Georgia Board of Examiners for Certification of Water & Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators and Laboratory Analysts FAQ

You do not need to submit proof of completion directly to the Board unless you are selected for a CE audit. However, you should submit proof of completion to CE Broker, the official CE tracking system of the Board. The Board has provided you with a free Basic Account, so you’ll have their helpful CE tracking tools right at your fingertips. You will never have to pay for the free,  Basic Account. However, licensees do have the option to subscribe to an upgraded account, which offers additional CE tracking tools. Within the free Basic Account, you will have access to your Course History and CE Compliance Status. This lists all the courses which have been reported thus far and indicates whether you have satisfied your renewal requirements. From here, you may easily find and report any CE that might be missing. 

CE Broker's support center is based in Jacksonville, FL and staffed with experts who have been thoroughly trained on the rules & regulations for the Board. Open 8AM- 8PM ET, Monday through Friday, you can reach them by phone at 877-434-6323, or via email and live chat. For additional information and helpful guides, please visit: https://help.cebroker.com/. Once you have created your CE Broker account and logged into the system, click "Report CE" and locate the option that is most applicable to what you are recording. You will need to answer a few questions and then attach the documentation that the Board requires. If you are using the mobile application on your phone to submit your documentation into the system, you may take a picture of your documentation and upload it via your phone. You will not receive credit for the courses you list or record if you do not load the supporting documents which represent your participation and completion of the course. 

To avoid any delays or potential disciplinary action based on noncompliance with the CE requirements, do not wait until the last minute to register for your account and/or become familiar with the continuing education requirements outlined in Board Rule 750-6-.02. If you have any questions about your CE  Broker account call the CE Broker Support Center M-F 8am - 8pm Eastern Time at 1-877-434-6323. You may also visit https://www.cebroker.com to engage in an online chat with a representative and learn more about the registration process.

An individual who passes the Board-required certification exam is exempt from CE requirements for only that certificate for the first renewal period after initial issuance of the certificate. You will need to obtain continuing education points for renewal of any other certificates you hold.

You cannot get credit for the same class during the same renewal cycle. However, you can attend the same class for credit in a different renewal cycle.

• Class I Operator Water 24 - At least 50% of the points must be in coursework approved for Water or for both. 
   Class I Operator Wastewater 24 - At least 50% of the points must be in coursework approved for Wastewater or for both. 
• Class II Operator Water 18 - At least 50% of the points must be in coursework approved for Water or for both. 
• Class II Operator Wastewater 18 - At least 50% of the points must be in coursework approved for Wastewater, or for both. 
• Industrial Wastewater Operator 18 - At least 50% of the points must be in coursework approved for Wastewater, or for both. 
• Laboratory Analyst Water 18 - At least 50% of the points must be in coursework approved for Water or for both. 
• Laboratory Analyst Wastewater 18 - At least 50% of the points must be in coursework approved for Wastewater or for both. 
• Class III Operator Water 12 - At least 50% of the points must be in coursework approved for Water or for both.
• Class III Operator Groundwater 12 - At least 50% of the points must be in coursework approved for Water or for both.
• Class III Operator Wastewater 12 - At least 50% of the points must be in coursework approved for Wastewater or for both. 
• Water Distribution System Operator 12 - At least 50% of the points must be in coursework approved for Water or for both. 
• Wastewater Collection System Operator 12 - At least 50% of the points must be in coursework approved for Wastewater, or for both. 
• Class IV Operator Water 6 - All of the points must be in coursework approved for Water or for both. 
• Class IV Operator Wastewater 6 - All of the points must be in coursework approved for Wastewater or for both. 

FOR RENEWAL: 

You must have earned the highest number of continuing education points required for the highest class of license held. Training course work required to be eligible for an examination, which has also been approved by the Board for a specified number of recertification points, may be used for renewal of currently held certificates. If any current certifications require a higher number of continuing education points for renewal than the course work was approved for, then additional continuing education points must be collected to fulfill the full amount of continuing education points required for renewal of currently held certifications. An operator who holds dual certificates (i.e., a water certificate and a wastewater certificate) is required to obtain continuing education points in each discipline. Such operator must obtain a minimum of 25% of the required continuing education points in each discipline to satisfy renewal requirements.

If an account already exists for the Education Provider log into your GOALS account at https://goals.sos.ga.gov/. If you’re unsure whether or not an account exists, please contact our office at 404-424-9966. 

To verify your courses or programs:

After logging into the account through the portal, you will land on the Home page.

1. Click the Licenses tab to view all the licenses.

2. Click View to view license details including program/course information and business information.

3. Click the accordion to expand the Program Information section.

4. Review the available programs/courses.

 To apply for new courses/amend a CE Provider approval:

After logging into the portal, you will land on the Home page.

1. Click the Licenses tab to access your licenses.
2. Click the three dots and select Amend License from the list.
3. Select the Add Course checkbox and click CONTINUE.
4. Follow the prompts to complete the application.

Download the Wall Certificate Form, and submit the completed form along with a $25.00 application fee to the Board Office. Do not submit the fee for the wall certificate until you have been issued a certificate by the Board.

If you are a licensee, you can change your address from the Board website main menu by clicking on the link to Submit a Change of Address.

If you are an examination applicant and have not yet received your examination results, you will need to contact PSI at (800) 345-6559 and provide them with your address change.

Click the Navigate to GOALS to register and login to the license portal >> link on the Board main menu. You may search the License Verification database by last name or certification number. Licensees are encouraged to check the information on their own certificates to ensure it is correct.

You can renew your certificate online. Click the License Renewals button to begin the process. The on-line renewal process takes minutes to complete. You will be notified as soon as the renewal is completed that your license is renewed, along with instructions for printing your license. To receive a paper renewal form, you may call (404) 424-9966 and request one.

To keep your certificate current and active, you must apply for renewal prior June 30 of odd numbered years. Active licensees are emailed notifications of open renewal at the email address on record at the Board office approximately 8 to 10 weeks prior to the expiration of their license with instructions of how to renew your certificate online. The renewal fee for a two-year period is $65.00. You may renew online during the open renewal period from our website. NOTE: Notify the Board if you change email addresses! Current licensees who do not have an email address on file will receive a postcard notification about renewal.

If your certificate expired less than 2 years ago, you must obtain the CE which would have been required if the certificate had been maintained in a current status.

View the Reinstatement section on the How-To Guide relevant to your license for more complete reinstatement application information. 

If your certificate expired more than 2 years ago, you must complete an Application for Reinstatement of Certification and submit it along with the $165.00 fee, as well as retake and pass the examination OR submit a verified certificate in good standing issued by another country, or by any state, territory, or possession of the United States which has requirements for certification substantially similar to the Board.

Many state Boards and businesses will accept a printout of the on-line License Verification showing the Secretary of State logo. However, if you need a Board certified license verification, you may request one online at Verification Request. The cost for a Certified License Verification is $35.00. The process time for this service is a minimum of 15 days.

Yes. Regardless of when it was issued or if no additional CE points are needed to be eligible for renewal, all certificates must be renewed bi-annually, and renewal fees are required. Review your certificate for the expiration date, or check your license status on the SOS website to determine the expiration date. You must renew your certificate by the stated expiration date, or your certificate will lapse.

Do not take the examination unless you have met the eligibility requirements. This means you must have completed the qualifying experience, education, training, and applicable certification requirements for the class and category of examination you are taking prior to the day of the examination. 

• To be eligible to take the Class I Water examination, you must hold a Class II Water certificate; 
• To take the Class II Water examination you must hold a Class III Water or Class III Groundwater certificate; 
• To take the Class I Wastewater examination, you must a hold Class II Wastewater certificate; 
• To take the Class II Wastewater examination, you must hold a Class III Wastewater certificate. 

Each class of certificate must have been given to you by the Board before you take the examination for the next class of certificate. At the examination, you will be required to sign a statement affirming that you have met the eligibility requirements for the class and category of the examination you are taking. 

When you apply for certification after the exam, you will be required to submit your application, an application fee of $25.00 (non-refundable), and documentation showing that you have met all the prerequisite requirements for the examination prior to the day you took the examination. Failure to have met these requirements by the examination day will result in your having to retake the exam.

Applicants must have completed Board-approved course(s) prior to taking the examination and must provide proof of such when submitting their application for certification to the Board. The course requirements by certification type can be found in Board Rule 750-3-.04 HERE. A list of course providers and courses approved by the Board for Basic and Advanced Pre-Certification Training can be found on the Board’s website HERE.

View the Endorsement/Reciprocity section on the How-To Guide relevant to your license for more complete reinstatement application information. 

The Board may, upon application, issue a certificate without examination to any person who holds a certificate in good standing issued by another country or by state, territory, or possession of the United States when the following criteria are fulfilled: 

• The country, state territory, or possession of the United states has, in the opinion of the Board, requirements substantially similar to those of the Board. 
• The applicant must submit a complete application for Certification by Endorsement.
• An endorsement affidavit form must be completed by the certifying state specifying that the applicant has a current certification and is in good standing. 
• The applicant must submit an application fee of $100.00 (non-refundable). 
• The applicant must have earned a minimum of a high school diploma or GED certificate. 
• Please Note: The certifying state affidavit should be mailed back to the applicant so the applicant can submit a complete application to the Board office along with all required documentation and application fee. If the Board office does not receive a complete application, the application cannot be processed.

• Class I Operator Wastewater - 24 - At least 50% of the points must be in coursework approved for Wastewater or for both. 
• Class II Operator Water - 18 - At least 50% of the points must be in coursework approved for Water or for both. 
• Class II Operator Wastewater - 18 - At least 50% of the points must be in coursework approved for Wastewater, or for both. 
• Industrial Wastewater Operator - 18 - At least 50% of the points must be in coursework approved for Wastewater, or for both. 
• Laboratory Analyst Water - 18 - At least 50% of the points must be in coursework approved for Water or for both. 
• Laboratory Analyst Wastewater - 18 - At least 50% of the points must be in coursework approved for Wastewater or for both. 
• Class III Operator Water - 12 -At least 50% of the points must be in coursework approved for Water or for both. 
• Class III Operator Groundwater - 12 -At least 50% of the points must be in coursework approved for Water or for both. 
• Class III Operator Wastewater - 12 - At least 50% of the points must be in coursework approved for Wastewater or for both. 
• Water Distribution System Operator - 12 -At least 50% of the points must be in coursework approved for Water or for both. 
• Wastewater Collection System Operator - 12 -At least 50% of the points must be in coursework approved for Wastewater, or for both. 
• Class IV Operator Water - 6 - All of the points must be in coursework approved for Water or for both. 
• Class IV Operator Wastewater - 6 - All of the points must be in coursework approved for Wastewater or for both.

The following Need-To-Know guides have been developed by ABC/WPI to assist operators in understanding the content that will be covered on the exam:

• Georgia Water Operator Class I
• Georgia Water Operator Class II
• Georgia Water Operator Class III
• Georgia Water Operator Class IV
• Georgia Water Laboratory Analyst
• Georgia Groundwater Operator Class III
• Georgia Water Distribution System Operator
• Georgia Wastewater Operator Class I
• Georgia Wastewater Operator Class II
• Georgia Wastewater Operator Class III
• Georgia Wastewater Operator Class IV
• Georgia Wastewater Collection System Operator
• Georgia Wastewater Industrial Operator
• Georgia Wastewater Laboratory Analyst

These licenses are issued through the Environmental Protection Division. Click HERE to link to the EPD's website for verification of Water Well Contractors, Certified Pump Contractors, and Bonded Drill Contractors.

Visit PSI's testing website for Water related certification exams HERE, and for Wastewater related certification exams HERE to register for an exam and see a list of testing centers based on the certification exam that you are needing to take.  

View a list of Board approved course providers for CE points and/or basic/advance training hours.