Initial Certification

Becoming a Certified Operator

Becoming a certified operator involves the following:

• Meeting education requirements - The applicant must be at least a high school graduate, possess a GED or was working in a water or wastewater system before Feb. 21, 2002.
• Passing examination(s) - To become an appropriately certified operator the applicant must pass the Part 1 - General Exam and all the Part II - Technology Specific Exams that apply to the system at which they work or want to work. The certified operator could also take one of the stand-alone exams
• Meeting operating experience requirements - An applicant must meet the appropriate work experience requirements for the class and subclass in which they would like to be certified. Applicants that currently work, or previously worked, at a system will be issued a license with a classification and subclassification based on that experience. Education can also supplement some of the experience requirement.
• Applying for certification Once the necessary examinations have been passed, an applicant must complete and submit an application for certification to the State Board for Certification of Water and Wastewater Systems Operators with the appropriate fee. This application must also include a criminal history record report from the Pennsylvania State Police. The application must be presented to the Board for approval. If, and when, the application is approved, the applicant will be issued the appropriate operator certificate.

The complete certification process is summarized in the " Operator Certification Process at a Glance (PDF)" job aid.

After reviewing the PDF,you can find additional details regarding classifications, applying experience, and preparing for the exams by using the menu to the right.

Initial certification fees are outlined here.