The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is now offering the Septic Installer Exams online.
Please note that the exam is NOT a permit or a license to install septic systems. Once you pass the exam, you will need to contact our main office at (208) 523-5382 in order to obtain a license to install septic systems.
You will need to register for a free account before you are able to take the exam. Be sure to have the Idaho Septic Installer Online Exam Instructions available to assist you in registering for the account.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, you cannot install septic systems in Idaho until you have your license. Upon completing the
exam, present your certificate to your local public health district and they will guide you
through the next steps.
The questions in the exam are derived from Idaho’s Technical Guidance Manual – Individual and
Subsurface Sewage Disposal Systems (TGM) and the “Individual/Subsurface Sewage Disposal
Rules and Rules for Cleaning of Septic Tanks” (IDAPA 58.01.03). The exam is an open-book test,
and these documents are available on DEQ’s Septic and Septage web page.
No, you only need to take the exam once, as long as you maintain your annual license with your
local public health district. If you have taken only the basic exam but want to be licensed as a
complex installer, take the complex exam and send the certificate to your local public health
district.
No, the person seeking the septic license should be the one taking the exam.
No. Only the person responsible for septic installations must be licensed (e.g., the owner).
There is no limit on how often you can retake the exam.
No, there is no time limit to take the exam.
No, property owners wishing to install their own standard septic system do not need an
installer’s license. However, anyone hired to help with the installation must be licensed.
The online exam is preferred, but you may contact your local public health district to schedule
the exam at their office.
Idaho’s seven public health districts are found at Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
Public Health Districts.
For Eastern Idaho Public Health, visit our office locations page to find an office near you.
For Technical Support call (888) 705-6002 (8 a.m.–8 p.m. EST) or email
support@blueskyelearn.com. For all other questions, contact NOWRA at info@nowra.org or
(978) 496-1800.