Requirements to Renew a Louisiana Water or Wastewater Operator Certification

Like most states, the Louisiana Committee of Certification requires its operators to renew their certification on a regular basis. Water and/or wastewater operator renewal in the Pelican State is also pretty similar to other states in another way: it’s hard to find information about what, exactly, is required. In fact, the only thing the state’s FAQs page for operators will tell you is that the fee for renewing is the same as the initial certification fee.

Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. Here are answers to the most frequently asked questions about the Louisiana water operator certification renewal process, including the contact hours you need.

When is my LA water operator certification renewal due?

That depends on the first letter of your last name. If your last name starts with an A-J, your renewal hours (more on that next) are due by the end of every odd-numbered year so you can renew in every even-numbered year.

If you have a K-Z last name, it’s flipped. You need to complete your training hours by the end of every even-numbered year so you can renew in every odd-numbered year. 

If you miss the renewal deadline, it still pays to take the hours you need and submit the renewal documentation. If you let your certificate sit expired for two years or more, you’ll have to completely restart the application process. And that means taking the exam(s) again. 

What training hours are required for renewal?

You probably already know that you need some contact hours in order to be eligible to renew your Louisiana water operator license. But let’s look at the specifics:

• Every certified operator in the state needs at least 16 contact hours.
• If you have multiple certifications, you essentially need eight hours per cert. So if you have two certifications, you’re still at the 16-hour baseline mark, with eight hours going toward each certification. But if you have three certifications, for example, you’ll need 24 training hours (eight per certification). 

For your hours to count, you need to get the training credit through a course that’s been approved by the Administrator of the Operator Certification Program. The good news is that the state has approved some education providers to offer those training hours online (like those we offer at this link). That way, you can take them whenever you have time from any location that you want.  

How much does renewal cost?

That depends on how many certifications you have, and their type.

Your first certification renewal in either water or wastewater is $20. Each additional certification renewal in that same field is an added $10. So a water treatment and water production certification renewal would cost $30 ($20 + $10). 

But if you have certifications in both water and wastewater, the first of each costs $20. If you have a water distribution certification and a wastewater treatment certification, your renewal would cost $40 ($20 + $20). 

Now that you have answers to the most common questions about renewing a Louisiana water and/or wastewater certification, you’re ready to submit your renewal online.