Water & Wastewater Certification

Renewing Your Certification

Your certification must be renewed every three years. The number of continuing education hours required varies according to type of certification and grade level:

• Wastewater operators
  • Grades T, 1 and 2 require 18 hours of continuing education.
  • Grades 3 and 4 require 24 hours of continuing education
• Water supply operators
  • Both Grade T and Grade 1 require 18 hours of continuing education, with the exception of surface water operators designated as operator-in-charge.
  • Surface water operators designated as operator-in-charge are required to have 24 hours of continuing education.

A maximum of 6 hours of continuing education each renewal period may be health and safety related.

Six weeks before your certification expires, you will receive a courtesy renewal letter (please notify your regional coordinator of any change in address). This letter serves as a courtesy reminder only. It is your responsibility as an operator to keep track of your certification expiration date. When you are ready to renew, mail the renewal letter, the continuing education slips, and the $45 renewal fee to the Operator Certification Coordinator at:

WI DNR - Operator Certification Program
PO BOX 7921
MADISON WI 53707-7921

The renewal materials must be postmarked by the expiration date on your certificate (there is no grace period). Any renewal postmarked after the expiration date should also include the $25 penalty fee.

Once a certificate expires, you have one year from the expiration date to reinstate your lapsed certification. You are NOT considered a certified operator during this lapse of your certification. If your certification is not renewed within that one year time period, you will need to re-take the written exams as a new operator.

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