Wastewater Treatment Operator

Alabama has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Identical mechanism - r. 335-10-1-.05 is discipline-neutral and Chapter 335-10-1 governs wastewater treatment plants (Grades I-IV) and public wastewater collection systems (Grade I(C)) alongside water. Current out-of-state certificate obtained by examination, that state's requirements comparable or higher, and that state must reciprocate with ADEM. Application, nonrefundable fee under r. 335-1-6-.06, copy of the certificate, supporting documentation. No Alabama exam. Note an independent constraint on operators generally: an operator can hold only one water and one wastewater certificate (r. 335-10-1-.10(2)). Fee: nonrefundable application fee under ADEM Admin. Code r. 335-1-6-.06; amount not stated within Division 10.

Alabama runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: Single agency, single chapter, one reciprocity rule covering both disciplines. The Division 10 text reached is the revision effective April 3, 2007 posted on ADEM's site; no newer consolidated text was located.

Alaska has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Same program, same page, same mechanics - DEC's reciprocity page is not discipline-specific and OpCert certifies wastewater treatment and wastewater collection alongside water treatment and distribution. Case-by-case review of the certificate held, exam passed, education and experience; no Alaska exam where granted. Same bar on operators from states that deny reciprocity to Alaskans, with the same ABC standardized-exam and ABC po fallbacks. Same mailed Request for Reciprocity form and $300 fee. Same large-system caveat noted above. Fee: $300 nonrefundable reciprocity review fee.

Alaska runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: One program for both disciplines. Alaska's reciprocity is expressly conditioned on the sending state reciprocating with Alaska, with an ABC-exam workaround if it does not.

Arizona has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Same rule and same process - R18-5-110 is discipline-neutral and ADEQ's reciprocity fact sheet lists Wastewater Treatment and Wastewater Collection among the four accepted certification types. Valid out-of-state certificate, substantially equivalent validated written exam, written evidence of R18-5-112 experience and education, no Arizona exam. Like-for-like and capped at Grade 4 (ADEQ'S own example: a Grade 5 Wastewater Collection operator receives Grade 4). Same active-status rule, same 30 PDH/CEU requirement if expiring within three months, same home-state verification that the credential was earned by examination rather than prior reciprocity, same portal process and 30-day review, same Grade 1 cap for military-earned certifications. Fee: $340 nonrefundable reciprocity review fee per application (FY26 schedule, nonrefundable whether approved or denied), plus $90 per certificate issued.

Arizona runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: One program, one rule, and ADEQ's own fact sheet expressly lists all four credential types as accepted for reciprocity.

Arkansas has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Clean reciprocity, no Arkansas exam. Operators holding a wastewater license in another state may be granted an Arkansas license based on their current credentials, considered by the Wastewater Licensing Committee case-by-case. Four minimum requirements under Rule 3.601(F): (1) Sufficient training and experience to qualify for the requested class under Rule 3 - Class I needs HS/GED plus 40 approved training hours; Class II adds 80 hours plus 2 years' experience; Class III 120 hours plus 3 years (1 in plant operation); Class IV 200 hours plus 6 years (2 in direct charge) and Class III held 3 years; (2) The operator must have taken and passed a written examination for the equivalency administered by the authority the reciprocity is requested from; (3) The operator must be currently licensed by a certification authority that RECOGNIZES the Arkansas wastewater licensing program - a mutual-recognition condition; and (4) A written request plus the $40 research fee to the Executive Secretary. Approved reciprocity licenses renew normally (two-year cycle, 24 approved training hours, $40 renewal). Scope: Rule 3 covers municipal wastewater operator licenses (Apprentice, Classes I-IV), Technical licenses, and Basic/Advanced Industrial licenses. Arkansas does not issue a separate wastewater collection-system operator license, so no collection credential can be transferred. No residency or in-state-employment requirement in the rule. Fee: $40 research fee accompanying the written reciprocity request.

Arkansas runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: MATERIAL SPLIT, and a trap. Wastewater offers straightforward exam-waiving reciprocity. Drinking water has TWO different out-of-state pathways with opposite answers: the pathway ADH actually labels 'Endorsement' still requires passing the Arkansas grade exam, while a separate 'Automatic Licensure' pathway added by Act 457 of 2023 does waive it. Do not read the word 'Endorsement' as reciprocity here.

Colorado has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Identical treatment - the WWFOCB certifies municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plant operators and wastewater collection system operators under the same regulation, and the CCWP out-of-state page and Board Policy 13-1 are not discipline-specific. Exam waived only where the out-of-state exam is Colorado-comparable; a custom exam yields only relief from sequential testing. Colorado education and experience requirements for the requested category and level must be met at the time of application, plus the mandatory regulatory training requirement. Same portal application, same 10-business-day review, same 30-day appeal right to the Board.

Colorado runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: One board certifies all four categories - water treatment, water distribution, municipal and industrial wastewater treatment, and wastewater collection. The exam is waived only where the out-of-state exam is Colorado-comparable; a custom out-of-state exam buys sequencing relief, not an exam waiver.

Connecticut has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Certificate issued WITHOUT examination, but with five stacked conditions and two post-issuance strings. To qualify under § 22a-416-5(c)(5) The individual must (a) not be employed as an operator in Connecticut, (b) hold a current 'foreign certificate' from another state, territory or possession, and (c) wish to accept employment as an operator in Connecticut - and then: (i) the foreign certificate must represent a class the commissioner deems equivalent to the Connecticut class sought; (ii) the individual must meet the English-language requirement of § 22a-416-4(b) and the full education and experience requirements of § 22a-416-4(c) for that class (Class I: 1 year plus HS/GED plus a 9-CEU approved basic course, no substitutions permitted; Class II: 3 years plus 30 CEUs of which 18 directly related; Class III: 4 years plus 90 CEUs; Class IV: 4 years including 2 years DRC plus 135 CEUs); (iii) the foreign certificate must have been obtained by passing a written examination proctored under the authority of that jurisdiction; (iv) the owner of the Connecticut wastewater treatment facility where the individual seeks work must verify to the commissioner in writing that employment has been offered conditioned on receipt of the certificate; and (v) the application fee under § 22a-416-5(a)(4) Must accompany the application. Timing bar: DEEP's application form states a reciprocal certificate can only be granted before the operator starts employment at a Connecticut WWTF - once employment has begun, reciprocity is no longer available. One-year string: under (c)(6), an operator who obtains a reciprocal certificate to take a chief, shift or process control operator position must remain in that position at least one year or the certificate is null and void on the date employment terminates. Upgrade bar: under (c)(7), once employed at a Connecticut facility, any higher-class certification requires passing the applicable Connecticut examination. Applications are reviewed against the three substantive criteria by DEEP and referred to a subcommittee or the full Certification Advisory Committee for decision. Scope is wastewater treatment facility operators, Classes I-IV; Connecticut does not require collection-system operator certification. Fee: application fee under Regs. Conn. State Agencies § 22a-416-5(a)(4), submitted on the combined 'Application for Examination or Reciprocity' form; DEEP's current fact sheet lists the application fee as $240.00.

Connecticut runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: MATERIAL SPLIT in mechanism, not just agency. DEEP's wastewater reciprocity is a hard-edged rule with an unusual gate: it is available ONLY before you start work in Connecticut, and requires a written conditional job offer from a Connecticut facility owner. DPH's drinking-water reciprocity is discretionary and depends on a reciprocity agreement existing with the sending state or with ABC - whether any such agreements are currently in force could not be verified from official sources.

Delaware has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: DNREC states plainly that Delaware offers reciprocity for out-of-state wastewater licenses. Applicants holding certifications or licenses from other states whose requirements are found to be equal to Delaware's requirements may apply for certification under the state'S reciprocity provision. Process: complete a Request for Reciprocity form together with an Application for Certification, both submitted through the DNREC ePermitting system, and submit them to the Board; DNREC advises detailing the current state's licensing requirements and the applicant'S wastewater experience. The Board meets monthly (typically the first Tuesday) and reviews these requests; its guidelines for evaluating the equivalency of other certification and licensing programs for reciprocal treatment are established under Section 3.2.4. Delaware issues four wastewater operator classes: Class I (HS diploma plus 1 year acceptable operating experience), Class II (HS plus 3 years at Class I or higher), Class III (HS plus 2 years approved college in engineering or allied subjects plus 4 years at Class II or higher, 2 in Direct Responsible Charge), Class IV (degree or 4 years of engineering/allied curriculum plus 4 years at Class III or higher, 2 in DRC), with year-for-year substitution between education and DRC experience within limits. Employment nexus: DNREC states that certification generally requires working in wastewater in Delaware or holding a letter of pending employment. Licenses run two years and renew on 20 hours of approved training, at least 10 directly related. Fees are administered under the DNREC Division of Water license fee schedule; a reciprocity-specific fee amount was not verified.

Delaware runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: Two agencies, two separate regulations, two separate application processes - but both grant reciprocity on an equivalence review, and both attach a Delaware employment nexus.

Georgia has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Independently confirmed for wastewater via the Board's dedicated 'Apply to be a Wastewater Operator' page and the wastewater-specific charts in the Endorsement Matrix - not inferred from the water finding. Same mechanics: certificate may issue without examination to a holder of a current, good-standing out-of-state certificate where the issuing jurisdiction'S requirements are 'substantially similar', on submission of the endorsement application, an endorsement affidavit completed by the certifying state, high school diploma/GED, and the non-refundable fee. The Endorsement Matrix carries separate wastewater treatment and wastewater collections charts (plus industrial and laboratory analyst endorsements); Georgia Class I is shown reachable by endorsement from roughly 35 states and no class is excluded. No residency or in-state-employment requirement in statute, rule or FAQ. Filing via GOALS portal only; incomplete applications may be withdrawn if deficiencies are not cured within 60 days. SAME unresolved exam conflict as water - the wastewater out-of-state checklist also lists 'Passing Exam Score' unqualified. Fee: $100.00 non-refundable endorsement application fee (Board FAQ); same board-wide schedule as water, published on the GOALS portal rather than fixed in rule..

Georgia runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: Single board, single statute (O.C.G.A. Title 43 Ch. 51) and single rule chapter (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. Dept. 750) for both disciplines, but each discipline was confirmed independently: the Board runs separate 'Apply to be a Water Operator' and 'Apply to be a Wastewater Operator' pages and publishes one Endorsement Matrix containing SEPARATE class-equivalency charts for water supply/distribution and for wastewater treatment/collections. UNRESOLVED CONFLICT: the statute and Rule 750-4-.03 both say a certificate may issue 'without examination', but the Board's own out-of-state document checklists for BOTH disciplines list 'Passing Exam Score' with no qualifier. Could not resolve which controls in practice.

Hawaii has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: True reciprocity - certificates issued 'without examination' - but on materially tighter conditions than the water side. Verbatim § 11-61-3(b): 'Certificates may be issued, without examination, for a comparable classification to any applicant who holds a certificate in another state, provided the requirements of that state are substantially equivalent to the requirements of this chapter, and provided reciprocal privileges are being granted by that state to certified operators of this State.' TWO conditions absent from the water rule: (i) substantial equivalence of the other state's requirements, and (ii) genuine TWO-WAY reciprocity - the other state must itself grant reciprocity to Hawaii-certified operators. Hawaii employment required: § 11-61-3(b)(1) - 'The board shall approve the issuance of reciprocal certificates only to applicants employed or seeking employment in the State' - and the rule requires 'A letter verifying employment or application for employment in the State.' grade cap: 'Comparable classification' only; the Reciprocity Application lists Grades 1-4 with no class excluded on its face. Submit: copy of valid/current certificate; letter verifying employment or application for employment in Hawaii; verification from the issuing Board that a written examination was required; and a current copy of that state'S wastewater operator certification rules or regulations. Mail to Board of Certification of Operating Personnel in Wastewater Treatment Plants, c/o Wastewater Branch, 2827 Waimano Home Road, Room 207, Pearl City, HI 96782. Fee: $75 total - $25 reciprocity certificate application (processing) fee, plus a $50 reciprocity certificate fee 'submitted within forty-five days after the applicant receives notification of eligibility for reciprocity certification' (HAR § 11-61-5(f)(3)). Failure to pay within 45 days requires reapplication..

Hawaii runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: Genuinely separate programs - different boards, different DOH branches, different HAR chapters (11-25 vs 11-61), different authorizing statutes (HRS 340F vs HRS 340B), different fees, different mailing addresses, and materially DIFFERENT reciprocity conditions. Wastewater imposes a two-way reciprocity test and a Hawaii-employment requirement that the water rule does not. Note the authorizing chapters are HRS 340F (water) and HRS 340B (wastewater), not 340E.

Idaho has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Verified independently, not inferred: § 54-2410 names 'a wastewater system operator' as its own enumerated category in the same operative sentence, so the endorsement provision demonstrably reaches this discipline on its face. Same mechanics as water: a valid out-of-state license, from a state whose 'legally enacted qualifications for licensure are not lower than' Idaho's, board approval required, resulting in being 'Accepted for licensure' rather than merely eligible to test. Same exam caveat: the codified waiver authority was deleted in the 2023 zero-based rewrite and the statute is silent on exams, so exam waiver rests on board discretion and current practice is UNVERIFIED. No Idaho residency and no in-state employment requirement found (§ 54-2409 requires only lawful US residency). CLASSES: Treatment Operator (Operator-In-Training, Class I Restricted, Class I-IV, Land Application), Collection Operator (Operator-In-Training, Class I Restricted, Class I-IV), Laboratory Analyst (Class I-IV), plus Very Small Wastewater Systems. No class excluded by any text located. Exams ABC-validated via PSI. Confirm exam treatment directly with DOPL: [email protected], (208) 334-3233. Fee: Same schedule as water - $30 Endorsement Fee currently published by DOPL; statutory cap $100; pending draft rule would raise it to $100 (not adopted). DOPL'S published fee schedule is not split by discipline..

Idaho runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: One board covers both disciplines plus backflow assembly testers. STRUCTURAL FINDING: the endorsement pathway is STATUTORY (Idaho Code 54-2410), not in the current administrative rule. Idaho's zero-based regulation rewrite stripped endorsement out of IDAPA 24.05.01 - board minutes of 2023-10-02 record 'Removal of any reference to endorsement/reciprocity' - and the current rule (eff. 7-1-26) has only sections 000, 001, 002, 100, 200, 400 with no endorsement section. The old rule's express exam-waiver language went with it, so exam treatment is now board discretion rather than a codified entitlement. Idaho Code 67-9409 (universal licensure) is an independent alternative pathway.

Illinois has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: No blanket reciprocity agreement with any state, but Section 380.711 allows each request to be considered separately. The certifying state's rules plus your education and employment qualifications determine which Illinois certificate can be issued. Eligibility limit: you must already be an Illinois resident or currently employed at an Illinois wastewater treatment works. Class K industrial certificates cannot be issued by reciprocity at all. Collection system certification is excluded too, being voluntary. The OCU verifies your credentials with the certifying state, then tells you whether reciprocity is offered or you must sit the Illinois exam.

Illinois holds no blanket agreement with any state. Section 380.711 has each request considered separately, with the certifying state's rules and your own education and employment deciding which Illinois certificate can be issued.

Note: Both disciplines impose a MUTUAL-RECIPROCITY condition and an Illinois residency-or-employment requirement, so eligibility depends on your own state's stance toward Illinois as well as your credentials.

Indiana has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: IDEM's own Wastewater Operator Certification Manual states verbatim: 'The certification rule (5-23-18) allows an operator with a current certification in good standing in another state to be granted reciprocity with an equivalent certification in Indiana without retesting, with certain limitations.' Exam waived entirely, into an equivalent classification. Two real-world limits stated by IDEM: 'Each reciprocity application is reviewed individually' and 'The State of Indiana does not have reciprocity with all states' - consistent with the IC 13-18-11-9 mutual-reciprocity condition. Rule text: 'The commissioner may issue a certificate to a person from another state or U.S. territory by reciprocity if the requirements of IC 13-18-11-9 are met.' The reciprocity application must include: the $30 nonrefundable fee; proof of current certification from another state or U.S. Territory including certification number and expiration date and whether the certificate was obtained by written examination; contact information and date of birth; disclosure of previous Indiana applications or current Indiana certification; educational background and specialized training; operational and responsible-charge experience history; and signed statements by the applicant and the applicant's supervisor. A reciprocally issued certificate must then meet the renewal and continuing-education requirements of 327 IAC 5-23-11(h). No residency requirement found; the required supervisor signature implies a current employment attestation but IDEM does not state the employer must be in Indiana. No excluded classes identified, but IDEM'S 'with certain limitations' language and case-by-case review mean class-level limits cannot be ruled out - IDEM directs applicants to the wastewater certification director at (317) 232-8791. IDEM's manual references a separate 'Application for Certification by Reciprocity' form whose state form number and PDF could not be located on forms.in.gov. Fee: $30 nonrefundable application fee to the department (327 IAC 5-23-18(a); the same $30 applies to apprentice, certified operator, reciprocity and provisional applications).

Indiana runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: Single agency, but two separate rule articles, two program staffs and two application tracks. CITATION CORRECTION: 327 IAC 5-22 is the REPEALED wastewater operator rule. IDEM rulemaking #18-365 repealed 327 IAC 5-22 and replaced it with 327 IAC 5-23, which is what IDEM's current wastewater pages and manual cite. 327 IAC 8-12 for water treatment/distribution operators is current and correct. Both articles route to the same statutory reciprocity authority, IC 13-18-11-9, but each discipline was verified against its own IDEM materials.

Iowa has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Same rule, same program, same mechanics - and confirmed to reach wastewater on the chapter's own face: ch. 81 is titled 'Operator Certification: Public Water Supply Systems and Wastewater Treatment Systems' and rule 81.3 sets 'Wastewater treatment plant classifications and operator certification grades' inside it, while DNR'S reciprocity application form itself lists Wastewater Treatment and Wastewater Lagoon (lagoon grades 1-2) alongside the water classifications. Mandatory out-of-state program: certified 'in an appropriate classification and grade without examination', conditioned on having passed a generally equivalent exam and meeting Iowa's education/experience qualifications. Voluntary out-of-state program: discretionary, and 'The director may require the applicant to pass the Iowa examination.' Submit the DNR reciprocity application form plus the certification fee. No residency requirement, no Iowa-employment requirement, no excluded grade. Same lapse trap as water. CAVEAT: DNR'S Reciprocity Application PDF did not parse cleanly across two attempts - it returned only generic application-form field labels and did not surface reciprocity-specific instruction text or an out-of-state verification block. All substantive mechanics above are sourced to the rule text, which parsed completely; the form is corroborating only. Fee: $30 reciprocity application fee plus certification fee of $20 per half-year ($80 for a full two-year cycle); renewal $60 biennially. Same caveat as water - the $30 figure is not in rule 81.7..

Iowa runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: One DNR program and one rule chapter - 567 IAC ch. 81, titled 'Operator Certification: Public Water Supply Systems and Wastewater Treatment Systems' - govern all classifications. Reciprocity at 567-81.9(3) sits in that shared chapter and by its terms reaches every classification in it, including the wastewater classifications set by rule 81.3; this is not an inference across disciplines. CITATION CORRECTION: the chapter has been renumbered - reciprocity was rule 567-81.11 in the 2020 version but is 567-81.9(3) in the current version (IAC 5/14/25), where 81.11 is now 'Operator by affidavit.' Cite 81.9(3). Checked for a reorganization into the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship: none found; the live site, a July 2025 DNR news release and the Legislature's department page all still read 'Iowa Department of Natural Resources.'

Kansas has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Established independently rather than inferred from the water side: KDHE's Reciprocity Form expressly covers wastewater ('Request reciprocity as (circle one or both): water operator and/or wastewater operator'), KDHE's reciprocity policy document is written for 'Water and Wastewater Operator' reciprocity, and the governing regulations are jointly captioned for both disciplines (K.A.R. 28-16-30, 'Requirements for water and wastewater operator certification'). Mechanics identical to water: submit the Reciprocity Form, resume of training and experience, copy of present certificate(s) and previous-employer contacts; KDHE compares the issuing state'S program to Kansas requirements, reviews training and work experience, confirms the certificate is active directly with the issuing state, and decides case by case. Same material gap: no official source states the Kansas exam is waived outright. No class exclusions or caps in the form or regulations. No residency requirement. The form asks for 'Present or Prospective Kansas Employer'. The 'One-year reciprocity fee' wording suggests a one-year credential but the term is not stated explicitly. The 2020 COVID-19 five-state auto-approval policy expired December 31, 2020. K.S.A. 48-3406 applicability unverified, as with water. Fee: $25.00 'One-year reciprocity fee' per K.A.R. 28-16-35. Same currency caveat as water..

Kansas runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: One program, one rule set and ONE reciprocity form covering both disciplines - the form literally instructs the applicant to 'circle one or both: water operator and/or wastewater operator.' IMPORTANT STRUCTURAL FINDING: the substantive reciprocity criteria exist in NEITHER statute NOR regulation. The only regulatory trace of reciprocity anywhere in K.A.R. 28-16-30 through 28-16-36 is a single fee line in 28-16-35. The criteria are administered as unpublished agency policy, case by case.

Kentucky has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Equivalent certification may be issued WITHOUT examination to a holder of a valid wastewater certificate from another US state, territory or possession. Requires the Application for Reciprocity and Equivalency plus the fee. A board reviews the application and recommends acceptance or denial against the criteria in 401 KAR 11:050 Section 1(8). Kentucky runs water and wastewater under the same regulation but through separate statutory boards - wastewater sits under KRS 224.10-110, water under KRS 223.160-223.220 - so the two are applied for separately. Fee: $500 reciprocity and equivalency fee.

Kentucky runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Louisiana has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Independently verified, not inferred: Chapter 73 § 7305 expressly enumerates five categories - water production, water distribution, water treatment, wastewater collection and wastewater treatment - and § 7337.B names 'a Louisiana water or wastewater facility' explicitly, so wastewater sits inside the same reciprocity section rather than being read across from the water answer. LDEQ's own Water Enforcement page independently confirms LDH runs wastewater operator certification. Mechanics therefore identical to water: exam waived at committee discretion; the out-of-state exam must have been 'At least equivalent' for the level sought; the reciprocal certificate 'Will not ordinarily be issued unless the applicant is employed, or has accepted employment, in a Louisiana water or wastewater facility'; no residency requirement; no excluded class stated; burden of proof on the applicant. Same submission set (application, Certification Verification letter from the issuing state'S certification officer, proof of certificate, diplomas/transcripts, documented experience). Same boilerplate-exam-language caveat as water. Fee: $20 for the first certificate in the WASTEWATER category, $10 for each additional wastewater certificate (duplicates $5). Water and wastewater are billed as separate categories, so an operator seeking both pays $20 in each..

Louisiana runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: The expected LDH/LDEQ split does NOT exist. LDH certifies both drinking water and wastewater operators under one program, one rule chapter and one committee. LDEQ's own Water Enforcement page disclaims the function and refers readers to LDH. LDEQ does run a separate certification program for SOLID WASTE facility operators (LAC 46:XXIII, Board of Certification and Training for Solid Waste Disposal System Operators) with its own reciprocity clause and $100 fee - that is a different occupation and was ruled out, not used. Reciprocity here is DISCRETIONARY and conditioned on Louisiana employment.

Maine has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: True reciprocity with a full exam waiver. Ch. 531 sec. 7.G verbatim: 'A person holding a valid certification in another state or country may apply to the Department for certification at a comparable grade level without examination, provided the person'S certification is in good standing and that certification was obtained through an examination program that the Department has deemed at least equivalent to Departmental requirements.' The current application form (WW Exam Application, rev. 10/2024) states: 'Any person holding a valid certification in another state or country may be issued Maine certification in a comparable grade without examination.' MECHANICS: not class-limited - Maine issues at a 'Comparable grade' across the whole scheme (Biological grades 1-5, Physical/Chemical grades 1-2, Spray Irrigation Treatment System grades 1-2); no grade is carved out or made exam-required. Two gating conditions: (1) The out-of-state certificate must be currently valid and in good standing, and (2) It must have been earned by written examination under a program DEP judges at least equivalent - a credential granted purely by experience, grandfathering, or another state'S own reciprocity would not qualify. The applicant must separately meet Maine's education and experience requirements for the grade sought (Grade 1 requires only a high school diploma or GED with no work experience; higher grades scale to roughly 8 years). Submissions: the completed certification application in full plus a copy of the current active out-of-state certificate. No residency and no in-state-employment requirement appears in sec. 7.G or on the application. Mutuality dropped - verified: the 2018 DEP form conditioned reciprocity on the other state granting reciprocity to Maine operators; that clause is absent from both the post-2023 rule text and the 10/2024 form. The 2018 PDF is still reachable on www1.Maine.gov but is superseded. Ongoing: certification renews every two years by March 1 with 18 Training Contact Hours (6 for SITS-1); lapsing more than six months forces a re-exam. A separate Provisional classification exists for applicants who cannot meet standard requirements. Fee: $250 nonrefundable reciprocity application fee, payable to NEIWPCC-JETCC (contrast $125 for a standard Biological, P/C or SITS exam application, plus a per-attempt PSI test-administration fee that reciprocity applicants avoid). Reciprocity is an option on the single exam application form; there is no standalone reciprocity form..

Maine runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: Genuine split with separate rules, applications and fees. Both disciplines nonetheless land in the same place: a true exam waiver, not exam eligibility. Fees differ sharply ($75 water vs $250 wastewater). Notable currency point on the wastewater side: the superseded 2018 DEP application form required mutuality ('...which grants reciprocity to Maine operators'); the current Ch. 531 rule text and the 10/2024 application both drop that clause, verified independently, so incoming applicants no longer need their home state to reciprocate back to Maine.

Maryland has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: True reciprocity with full exam waiver. Same rule text as drinking water - COMAR 26.06.01.11A: 'The Board may grant operator certification to out-of-State applicants without examination, if the applicant: (1) Submits an application that provides evidence of educational and experience qualifications which satisfies Regulations.04 and.16 of this chapter; (2) Possesses a valid certificate from the Association of Boards of Certification, or from another state which administers examinations that are substantially equivalent to the examinations in Maryland; (3) Is employed or awaiting specific employment pending certification in Maryland; (4) Pays an application fee as specified in Regulation.07; and (5) Upon approval of the application for reciprocity, pays a certification fee as specified by Regulation.07.' Confirmed to reach all three wastewater-side categories, which COMAR.03 and.16 establish as: Wastewater Treatment Plants (Classes 1-6 plus S and A - eight classes), Wastewater Collection Systems (Classes 1-2, Class 1 gravity and Class 2 gravity plus pumped or vacuum), and Industrial Wastewater Works (Classes 1-7). All three appear as distinct renewal categories in the.07 fee schedule. Grant is discretionary and conditioned on substantial equivalence; ABC certification is one route but not required. Key exclusion: superintendent certification cannot be obtained by reciprocity (.11B(2)); a reciprocity operator must then satisfy Maryland's ordinary superintendent requirements. Employment requirement: no residency requirement, but the applicant must be 'Employed or awaiting specific employment pending certification in Maryland' and the application must be verified by the present Maryland employer. Submissions identical to the water side, including the employer 'Certification of Previous Employment' form with facility description and diagram on letterhead, returned within 14 days. Fee: $150 reciprocity application fee plus $50 initial certification fee upon approval = $200 total (COMAR 26.06.01.07D). Nonrefundable. Renewal $50 per category per 3-year period, capped at $100 for all certificates held simultaneously..

Maryland runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: One board, one chapter (COMAR 26.06.01), one reciprocity regulation (26.06.01.11) for both disciplines - verified against Environment Article sec. 12-201 ('There is a State Board of Waterworks and Waste Systems Operators in the Department') and sec. 12-101, which defines a single 'Board'. Each discipline was still checked independently against the chapter's own classification tables. The material limit is not discipline-based but certificate-type based: SUPERINTENDENT certification cannot be obtained by reciprocity in either discipline. Also note MDE's website uses informal shorthand letters (T, D, W, C, I, S) that do NOT match COMAR's class designations - do not cite MDE's letters as COMAR classes. Separately, HB 1120 (2026), Ch. 492, effective Oct 1 2026, adds State Government Article secs. 10-14A-01 to 10-14A-05 letting a Foreign Service member or spouse relocating to Maryland practice under their out-of-state license for the duration of the assignment; its fiscal note expressly lists this Board. That is practice-under-out-of-state-license, not Maryland certification, and is Foreign Service only - not a general universal-recognition law. Maryland's 2025 expedited service-member/spouse law (HB 895, Ch. 6) does NOT reach this Board, as it covers only the Business Occupations and Professions, Business Regulation, Financial Institutions, Labor and Employment, and Commercial Law Articles - not the Environment Article.

Massachusetts has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: True reciprocity - the Massachusetts written examination is not retaken. 257 CMR 2.02 defines 'Reciprocity' verbatim as 'The certification of a person who has passed a written examination in another state and meets the experience requirements of Massachusetts or a person who meets the requirements of a reciprocity registry accepted by the Board.' The official reciprocity application states that 'Any person requesting reciprocity must be a certified wastewater treatment plant operator' and that the 'Certification must have been based on an examination process recognized by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or the Associated Boards of Certification (ABC)' - the out-of-state or ABC-recognized exam substitutes for the Massachusetts exam. Applicant must still meet Massachusetts Experience requirements. Required submissions per 257 CMR 2.03(2) And the form: (1) Proof of having passed a written test in another state; (2) A resume explaining job duties, responsibilities and dates of employment at each facility; (3) Flow diagrams of each facility worked at; (4) A copy of the certification rules and regulations of the state where certified, OR proof of acceptable reciprocity-registry registration; plus a recent photo at least one inch wide with face visible, or a copy of a driver'S license. Must be typed or printed in ink: 'The Board will not consider incomplete Applications.' Mail to Department of Environmental Protection, P.O. Box 4062, Boston, MA 02211. No residency and no Massachusetts-employment requirement appears in the regulation or the form. GRADE 7 - no published exclusion, but a structural obstacle: grades run 1 through 7 and neither 257 CMR 2.00 nor the reciprocity form excludes any grade. However 257 CMR 2.12(3)(g) requires a Grade 7 operator to 'have passed a Grade 6 examination and possess at least eight years of experience at a level of responsibility comparable to that of a Class 6 plant or higher', and there is no Grade 7 examination - Combined Grade 7 is obtained through a separate upgrade application ($20 fee). Because reciprocity keys off having passed a written test in another state, Grade 7 in practice runs through the upgrade route. This is a structural artifact, not a published exclusion, and so treat it as an observation rather than a published rule. Fee: $80.00, check or money order payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (stated on the reciprocity application form; no fee amounts appear in 257 CMR 2.00).

Massachusetts runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: CONFIRMED SPLIT, and the agency alignment is the REVERSE of the common assumption: the DRINKING WATER board sits under the Division of Occupational Licensure (not MassDEP), while the WASTEWATER board's forms are published and processed by MassDEP (applications mailed to MassDEP, P.O. Box 4062, Boston, MA 02211). One nuance: M.G.L. c.13 sec. 66B still makes the commissioner of environmental protection (or designee) the drinking water board's chairman, so MassDEP holds a statutory chair role without housing the board. Citations also differ from the commonly cited ones: drinking water is M.G.L. c.13 sec. 66B and c.112 secs. 87CCCC and 87DDDD with regulations at 236 CMR - NOT M.G.L. c.111 sec. 160, NOT 302 CMR, NOT 310 CMR. Both disciplines grant true reciprocity, established independently.

Michigan has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: MUTUAL-CONDITION reciprocity: Michigan honours certification reciprocity with any state or nation that allows reciprocity for Michigan wastewater and stormwater operators. So eligibility depends on whether your own state reciprocates back to Michigan, not on a fixed named list. Applications are requested via [email protected].

Michigan runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: NOTABLE. Michigan is documented elsewhere in this dataset as reciprocating with nobody across its construction trades. Both operator disciplines DO reciprocate, so the blanket 'Michigan never reciprocates' framing does not hold for this trade.

Minnesota has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: True reciprocity with exam waiver. Same statutory and rule basis as drinking water: Minn. Stat. 115.76 authorizes 'the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency, in the case of wastewater treatment facility operators' to issue certificates 'without examination, in a comparable classification' where the issuing state's requirements are not in conflict with Minn. Stat. 115.71-115.77 and are of a standard not lower than Minnesota'S rules; Minn. R. 9400.1350 item A makes issuance mandatory when that test is met, item B requires written notice of deficiencies otherwise, and item C converts the nonrefundable reciprocity fee into the exam application fee only 'if the applicant is denied a certificate through reciprocity'. MECHANICS, quoted from MPCA's own certification page - eligibility, the applicant must: 'Have a current license from another state or territory (licensing authority)'; 'have taken an exam to receive the license'; 'have a good compliance history, and currently be in good standing with the licensing authority that issued the license.' to apply: 'complete an Application for reciprocity (wq-wwtp8-10)'; 'submit a $40 application fee; application fees are non-refundable'; 'attach a copy of your current license and copies of any applicable training or educational course completion certificates.' MPCA then will 'request information from the licensing authority to substantiate your current license status' and 'determine the equivalent level or class of Minnesota license if reciprocity were granted.' The requirement that the applicant 'have taken an exam to receive the license' is a qualifying condition on the ORIGINAL out-of-state credential, not a Minnesota exam requirement - the out-of-state exam substitutes for the Minnesota exam, which is what makes this reciprocity rather than exam eligibility. No class exclusion is stated: MPCA determines 'the equivalent level or class', and neither the page, the statute nor the rule excludes Class A/B/C/D, the collection-system S-A through S-D classes, or Type IV/V. No residency and no in-state-employment requirement appears in the statute, rule or MPCA page. CAVEAT: the reciprocity application form wq-wwtp8-10 is published only as a.docx and could not be opened in this environment (returns unparseable binary; direct download blocked by the session's egress policy). No HTML or PDF equivalent exists. Form-level fine print - e.g. Any experience-documentation detail beyond what the MPCA page lists - is therefore not established. Relatedly, MPCA'S published fee schedule shows a $45 certification fee, but it is described as payable after passing the exam and neither the reciprocity page nor the fee page states it applies to a reciprocity applicant; that $45 is therefore not asserted here. Fee: $40 nonrefundable reciprocity application fee. A separate $45 certification fee appears on MPCA's fee schedule but is tied to the exam pathway; whether it also attaches to a granted reciprocity is UNVERIFIED because the wq-wwtp8-10 form could not be opened..

Minnesota runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: Split verified independently. Minn. Stat. 115.76 names both officials explicitly: 'The commissioner of health, in the case of water supply system operators, and the commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency, in the case of wastewater treatment facility operators.' Unusually, both disciplines run on the SAME statute (Minn. Stat. 115.71-115.77) and the SAME jointly administered rule chapter, Minn. R. ch. 9400, with reciprocity at Minn. R. 9400.1350 keyed to 'the respective commissioner' - but each agency runs its own application, review and fee. Reciprocity application fee is $40 in both disciplines, coincidentally identical. Minnesota is notable for imposing NO residency and NO in-state-employment requirement in either discipline, and NO class exclusion - a direct contrast with Montana and Missouri.

Missouri has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: True reciprocity with the exam waived entirely. 10 CSR 20-9.030(5)(A) verbatim: 'Certificates may be issued, without examination, to any person who holds a valid certificate obtained by examination in any state, territory, country, or any other certifying authority, if the requirements for certification of operators under which the person'S certificate was issued do not conflict with the provisions of this rule, are at least as stringent as this rule...' MECHANICS: (a) exam waived entirely, not merely exam eligibility; (b) the applicant must have working experience with a wastewater treatment system in the state or other authorized area that supplied the certification for which reciprocity is sought; (c) in-state employment required - per (5)(A)2-3 the applicant must obtain employment with a Missouri wastewater treatment system and apply within one hundred eighty (180) Days after beginning that employment; (5)(D) provides a letter of intent to issue certification valid for 180 days for an applicant not yet employed in Missouri. Note an asymmetry with the water side: the drinking-water letter of intent is conditioned on the Missouri employment being dependent upon Missouri certification, whereas the wastewater letter of intent is available to any qualified applicant not yet employed in Missouri. There is no residency requirement as such, only the employment nexus; (d) CLASS: Missouri wastewater certification runs Class A (highest) through Class D (lowest), assigned by a facility point system. No class is categorically excluded - Class A is not excluded. The level granted is set by the rule: 'The level of certification issued will be determined by the state of origin's minimum requirements for the level of certification held in that state', so the awarded class can be lower than the out-of-state class if the origin state's minimums are weaker; (e) the ONE express exclusion is disciplinary, not class-based - 10 CSR 20-9.030(6)(C): 'Certification by reciprocity shall not be available for a certificate holder whose certification has been revoked'; (f) application on form MO 780-1091 with verification of the valid out-of-state certificate and documentation of the qualifying experience, per the form described in (12)(C). Fee: $65 total: a $40 application fee per 10 CSR 20-9.030(5)(A)3 ('The form described in subsection (12)(C) must be submitted along with the application fee of forty dollars ($40)') plus a $25 certificate fee per (5)(B) ('The fee for a certificate issued under the provisions of this section is twenty-five dollars ($25)'). For contrast the ordinary exam route is $20 + $25 = $45, so the reciprocity route is genuinely more expensive..

Missouri runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: One DNR Operator Certification Unit administers both disciplines and uses a single combined reciprocity form, MO 780-1091 ('Application for Reciprocity of a Water Treatment, Water Distribution, Wastewater or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) Operator Certificate'). But the two disciplines rest on separate statutes, separate commissions, separate rule chapters, and DIFFERENT FEES ($75 water vs $65 wastewater), so each was verified independently. Both grant true reciprocity with the exam waived. Missouri's distinguishing feature is a hard IN-STATE EMPLOYMENT requirement in both disciplines with a 180-day clock. The direct PDF of form MO 780-1091 could not be fetched (permission error), so documentation details come from the CSR rule text rather than the form.

Montana has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Established independently of the water finding. MCA ch. 37-42 expressly reaches wastewater treatment plant operators (37-42-101 purpose clause, 37-42-102 definitions, 37-42-301), and MCA 37-42-305's certification-without-examination provision applies chapter-wide to holders of another state'S certificate who are in responsible charge of 'works located in this state requiring a certified operator' and who passed an equivalent examination. DEQ's own program page independently confirms the wastewater track, requiring the applicant to 'Hold a valid water or wastewater certification in another state', meet Montana'S minimum experience requirements for the certification type requested, 'be in responsible charge of a system in Montana', and have an approved Montana application on file. This is exam waiver, not merely permission to sit for the exam. In-state employment is mandatory on this side too. Submissions identical to water: Wastewater Operator Certification Application, an explanatory letter covering how requirements were met and experience with specific systems and treatment processes, copies of out-of-state credentials with certifying-authority contact information, and fees; up to six weeks to process. The 2021 wastewater application PDF itself contains only an internal office line reading 'Reciprocity pd: Emp? Date:' and gives no reciprocity instructions, so the mechanics come from the DEQ program page and the statute. Class-comparability limit: ARM 17.40.203(9) Requires the qualifying out-of-state examination to be 'for a certification classification at least as complex as the classification for which the operator seeks reciprocal certification in Montana', and 17.40.203(8)(d) covers the wastewater exam route. No class is blanket-excluded. This ARM text was read only through a commercial mirror because rules.mt.gov was unreachable, so the class-comparability limit should be treated as strongly indicated but not officially verified; the in-state employment requirement and the fees ARE officially verified on DEQ's own page and in MCA. Fee: $70 one-time reciprocity fee plus $70 application fee, per discipline, per DEQ'S program page. Related current fees: exam $70 each, renewal $40 wastewater..

Montana runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: One combined DEQ program covers drinking water (Water Distribution 1A-4A, Water Treatment 1B-4B) and wastewater (Wastewater 1C-3C, Industrial Wastewater 1D-4D, On-site 2E-4E), with fees charged per discipline. Montana's two distinguishing features are a HARD IN-STATE RESPONSIBLE-CHARGE REQUIREMENT - you cannot obtain reciprocity in the abstract, you must already be in responsible charge of a Montana system - and a CLASS-COMPARABILITY LIMIT on the qualifying out-of-state exam. SOURCE LIMITATION: rules.mt.gov could not be reached from this environment (HTTP 405 via fetch, 403 at the egress proxy on every URL form tried), and no DEQ mirror of the ARM text exists. The ARM provisions cited below were read only through a commercial mirror and should be re-verified against rules.mt.gov before publication. Everything sourced to MCA (mca.legmt.gov) and to DEQ's own program page IS official.

Nebraska has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: True reciprocity with the examination WAIVED. Ch. 4 s.004 verbatim: 'Certificates of an equivalent class may be issued, without examination, to any operator applying for certification who holds a valid certificate from another recognized wastewater operator certification program having requirements for certification which the director considers similar to the standards established in these regulations.' Mechanics: the Nebraska certificate issued is of an equivalent class, not an upgrade; the out-of-state certificate must be currently valid; the issuing program must be 'recognized' and its requirements judged 'Similar' by the Director - a discretionary, case-by-case determination, not a published list of states. S.004.01 requires the standard Ch. 4 s.001 application with education and work experience information plus the Appendix C fee. Sole categorical exclusion, s.004.02: 'Certification by reciprocity will not be available for a person whose certification has been denied revoked or suspended.' No residency and no in-state-employment requirement appears in the rule. No class is excluded - Nebraska runs Class L, I, II, III, IV and Industrial I-IV, and the rule speaks generally of 'Certificates of an equivalent class,' so the top class is reachable. Renewal obligations are the same as the exam route: Neb. Rev. Stat. S.81-15,138, minimum 2.0 CEUs of department-approved training in the two years before expiration. Fee: $150 application for certification by reciprocity (Title 197 Appendix C; same as certification by examination and as renewal).

Nebraska runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: MATERIAL SPLIT, and the two disciplines do not behave alike. Wastewater has an explicit exam-waiving reciprocity rule at 197 NAC Ch. 4 s.004. Drinking water has no reciprocity provision in its own rule chapter and no published agency procedure, but a 2024 general statute (Neb. Rev. Stat. s.84-950) appears to reach it; the current text of the controlling chapter could not be retrieved, so water is recorded as unverified rather than guessed either way. Agency rename: dee.nebraska.gov now 302-redirects to dwee.nebraska.gov.

Nevada has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: True reciprocity with the exam WAIVED. NAC 445A.2864 as adopted: 'A full certificate as an operator of a plant for sewage treatment may be issued by the Division without examination... to a person in a comparable classification who has passed an equivalent written examination and who holds a full certification in another state, territory or possession of the United States or another country if the requirements for the certification of operators are consistent with and not of a lower standard as determined by the Division.' NDEP's own program presentation confirms issuance 'Without examination, on a case-by-case basis.' Limits: discretionary and case-by-case; notable exclusion - 'The Division shall not grant a request for full certification by reciprocity for a reciprocal certificate issued by another state, territory or possession of the United States or another country,' so a credential you yourself obtained by reciprocity elsewhere cannot be used; FULL certificates only, not restricted certificates; expired certificates and incomplete applications are not considered. Submissions: documentation of education and experience supporting the grade requested, evidence of continuing education completed for the existing certificate, the valid unexpired full certificate, and the NAC 445A.287 fee. No residency or Nevada-employment requirement in the regulation. Grades I-IV. Applications are processed by the NWEA Board of Certification under contract to NDEP. Fee: $150 initial full certificate issued by reciprocity (NAC 445A.287 as amended by R121-19; two-year term). For context the same schedule sets $140 initial non-reciprocal full certificate and $110 renewal..

Nevada runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: Same department, two different bureaus, and wastewater is further delegated to a contracted third-party board. Both disciplines waive the exam, but each rests on its own regulation and each was verified separately - the drinking water answer required pulling the LCB adopted-regulation instrument because the Legislature's NAC chapter file will not serve the section body.

New Hampshire has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: True reciprocity with the written exam waived, for grades i-iii only. Env-Wq 304.19: 'an applicant may request the certification committee to waive the requirement for a written examination and request reciprocity if they have been certified as a wastewater treatment plant operator by the appropriate certification agency of any federal, state, interstate, territorial, or other jurisdiction.' The Wastewater Certification Committee grants it only if: the other jurisdiction's certificate is still valid; the applicant obtained that certification by written examination (a credential itself obtained by reciprocity or waiver elsewhere does not qualify); the applicant has had no certificate revoked or suspended in any state; and the issuing jurisdiction'S requirements are not less stringent than New Hampshire's. Explicit grade exclusion: 'No reciprocity certification shall be issued for grade IV.' Grade IV must be earned by NH examination. Documents: reciprocity application form NHDES-W-09-004; a copy of the out-of-state certificate or license; the official regulations or rules of the issuing jurisdiction; proof of high school diploma or HSE where applicable; post-secondary transcripts; documentation of specialized training where applicable; and the fee. Nh nexus: the NHDES Wastewater Operator FAQ states a reciprocity applicant must be currently certified in another state, must have obtained that certification by examination, and must be 'Actively seeking employment in New Hampshire' - a nexus condition short of residency or proof of existing in-state employment. Applications are mailed to NHDES Water Division, Wastewater Operations Section, PO Box 95, Concord, NH 03302-0095. Form NHDES-W-09-004 could not be downloaded (403 / JS-only portal), so the fee is taken from the statute rather than the form. Fee: $100 for a certificate issued without examination (RSA 485-A:7-c, III); $100 biennial renewal. The ordinary exam-route application fee is $50 per the NHDES Wastewater Operator FAQ..

New Hampshire judges an incoming certificate against its own standard rather than a named list of states. Grades I-III only — no reciprocity certificate is issued for Grade IV, which must be earned by New Hampshire examination. The origin certificate must itself have been earned by written examination.

Note: One department but genuinely separate programs - different bureaus, different enabling statutes (RSA 332-E vs RSA 485-A:7-c), different rule chapters (Env-Dw 502 vs Env-Wq 304), different grade nomenclature (water 1A/1/2/3/4; wastewater I/II/III/IV) and different decision-makers (the department itself for water; the Wastewater Certification Committee for wastewater). Both grant real reciprocity, but wastewater excludes the top grade and water does not. NHDES-hosted PDFs returned HTTP 403 and the onlineforms.nh.gov portal is JavaScript-only, so the application forms themselves could not be retrieved; findings rest on statute and administrative rule text from the NH General Court's official site plus NHDES program pages.

New Jersey has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Established independently of the water finding rather than inferred from it: N.J.S.A. 58:11-65(k) defines 'system' to include industrial wastewater treatment systems, public wastewater collection systems and public wastewater treatment systems, and N.J.A.C. 7:10A-1.10 issues S, C, N and NS licenses under the same chapter. N.J.S.A. 58:11-69 speaks to 'The operation of systems' generally and N.J.A.C. 7:10A-1.11 draws no discipline distinction, so the same without-examination authority reaches wastewater. NJDEP'S operator-licensing FAQ is a combined water/wastewater document and answers reciprocity for the program as a whole: 'Individuals holding licenses issued by other State(s) may apply to the Board of Examiners to be considered for an equivalent New Jersey license,' subject to meeting NJ's minimum education and experience requirements, having passed an equivalent examination, and the other state granting reciprocity to NJ licensees. Mechanics, process, documents and fees are identical to the water discipline; ADM-035A explicitly names 'Out-of-state/reciprocity applicants for classifications 3 and 4' alongside S and C classes 3 and 4 for the DRC experience requirement. No residency or in-state-employment requirement found. No S, C, N or NS class is excluded by statute or rule. Caveat: NJDEP publishes no list of wastewater-specific reciprocal states and the Board'S equivalency and mutuality determinations are discretionary, so an individual applicant's outcome turns on the originating state. Fee: $70.00 nonrefundable application fee plus $50.00 initial license fee on issuance (N.J.A.C. 7:10A-1.8); $50.00 annual renewal, $20.00 late fee..

New Jersey runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: One statute and one rule chapter cover both disciplines, and the reciprocity provision is discipline-neutral. Class letters differ from what is commonly assumed: T = public water treatment (1-4), W = public water DISTRIBUTION (1-4), VSWS = very small water system; S = public wastewater TREATMENT (1-4), C = public wastewater COLLECTION (1-4), N = industrial wastewater treatment plant, NS = industrial system with only an oil/water separator or sedimentation unit. NJDEP publishes no roster of reciprocal states - mutuality and equivalence are decided case by case. Several dep.nj.gov resources returned HTTP 403 (program page, Board of Examiners page, licensing.pdf rules reprint, board minutes); equivalent official content was obtained from nj.gov-hosted copies.

New Mexico has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Same provision, independently confirmed to reach wastewater rather than inferred from the water result. 20.7.4 NMAC is a single 'Utility Operator Certification' part governing both: its scope at 20.7.4.2 covers 'All persons, facilities and systems subject to the act'; 20.7.4.20 makes it unlawful to operate 'a public water supply system or public wastewater facility' without a certified operator; and 20.7.4.20(B) states 'Separate certification is required for the operation of public water supply systems and public wastewater facilities.' The Act separately defines 'public wastewater facility.' The without-examination language at 20.7.4.24(B) is discipline-neutral and sits in the part that establishes the wastewater ladder (WW1-WW4, Small/Advanced Small Wastewater, Wastewater Lab Tech WWLT1-WWLT3, Collections Systems CS1-CS2). NMED's equivalency page states UOCP 'Will evaluate water and wastewater certifications from other States and Tribal Authorities for certification equivalency,' and its Exam and Equivalency Applications page posts equivalency applications for Wastewater Systems 1-4, Wastewater Laboratory Tech 1-3, Collections Systems 1-2 and Small/Advanced Small Wastewater. Exam waived entirely if granted; discretionary on NMED'S finding of equal-or-higher standards. Same document set (current out-of-state wastewater certification, diploma/GED or transcripts, college transcripts if any, training certificates). No residency or in-state-employment requirement; no grades excluded by rule text. Same caveat: NMED's public pages do not restate the waiver, which rests on the rule and statute. Fee: $30.00 per certificate requested (20.7.4.24(B) NMAC; separate certificates are required for water and wastewater, so an operator seeking both pays per certificate)..

New Mexico runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: One program, one rule part and one advisory board across both disciplines - but 20.7.4.20(B) NMAC requires SEPARATE certificates for public water supply systems and public wastewater facilities, and the $30 fee is charged per certificate requested. Both disciplines were confirmed from rule text that names them explicitly rather than by inference. NMED brands the process 'Equivalency,' a word that in several other states means eligibility-only; in New Mexico it is not - the controlling section is titled 'Certification Without Examination.'

North Carolina has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: CONDITIONAL reciprocity - the exam is waived only for operators properly registered on the ABC reciprocal registry; everyone else gets exam eligibility, not reciprocity. G.S. 90A-40(b): 'A certificate shall be issued in an appropriate grade without examination to any person who is properly registered on the "National Association of Boards of Certification" reciprocal registry and who meets all other requirements of rules adopted under this Article.' DEQ's current WPCSOCC reciprocity page implements two paths: (1) An applicant properly registered with the Association of Boards of Certification / Water Professionals International and meeting all requirements of 15A NCAC 08G receives reciprocal NC certification WITHOUT examination; (2) An applicant not meeting both conditions may take a WPCSOCC-administered exam and receives reciprocal certification on passing. The application form makes the trigger explicit: 'Did you take an ABC Exam? Yes no - (If no, you'll need to take a NC exam.)' So an out-of-state operator whose original certification came from a non-ABC state-specific exam gets no waiver. RULE/statute conflict, reported with the statute controlling: 15A NCAC 08G.0410(a)(4) Still requires the applicant to 'achieve a passing score on a Commission-administered examination of the same type and grade as that for which reciprocity certification is being requested,' waiving only the approved-training requirement; the rule has not been conformed to G.S. 90A-40(b) or to current DEQ guidance. EXCLUSIONS: operators whose NC certification is currently invalid cannot use the reciprocity route - they must cure renewal/CEU deficiencies or re-examine under 08G.0701(b) (a certificate invalid two or more consecutive years requires a passing exam of the same type and grade); 08G.0410(b) bars an applicant who failed the Commission exam for the same type and grade within the last two years;.0410(c) requires approved training after three failed exams. No residency requirement was found in the wastewater statute, rule or DEQ page - unlike drinking water. Documents: signed and NOTARIZED application; copy of the active out-of-state certification showing level and date; letter of verification and good standing from the certifying state agency confirming level and no outstanding disciplinary actions in the past 5 years; employer letter documenting employment dates, position, plant size and duties; copy of driver's license; list of professional schools and training; and the applicant'S affirmation of having read the NC Wastewater Operator Rules. Must be received at least one month before a WPCSOCC quarterly meeting to reach that agenda. Certification types: Biological Wastewater Treatment I-IV, Collection System I-IV, Physical/Chemical I-II, Surface (spray) Irrigation, Land Application of Residuals, Subsurface. No grade-level exclusion for reciprocity was found. Fee: $119 non-refundable Reciprocity Certificate fee, set by statute at N.C.G.S. S.90A-42(a)(6) And matching the 09/23/2025 application form. The 2018 rule text 15A NCAC 08G.0410(a)(2) Still recites a superseded $100.00 figure..

North Carolina waives the examination only for operators registered on the national ABC reciprocal registry. An operator certified through a state-specific exam instead gets exam eligibility, not a waiver.

Note: MATERIAL SPLIT. WTFOCB operates under N.C.G.S. Ch. 90A Article 2 and 15A NCAC 18D; WPCSOCC under Article 3 and 15A NCAC 08G, on separate quarterly meeting schedules with separate application forms. Drinking water is genuine exam-waiving reciprocity including the top A grades but REQUIRES an NC residency or employment nexus; wastewater has NO residency requirement but waives the exam ONLY for operators on the ABC reciprocal registry. Two further traps: (1) NC's MILITARY drinking-water pathway is exam-eligibility only and must not be conflated with the out-of-state civilian pathway; (2) the published wastewater rule 15A NCAC 08G .0410 still requires a Commission-administered exam and recites a $100 fee, both superseded by G.S. 90A-40(b), G.S. 90A-42(a)(6) and current DEQ guidance - the rule text has not been conformed. The NC OAH rules server (reports.oah.state.nc.us) could not be fetched (https/http redirect loop), so NCAC text was read from DEQ's own hosted copies.

North Dakota has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Independently verified rather than inferred from the water side. NDAC Article 33.1-19 is captioned 'Certification of Water and Wastewater Systems Operators' and the operative sections reach wastewater by their own express terms: 33.1-19-01-11(1) Makes certification mandatory for persons in direct responsible charge of 'wastewater treatment facilities, or wastewater collection and transfer systems'; 33.1-19-01-11(2) Establishes five grades for those same facilities; and separate classification sections exist at 33.1-19-01-09 (Wastewater Treatment Facility Classifications) and 33.1-19-01-09.1 (Wastewater Collection and Transfer System Classifications). The reciprocity provision at 33.1-19-01-07(6) Sits in that chapter and is not limited by discipline - it applies to 'a like certificate,' which includes wastewater certificates. The exam is waived outright, subject to the same two rule conditions (equal-or-higher standards in the issuing jurisdiction and mutual reciprocal privileges for ND operators) and the same DEQ handout conditions (certified in the other state by exam; meets ND education and experience requirements; pays the reciprocity fee). No residency requirement, no ND-employment requirement, no excluded grades. Statutory backing NDCC 23.1-07-07 covers 'wastewater treatment plant or wastewater collection system' alongside water. Fee: $50.00 reciprocity fee per the same DEQ handout, subject to the same caveat - the handout's other fee figures conflict with current NDAC 33.1-19-01-06 ($150 per examination; $40 annual renewal per certificate, effective 04-01-2026). The rule states no separate reciprocity fee..

North Dakota runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: No separate water and wastewater boards and no statutory advisory council (DEQ publishes minutes for internal and external Operator Certification Advisory Committees, but these are administrative rather than statutory licensing bodies). Reciprocity is DISCRETIONARY and MUTUALITY-CONDITIONED - the rule requires that the sending jurisdiction grant reciprocal privileges to North Dakota operators, so eligibility depends on which state you are coming from. Note an internal tension in the rule: 33.1-19-01-11(3) says 'All applicants must pass a certification examination,' while 33.1-19-01-07(6) is the specific exception permitting issuance without examination. The application portal (mfopcert.deq.nd.gov) is authenticated, so the reciprocity document checklist could not be verified.

Ohio has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Same case-by-case reciprocity process as water, but Ohio EPA publishes a separate Wastewater Treatment/Collection System reciprocity comparison chart, so the equivalency mapping differs by discipline.

Ohio runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Oklahoma has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Identical treatment to drinking water - and here that is established directly, not inferred. OAC Title 252 Chapter 710 is a single chapter governing 'Waterworks and Wastewater Works Operator Certification', 252:710-3-38 is written generically as 'an operator's certification', and the DEQ application form reproduced in the official Class C Wastewater Laboratory Manual carries the same reciprocity block ('applying for certification as water, wastewater or laboratory operator by RECIPROCITY from another state'). Same mutuality condition: the originating state must reciprocate with Oklahoma and must have equivalent requirements, and the exam is then waived at an equivalent level. Same military expedite, same renewal obligations. Coverage limits are on the underlying certificate, not on reciprocity: nonindustrial wastewater treatment works averaging 5,000 gpd or less do not require certified operators at all (252:710-3-31).

Oklahoma runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: CITATION CAVEAT. DEQ's current public webpages (Operator Certification and Program Information, both refreshed Feb 2026) do not describe reciprocity at all - they cover renewal, fees and study guides only, and all applications have moved to an online portal that is not publicly readable. The reciprocity mechanics below come from (a) the current definition of 'Reciprocity' in OAC 252:710-1-4 and the text of OAC 252:710-3-38, both read on commercial code publishers rather than the Oklahoma Secretary of State's own OAC, and (b) a DEQ application form reproduced in an official oklahoma.gov study manual that is marked Rev. 7/2007. One publisher's history line for 252:710-3-38 also carries a 'Revoked at 21 Ok Reg 1645, eff 6-11-04' annotation that conflicts with the rule text it prints. Treat the existence of the program as well-supported and the current section number and fee as unconfirmed. Verify with the OpCert Hotline (405-702-8228) before relying on this.

Oregon has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Real reciprocity with a genuine exam waiver, but the waiver GRADE depends on which exam you originally sat - this is the detail that catches people. DEQ: if you passed a standardized ABC/WPI exam, DEQ waives its exam at the SAME grade. If you passed a state-specific (non-standardized) exam, DEQ waives the exam only at one grade lower than the corresponding Oregon grade. Eligibility requires (1) A valid wastewater certification in good standing from another state or Canadian province, OR a Water Professionals International Professional Operator certification, and (2) Meeting Oregon's own education and experience requirements per the Pathway Qualifications tables. Application is filed online through Your DEQ Online using the Wastewater System Operator Certificate application with the reciprocity flag set to yes, attaching a copy of the current certificate; DEQ then verifies good standing and which exam was taken with the issuing authority. By rule the Director may issue without examination where the other jurisdiction'S exam requirements are substantially equivalent, and may refuse where education, experience or examination qualifications are not met. Blocking rule: DEQ will not process a reciprocity application - including for a higher grade - if the certificate requested is the same type (treatment or collection) as an expired Oregon certificate still inside its one-year reinstatement window; the old certificate must be reinstated first. Where a valid Oregon certificate already exists, the new reciprocal certificate is given that certificate's expiration date. No residency or in-state-employment requirement found. Renewal obligations are identical to any other Oregon certificate. Fee: Reciprocity application fee set by the OAR 340-049-0065 fee table; DEQ states operator certification service fees range $50-$340 depending on the service and grade selected. Note that new fee tables (340-049-0065 Fee Tables B and C) took effect July 1, 2026 - confirm the current figure in Your DEQ Online, which displays the fee on selection..

Oregon runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: Two different agencies, two different rule chapters, and two genuinely different reciprocity tests. Both say yes, but for different reasons and with different disqualifiers: DEQ's limit is what KIND of exam you passed (standardized vs state-specific), while DWS's limit is WHICH STATE you are coming from (EPA primacy). An operator holding both credentials must run two separate applications to two separate agencies.

Pennsylvania has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Same single board, same reciprocity route and same terms as water: valid out-of-state certificate or Board-approved registry (ABC Registry, US Military or USCG discharge papers), experience matched to the highest comparable Pennsylvania class, no advanced-education credit, Criminal History Record within 90 days. Fee: $150 for Class A, B, C or D; $100 for Class Dc or E.

Pennsylvania runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Rhode Island has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Reciprocity is granted as 'equivalency' and is handled on the Board'S standard Application for Certification - the applicant declares it in the EQUIVALENCY section and follows the instructions there; the Board reviews and notifies the applicant of its decision. Unlike the examination route, which is confined to announced application periods tied to exams held roughly two or three times a year (May, August, November), an equivalency application may be filed at any time. Hard condition: you must be working in Rhode Island to be licensed. The Board states it has authority to license only individuals working in Rhode Island, and separately that individuals not employed at an approved RI wastewater treatment facility may not even sit for examination. Process friction: the application is not downloadable - the Board uses a booklet-form application distributed to facilities, photocopies and downloaded forms are not accepted, and a copy must be requested from the Board ([email protected]). Scope exclusions that limit who can use this at all: the Board certifies only operators of facilities treating predominantly sanitary waste with a surface water discharge; privately owned facilities treating predominantly industrial waste are excluded; full-time industrial pretreatment staff and collection-system crews are not operators and cannot be certified; private developments discharging to sub-surface disposal are excluded. Four grades (1-4); Grades 3 and 4 require direct responsible charge, and a Grade 3 applicant meeting everything except DRC receives only a two-year 'notice of passing' rather than a license. Maintenance and laboratory staff are capped at Grade 2. Once held, a license may be renewed even after the holder leaves Rhode Island; but if it lapses, recertification is by examination only. Fee: Application fee required with the booklet application (amount set by the Board; not verified). Renewal is $10 per two-year cycle, with late fees after December 31..

Rhode Island runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: MATERIAL SPLIT ON EMPLOYMENT. Both boards grant reciprocity, but the DEM wastewater Board states flatly that it has authority to license only individuals working in Rhode Island - you cannot obtain the credential in advance of an RI job. RIDOH publishes no equivalent condition on its reciprocity route. Also note the DEM Board has no collection-system credential at all, so an incoming collections operator has nothing to reciprocate into.

South Carolina has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Established directly for wastewater, not carried over from the water answer: Reg. 10-15 lists separate reciprocity fee lines for 'Biological Wastewater Treatment Operator Certification by Reciprocity' and 'P/C Wastewater Treatment Operator Certification by Reciprocity', and the Board's reciprocity FAQ is written for all operator categories it licenses. Identical mechanics to water: $50 with a complete application, verification questionnaire sent by the Board to the originating agency, Board review determining the licensure level, up to two working weeks after the questionnaire returns, licence must be current with no disciplinary action, exam waiver contingent on which exams were previously passed. Important structural point: South Carolina splits wastewater into two distinct licences - Biological Wastewater and Physical/Chemical Wastewater - so an incoming operator must identify which one their out-of-state credential maps to, and a separate application and separate $50 fee is required for each licence sought. There is no wastewater collection-system operator licence in this scheme. Levels are Trainee and A through D. Renewal is $30 per licence per year with continuing education required. Fee: $50 non-refundable reciprocity application fee per licence type - i.e. $50 for Biological Wastewater and a further $50 if Physical/Chemical Wastewater is also sought (S.C. Code Regs. 10-15).

South Carolina runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: The word 'reciprocity' here does not mean an agreement. The Board states it has NO agreement with any state; every application is an individual determination, and the exam waiver is discretionary rather than guaranteed. It is still a true licensure-by-reciprocity route - it has its own statutory fee category in the fee schedule - but an applicant should not assume the exam will be waived.

South Dakota has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Established directly rather than inferred: ARSD chapter 74:21:02 is titled 'Certification of water and wastewater operators' and governs both, DANR runs a single Operator Certification Program covering wastewater treatment, wastewater collection and stabilization ponds alongside the water categories, and there is a single reciprocity application form used for all of them (its experience section prompts for water/wastewater operation experience generically). All mechanics are therefore identical: four weeks before the Board meeting, one certificate per application, $60 per application, copy of the current certificate attached, case-by-case comparison against South Dakota standards, and the same warning that no certificate may be awarded if the home-state requirements are lower. Practical note: because it is one certificate per application, an operator holding both wastewater treatment and wastewater collection credentials files two applications and pays $120. Underlying coverage limit: only wastewater treatment or collection systems serving more than 500 people are required to have a certified operator in direct responsible charge. Renewal is by contact hours on a sliding scale (10-30 hours every three years depending on number and class of certificates); DANR has stated there is no fee for the annual renewal. Fee: $60 per application, one certificate per application, payable to 'DANR'.

South Dakota runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: One reciprocity application form covers every category, and it carries an explicit warning that no certificate at all may be awarded if the applicant's home-state requirements are lower than South Dakota's - the outcome is not merely a grade reduction.

Tennessee has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Established directly for wastewater, not inferred: the enabling statute and the Board are jointly titled for water and wastewater, certification under T.C.A. 68-221-901 et seq. Is expressly available to operators of a water treatment plant, a wastewater treatment plant, a water distribution system OR a wastewater collection system, and TDEC's reciprocity page supplies Supplement B, the Wastewater Treatment Plant Classification Worksheet, alongside the water worksheet. Identical mechanics: exam waived where the originating state'S requirements are comparable to or greater than Tennessee's, possible mutuality condition, CN-0704 application plus the relevant supplement for each certification, 60-day pre-meeting deadline, verification form sent by TDEC to the originating state, Board decision at a scheduled meeting, $100 non-refundable per application. Because the fee and application are per certification, an operator seeking both wastewater treatment and wastewater collection files two applications and pays $200. Grandparenting is not available. Renewal is annual with continuing education on a three-year cycle. Upcoming deadlines published as at access date: postmarked by May 9 2026 for the July 9 2026 Board meeting, and postmarked by July 9 2026 for the September 3 2026 meeting. Fee: $100 non-refundable per reciprocity application (per certification sought), by check or money order payable to 'Treasurer, State of Tennessee'.

Tennessee runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: Reciprocity here is a full statutory exam waiver, but it is Board-approved on a fixed meeting calendar with a 60-day cut-off, so timing dominates. Tennessee also does not recognise grandparented operators.

Texas has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Same TCEQ reciprocity process and same requirements as water: exam-earned out-of-state license, good compliance history, good standing. TCEQ may waive qualifications, training or examination case by case (landscape irrigators are the one licence type excluded from that waiver power). Fee: $111 application fee.

Texas runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Utah has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Exam waiver by rule, but issuance is gated on Utah employment. R317-10-11(G): 'The director may, after appropriate review by the council, waive examination of applicants holding a valid certificate or license issued in compliance with other certification plans having equivalent standards, and issue a comparable Utah certificate upon payment of a reciprocity fee.' Then the gate: (G)(1) If the applicant is working in another state at the time of application, OR has relocated to Utah but has not yet obtained employment in the corresponding wastewater field in Utah, only a letter of intent to issue a certificate may be provided; (G)(2) The certificate may be issued once the applicant provides proof of employment in that wastewater field in Utah and meets all other requirements. DWQ states the same in plain terms on its forms and fees page. Note 'comparable' certificate - the grade is set by DWQ'S comparison, not by the incoming certificate. A notarised Citizenship/Alien ID Certification form with photo ID is required (SB81, in force since July 1 2009) for wastewater operator certification. Same restricted/unrestricted structure as drinking water: a restricted certificate is issued where the applicant passes or is waived but lacks the required experience or education, and an individual required to be certified may operate on a restricted certificate of the required grade for up to 1 year at Class I and II facilities or up to 2 years at higher classes. Certificates run up to three years, expire December 31 of the final year, and renew with CEUs; reinstatement is possible within one year of expiry only. Scope: required for operators of municipal wastewater treatment and/or collection systems; others may be certified but receive restricted certificates. Do not confuse this with the separate Onsite Wastewater Systems Professional certification under R317-11, which is a different credential with a different fee ($25) and no reciprocity route documented here. Fee: Reciprocity fee required under R317-10-11(G); the amount on the DWQ fee schedule was not verified (the DWQ page could not be retrieved - robots-disallowed - and the figure is not stated in the rule). For scale, DWQ's wastewater exam application fee is $50 per classification/grade. Confirm with DWQ before quoting a number..

Utah runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: MATERIAL SPLIT ON EMPLOYMENT. Both divisions waive the exam for equivalent out-of-state credentials, but only the WASTEWATER rule conditions issuance on being employed in Utah: an applicant still working out of state, or relocated but not yet hired into a Utah wastewater job, gets only a 'letter of intent to issue a certificate' rather than a certificate. R309-300 contains no such condition for drinking water. Both sides also require a notarised proof-of-citizenship / lawful-presence form, which is easy to miss.

Vermont has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Licensure by endorsement. The applicant must be licensed or certified and in good standing in another jurisdiction whose standards and qualifications for regulation are substantially equivalent to Vermont's. Requirements: online application through OPR'S Online Services System plus the non-refundable application fee; verification of licensure and the licensure requirements from the original state of licensure and from the most recent state of licensure if different (online verifications may be uploaded by the applicant; otherwise the issuing board must send them directly to OPR). No Vermont examination, no experience-verification form and no in-state employment requirement are listed on the endorsement path - by contrast, the first-time-applicant path expressly requires a Verification of Experience form showing where the applicant will work, a provisional license, and passage of the exam within one year of approval. No grades are excluded from endorsement in the instructions. Fee: $115 application fee; $275 renewal (biennial, expires July 31 of odd years).

Vermont runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: MATERIAL SPLIT. The two disciplines sit in entirely different branches of state government - DEC (environmental agency) for drinking water, the Secretary of State's professional-licensing office for wastewater. DEC's own wastewater page states it no longer issues or administers these licenses. Older third-party summaries still describing DEC's Watershed Management Division as the wastewater certifier are out of date.

Virginia has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Same two-route structure as waterworks, with one materially stricter threshold. 18VAC160-30-80 requires a board-approved exam of any out-of-state licensee. The ULR route waives the Virginia exam but requires the applicant to have held the out-of-state license for at least THREE years - not one - except for current licensees of DC, Maryland, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee or West Virginia, who skip that requirement. The original or current state must have required both an examination and education/training/experience. Submit ULR application, Certification of Licensure/Letter of Good Standing dated within 60 days from each jurisdiction, and an Experience Verification Form. Covers Classes 1 through 4. Applicants from a non-licensing state need three years' practice and must sit the Virginia exam if never examined ('ULR by exam' line items). Applicants adding advanced qualifications or with pending complaints/disciplinary history are excluded. No residency or in-state employment requirement stated. Fee: $100.00 non-refundable ULR application fee, same for every class.

Virginia judges an incoming licence against its own standard rather than a named list. The Universal License Recognition route waives the Virginia exam but normally requires three years holding the out-of-state licence — except for current licensees of the District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee or West Virginia, who are exempt from that wait.

Note: Two routes with opposite answers, and they must not be conflated. Under the board's own regulation (18VAC160-30-80) an out-of-state licensee gets NO exam relief. Relief comes only from the separate statutory Universal License Recognition program. Also a real difference between the disciplines: the waterworks ULR form requires only ONE year of holding the out-of-state license, the wastewater ULR form requires THREE.

Washington has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Ecology may issue a certificate without an exam to an applicant holding an equivalent certificate from a certifying authority that has reciprocity with Washington. 'Reciprocity' is defined in rule as the mutual exchange of a valid out-of-state certificate achieved by passing a department-approved exam for an equivalent level of certification without further examination. Ecology will consider the application if: (a) the applicant meets the education and experience requirements of WAC 173-230-250 (full Groups I-IV) and/or 173-230-260 (OIT); (b) the applicant received a Washington-approved passing score on an ABC standardized exam within the current or previous exam cycle (an exam cycle is five years from release of a new exam - this is a real time limit, an older exam will not qualify); and (c) Ecology verifies with the issuing authority that the certificate is valid and in good standing. Submit the standard application per WAC 173-230-230 including fees, plus a copy of the current certificate and validation card if applicable. LIMITS: an operator holding a certificate issued before or during a revocation period is not eligible for reciprocity (WAC 173-230-370(3)(c)); and advancement by reciprocity does not satisfy the professional-growth requirement (WAC 173-230-300(2)(c)), so a reciprocity holder must still earn 3 CEUs per three-year cycle to renew. No residency or in-state employment requirement in the rule. Fee: Standard application fee only - no separate reciprocity fee. Fees are reset each biennium by workload analysis under WAC 173-230-240; the schedule codified in Table 1 was $50 for Group I and Group I oit and $59-$67 for Groups II-IV and their OITs. Current biennium schedule published by Ecology on or before June 30 of each odd year..

Washington runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: Two different agencies under two different statutes (ch. 70.119 RCW for drinking water, ch. 70.95B RCW for wastewater) and two different rule chapters, but both grant reciprocity on substantially similar terms. The mechanics differ in one respect worth noting: Health charges a materially higher reciprocity fee than its own by-examination fee ($177 vs $87), while Ecology charges only its ordinary application fee.

West Virginia has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Identical statutory treatment to drinking water - the same section names wastewater operators throughout, so the answer is established directly and not inferred from the water side. The Commissioner SHALL grant certification to a wastewater operator certified by another jurisdiction meeting the same four conditions: WV employment nexus (actively seeking, offered, or accepted employment requiring a certified operator in WV); completed application; satisfaction of the education and work-experience requirements prescribed in 64CSR5; and demonstration of a substantially equivalent examination. If the Commissioner finds the other jurisdiction's exam not equivalent, the applicant must pass the West Virginia examination for the level sought. WV wastewater classifications include Class S, Classes I-IV, and an Advanced Operator designation; the statute excludes none of them. The subsection (c) limited-waiver mechanism for operating one grade higher applies to wastewater operators as well. NOTE: the specific reciprocity provisions and fee schedule inside 64CSR5 could not be read - the WV Secretary of State'S rule server returned the final-file PDF as undecodable binary - so the mechanics above rest on the governing statute and the agency's program pages rather than the rule text.

West Virginia runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: West Virginia is unusual in having a single statute expressly covering both disciplines by name: W. Va. Code 16-1-9g, 'Reciprocity in licensing for public water systems operators and wastewater operators,' added by 2023 HB 2848. The statute is mandatory ('the commissioner SHALL grant certification'), not discretionary.

Wisconsin has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Certificates may be issued through reciprocity, without examination, to a comparable level and subclass to any person holding a current wastewater treatment plant operator certificate in any state, territory or possession of the United States, or any country, if in the judgment of the department the applicant meets the equivalent requirements of subchapter IV in examinations, education and experience. Note the wastewater test is slightly broader than the waterworks test at NR 114.07(2), which references only examinations and operational experience. Required submission: Wastewater Operator Reciprocity Application (form 3400-219); SSN Request Form (9400-568); cover letter or resume; copy of current certificate; and Wastewater Operator Certification Experience Form (3400-066A) per facility. Advanced certification is a separate add-on, not automatic: to obtain advanced-level wastewater certification the applicant must additionally file the Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certification Application (3400-211) with a four-year hands-on experience minimum, and the total fee rises to $200. Reciprocity does not satisfy professional growth for renewal purposes in the same way as advancement by exam. Processing 1-3 months. No residency or in-state employment requirement. Fee: $100 reciprocity application fee; $200 total if an Advanced Wastewater application is submitted with it.

Wisconsin runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: One agency, one chapter, but two separate reciprocity provisions and two separate applications - a $100 fee is charged for EACH discipline, so an operator seeking both pays $200.

Wyoming has a reciprocity provision for out-of-state wastewater operators, but whether it reaches your credential depends on the terms. See what is actually required below.

What's actually required: Established independently, not inferred: sec. 5-14 names water and wastewater operators in the same sentence, and DEQ publishes a dedicated 'Application for Reciprocal Certification in Wastewater, Collection, or Lagoons' (rev. April 2018) covering Levels 1-4 Wastewater Treatment Plant, Levels 1-2 Collection, and Level 1 Lagoon System. Same criteria as the water side: letter of good standing from the issuing agency; compliance with Section 6, which includes the residency-or-Wyoming-employment gate stated verbatim on the form ('DEQ requires an operator to live in or work in the State of Wyoming before DEQ will consider a reciprocal certification'), proof of high-school equivalency (diploma, GED, college transcript or DD-214), all Chapter 5 training requirements with training certificates attached, and the level-specific experience/CE minimums. The application requires a copy of the current out-of-state certificate and a detailed employment page for each job to be considered, including facility description, treatment processes, and average weekly hours per operational duty; DEQ may credit pertinent non-water experience such as military, engineering or construction work. Operators employed at a Wyoming facility must have the employer designate them as an operator so the employment appears in their online Operator Certification account. Same three-year-maximum expiration rule. Same exam caveat as the water discipline.

Wyoming runs a standards-based program rather than a named list of states - your credential is judged against its own requirements. See the terms below.

Note: Wyoming imposes a hard eligibility gate the other five states in this batch do not: the applicant must reside in OR be employed as an operator in Wyoming. This applies to all certification including reciprocity, via NR-equivalent sec. 5-6(d).