Licensure Application Process

Legislation was enacted during the 2004 legislative session establishing the Drinking Water & Wastewater Professionals licensure act. With the passage of that act, all drinking water operators and all wastewater operators are required to be licensed in Idaho through the Idaho State Board of Drinking Water & Wastewater Professionals. Every community and non-transient non-community public drinking water system and every wastewater treatment and collection system is required to have a licensed operator in responsible charge at all times the system (not just treatment plants) is functioning.

The mandatory drinking water and wastewater operator licensure act requires a continuing education requirement of six hours (0.6 CEUs) per year for every operator. This applies to every licensed operator, regardless of whether the operator initially received licensure by exam, reciprocity, through endorsement, or by being grandfathered. Please browse through the many training options available to you by clicking on Training Program Workshops or Links to Related Sites.

EXAMINATION

Applicants must pass a written examination for each individual classification in each type of licensure with a minimum score of 70%.  Backflow Assembly Testers must obtain a minimum score of 75% on both the theory and practical examination.  For those classifications of Class II through IV, successful completion of the examinations from the immediate lower type and classification shall be a prerequisite to examination eligibility for the next higher classification of the same type, except that applicants for wastewater collection operator or drinking water distribution operator licenses may apply for any classification examination for which they hold the required education and experience. 

The exam is currently held in Coeur d'Alene, Lewiston, Boise, Twin Falls, and Pocatello. If you are approved for examination, you will receive a letter from the Bureau giving you notice of the examination, including the date, time, place and other information concerning the examination.

ABC's standardized exams consist of 100 multiple choice questions with a three hour time limit.  Very small water system exams consist of 50 multiple choice questions with a three hour time limit.  Multiple level exams consist of the following:  Level 1-2, 120 questions with 3.5 hour time limit; Level 2-3, 150 questions with a 4.5 hour time limit; and Level 3-4, 180 questions with a 5.5. hour time limit.

If you fail an examination, you must submit an Application for Re-Examination before you will be eligible to sit for the examination.

Idaho law requires the licensure of all persons who practice or offer to practice as a water operator, wastewater operator, or backflow assembly tester in the State of Idaho.  An application for drinking water or wastewater licensure, an application for backflow assembly tester licensure, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) system classification worksheets for water distribution, water treatment, wastewater collection, wastewater treatment, wastewater land application & information about the wastewater land application license  may be viewed and printed for use.  

REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSURE

To serve as a drinking water or wastewater operator in Idaho, applicants face two major challenges:

1. Become licensed. To become licensed, applicants are strongly encouraged to participate in a training class prior to taking a licensure exam. Licensure preparation and review classes are typically based on the designated “need-to-know” topics of information. Participation in training to become a licensed operator is optional, but highly recommended. Applicants are encouraged to review the Operator Training Reference Guide for information about training and continuing education.

2. Keep licensure current. To remain licensed, operators are required to participate in training classes and earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) on an annual basis. These classes are designed to enhance operator knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Operator training is available from various resources at locations throughout the state.  Visit the Training Links and Resources page on this web site to locate a training provider near you.

To assist those who are unable to attend a training class, the Associated Boards of Certification (ABC) has identified a number of suggested study manuals to help prepare applicants for the drinking water operator licensure exam.

Each applicant for licensure shall submit a complete application to the Bureau of Occupational Licenses together with the required fees to the Board. The applicant must request any supplemental third party documents that may be required. The Board shall not review an application until all required information is furnished and the required fees are paid.  If the Board finds that the applicant does not meet the requirements, the application shall be denied and any fees submitted shall not be refunded.

Substitution

Education for Experience

You can substitute up to 50% of all stated experience for Class II, III and IV if the operating experience and responsible charge time has been meet.  If education is substituted, it can not also be used for the education requirement. 

a. One year of post high school = one year of operating experience (up to 50% of the required operating and responsible charge)

b. For Class II, a maximum of one and one-half years of acceptable education can be substituted for one and one-half years of operating experience.  

c. For Class III and IV, a maximum of two years of post high school may be substituted for two years of operating experience; however, one year of responsible charge is required.

Experience for Education

One year of operating experience may be substituted for two years of grade school or one year of high school with no limitation.  

For Class III and IV, additional responsible charge experience (that exceeding the two year class requirements) may be substituted for post high school education on a two for one (1) basis: Two years additional responsible charge = one year post high school education.

Experience for Experience

Related experience may be substituted for experience up to one-half of the operating experience requirement for Class II, III and IV. Experience that may be substituted includes but is not limited to other following:

a. Experience as an environmental or operations consultant

b. Experience in an environmental or engineering branch of federal, state, county, or local government

c. Experience as a wastewater collection system operator

d. Experience as a wastewater treatment plant operator

e. Experience as a water distribution system operator and/or manager

Fees

Application Fee -- $25

Endorsement Fee -- $45

Original license fee -- $45

Annual renewal fee -- $45

Reinstatement fee -- $25

Examination Fees are those fees charged by the approved examination providers

No refund of fees shall be made to any person who has paid such fees for application, examination, reexamination, or reinstatement of a license.

All applications shall include:  

        - Documentation of being at least 18 years of age at the time of application; 

        - Documentation of having met the appropriate educational requirement;

        - Documentation of all actual applicable experience signed by the person under whose supervision the work was performed, giving kind and type of work done, together with dates of employment. ONLY that operating experience that is relevant to the Type & Class of license being applied for will be approved.

Documentation of successful completion of the required examination must be on file with the Board before any license will be issued.

Endorsement

Licensure by endorsement is also an option. If you have a valid license or certification in another state whose qualifications for licensure are not lower than Idaho's qualifications, the following must be received by the Board:

        - Official certification of licensure must be sent to the Bureau directly from each regulatory authority from which you obtained licensure. Such certification shall note name, address, current status, date originally issued, expiration date, and any disciplinary action imposed; and

        - A copy of the current regulations governing licensure in each jurisdiction from which you obtained licensure.

Application Deadline

The Bureau must receive completed applications at least 30 days prior to the next scheduled board meeting in order to be reviewed by the Board. Applications received less than 30 days in advance will be held until a subsequent meeting.  

Upgrades

Applicants seeking licensure in any type or classification of licensure must submit a separate application for each type and classification of licensure being sought. If you hold a current type, category, and classification of license and are seeking a classification upgrade within the same license type and category, you must submit the application fee, but you are not required to submit an original license fee with your application. 

The board issues licenses in the following categories:
            a.   Drinking water distribution operator and drinking water treatment operator classes.
            b.   Wastewater treatment operator, wastewater collection system operator, and wastewater laboratory analyst classes.
            c.  Backflow assembly tester.

ALL EDUCATION MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY SUPPORTIVE DOCUMENTATION OR YOUR APPLICATION WILL BE REJECTED.

Additional information may be downloaded here. 

You may also request an application for licensure by contacting the Board.

SYSTEM CLASSIFICATION

System classification continues to be processed through DEQ. All information concerning system certifications, inspections, and classification worksheets may be obtained online or by contacting DEQ directly.

Last Modified - May 20, 2008