Some also require a camera inspection of the lateral.
- Hire a licensed, Allegheny County registered plumber. Some municipalities require a plumber from their approved list, or do the test themselves.
- The plumber runs dye through downspouts and drains and completes the municipal form.
- If dye shows up in the sanitary line, the illegal connection must be fixed and the test redone.
- The municipality issues a certificate. It must be on file before the lien letter and tax certification are released for closing.
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Municipal certificate fee | $20 to $350 |
| Downspout or drain disconnection | $300 to $3,000 |
| Lateral repair or replacement | $3,000 to $15,000 or more |
Read the full sewer dye test guide
Other towns with the same requirement: Sewer lateral video or dye test
If the house fails
You can repair before closing, use an escrow or extension where the city allows it, let the buyer assume the work for a credit, or sell as-is. Compare the options.
Frequently asked questions
What does Mount Lebanon require before I sell my house?
Selling in Mount Lebanon requires a sewer dye test before closing. The dye test certificate fee is $50.
How much does the sewer dye test cost in Mount Lebanon?
$50 municipal fee, plus the plumber's charge. Typical related costs: municipal certificate fee $20 to $350; downspout or drain disconnection $300 to $3,000; lateral repair or replacement $3,000 to $15,000 or more.
How long is it valid?
3 years
What if my house fails?
You can make the repairs before closing, negotiate a credit with the buyer, or sell as-is to a buyer who will handle the work. Ask the municipality whether it allows a buyer to assume the work or an escrow.
Who pays, the buyer or the seller?
The ordinance usually makes the seller responsible for ordering it, but who pays for repairs is negotiable in the purchase agreement.
How old are the homes in Mount Lebanon?
The median home in Mount Lebanon was built in 1953, and the median home value is $378,300, according to the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 American Community Survey.
Nearby: Pittsburgh & Allegheny County
- McDonald Borough Required at sale
- McKees Rocks Borough Required at sale
- McKeesport Required at sale
- Millvale Borough Required in some cases
- Monroeville Required at sale
- Moon Township Required at sale
- Mt Oliver Borough Required at sale
- Munhall Borough Required at sale
- Neville Township Required at sale
- North Braddock Borough Required at sale
- North Fayette Township Required at sale
- North Versailles Township Required at sale
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Sources
- Pennsylvania Land Titles, Allegheny County Municipal Information: dye testing and occupancy (Feb. 2024)
- Mt. Lebanon Magazine, Dye testing: a home sale requirement
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (tables B25035, B25077, B25003, B25001)
Last checked November 2026. Rules and fees change by ordinance and resolution. Confirm with the municipality before you list. See something out of date? Report a change.