Depends on the maintenance, but most should last 20-40 years

What do you mean "repairing the yard?" if the septic can't be accessed, then any "damage" caused when inspecting the septic isn't damage, it's repair. If your septic tank has been inspected and managed properly, then there shouldn't be any damage to the yard. If the homeowner hasn't maintained the septic, and inspecting the septic requires "damaging" the yard, then the septic has not been properly maintained. As a buyer, depending on the deal, I'd back out before paying for a septic inspection. If the homeowner neglected their septic system for that long, it's a good indication that the rest of the home has been neglected as well. If I were buying your home, before I approved the inspection, I'd notify you of your failure to perform proper maintenance and request a credit due upon sale before I paid to have your system fixed.

@@zp944....What???? Your statement makes no sense. Please explain to me, how you access a septic tank to do a test, without digging up a spot in the yard? I have NEVER seen a case, where the yard wasn't dug up AT LEAST a little bit. As a homeowner who recently sold my house, I was asked to allow a septic tank inspection. I KNEW what that would entail, and I was not at all pleased about the request. I knew that if the buyer backed out for whatever reason after the inspection (whether it was related to the septic tank or anything else), that I would be left with a home still on the market....but now with a spot in the yard that would stick out like a sore thumb. I got assurances in the agreement, that if the septic tank checked out (which I knew it would), they would indeed purchase the house, which they wound up doing. And yes, a small portion of my yard was dug up to access the tank. I have no clue what you are trying to say in your comment, by trying to claim that you don't have to disturb anything to check the tank. That's absolutely false.

You're acting like they were doing donuts in your yard with the septic truck. I think your yard will recover. Holy shit.

@@eyehatemyjob2314....It was an eyesore. You're commenting on something that you can't even see. The assclowns that built the house, put part of the septic tank, right under the concrete pad for the A/C unit. So yes, they had to make quite a mess, just to be able to get to the opening.