Frequently Asked Questions

STEPS TO BECOME A CERTIFIED OPERATOR

• You must have a high school diploma or valid GED.
• You must have the necessary experience and education to become certified. (See FAQ or publication "How do I get points?"
• You must apply to take an examination for Operator Certification. Applications are due thirty (30) days before the exam.
• You must pass the exam.
• You will be sent a notice of results of your exam for Operator Certification.
• If you have the necessary Experience and Education, the back of the Examination Results Notification Form will have the Operator Certificate Application (also can be found in publications section of website).
• Thoroughly Complete the Operator Certificate Application.
• Include the Fee(s) for all Operator Certificates Requested.
• Send the Application and Fee to the following Address:

OPH/CEHS-Operator Certification Program
Post Office Box 4489 Bin # 10 Box # 6
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70821-4489

Congratulations on passing the exam. After receiving notification that you have passed an exam you must then apply and pay the license fee to become certified.

If you believe you do not have all the points for the education and experience you can complete the Education and Experience Update Form.

EDUCATION: Be sure to attach college transcripts, military DD214 and any trade or technical education that you wish evaluated.

EXPERIENCE: Be sure to thoroughly describe all current/prior positions applicable to water and wastewater certification.

Go to the following publication for a full explanation on how points are calculated.

How Do I Get Points?

Examination scores are valid for two years from the date that you take the examination. After two years, your exam results are no longer valid.

Level 1-2 Classes count toward Licenses for Levels 3-4 since Level 1 & 2 information is part of the Need-to-Know for Levels 3 & 4.

At this time there are no fees for processing applications. There are fees for exams, licenses and replacement Certificates and IDs.

Currently, there is a charge of five ($5) dollars per test.

The first water certification is $20. Each additional water certification is $10. If you hold all three water certifications (Treatment, Production and Distribution), the current initial certification cost would be $40.

$20 + $10 +$10

The first wastewater certification is $20. An additional wastewater certification is $10. If you hold both wastewater certifications (Treatment, Collection), the current initial certification cost would be $30.

$20 + $10

If you are seeking both water and wastewater certification, the fee is $20 for the first of each. Each additional would be $10.

$20 + $20

The renewal fees are the same as the initial certification fees. These fees are paid every two years.

Five ($5) dollars. Just send in the fee with a letter for the appropriate request addressed to the attention "Operator Certification" at the following address:

Mailing address:

Louisiana Department of Health & Hospitals
Office of Public Health - Operator Certification Program
P.O. Box 4489 Bin #10 Box #6
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0629

Submit a completed Course Approval Form to the Certification Training Officer with attachments as necessary with the following information:

1. Subject(s) to be covered.

2. Time to be spent on each subject.

3. Categories of certification to be covered (form has box to circle all that apply).

4. Instructor qualifications (Certifications held, education, experience, etc.)

It is normally best to send a separate agenda which supplies the information in 1 & 2 above.

The original sign-in sheets must be mailed no later than 30-days upon completion of the course. The mailing address is:

Attention: Training Officer
DHH/OPH/Operator Certification
Post Office Box 4489 Bin #10 Box #6
Baton Rouge, La 70821-4489

If any person does not attend the complete approved course, the instructor is required to submit a summary form for the course which details how many hours each individual attended.