Texas, TCEQ, Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator, Class D
Texas Class D wastewater operator license requirements
Last reviewed 2026-08-01. Facts link to their official source.
To get the Texas Class D wastewater license you need a high school diploma or GED, no work experience, and one approved course: Basic Wastewater Operation (20 hours). Apply to the TCEQ with the $111 fee, wait for the approval letter, then book your exam at a registered testing center.
Every requirement, with its source
- Education
- High school diploma or GED.
- Source: TCEQ Wastewater Operator Licensing ('Wastewater Class D Licensing Requirements, Education and Work Experience'.)
- Work experience
- No work experience is required.
- Source: TCEQ Wastewater Operator Licensing ('Wastewater Class D Licensing Requirements, Education and Work Experience'.)
- Required courses
- One approved course: Basic Wastewater Operation.
- Source: TCEQ Wastewater Operator Licensing ('Wastewater Class D Licensing Requirements, Training Courses'.)
- Course hours and acceptable equivalents
- Course hours in the TCEQ training database: Basic Wastewater Operations (course code 59) is 20 hours. Acceptable equivalents are listed by code (self-paced 1468; correspondence 322; Operation of Wastewater Treatment Plants Vol 1 362; Small Wastewater System O&M Vol 1 760); hours shown apply to the cited code.
- Source: TCEQ Training Providers ('TCEQ Approved Training Courses' database rows ('WW - 20 (CORE) BASIC WASTEWATER OPERATIONS 59') and the 'Training Requirements for a D Wastewater License' table.)
- provisional_class_d
- No diploma or GED yet? A Provisional Wastewater Class D exists: a $74 application, valid for two years, and it must be upgraded to the full Class D by the end of that period.
- Source: TCEQ Wastewater Operator Licensing ('Provisional Wastewater Class D Licensing Requirements'.)
- Application fee
- Application fee: $111 (Provisional Class D: $74).
- Source: TCEQ Wastewater Operator Licensing (Wastewater Class D 'Application and Examination'.)
- Application order
- Pre-approval is required before scheduling: submit the application and fee through OLEA, receive the approval letter, then book a registered CBT center.
- Source: TCEQ Computer-Based Testing ('Pre-approval of your licensing application is required'.)
- License term
- Occupational licenses are valid for three years (see renewability limits for Class D).
- Source: TCEQ Wastewater Operator Licensing ('Renewal Requirements'.)
- Renewal and its limits
- Class D wastewater licenses are not renewable for operators at any activated-sludge facility of any size, trickling filter or RBC facilities permitted at 100,000 gallons per day or more, or facilities using subsurface drip dispersal. Where renewal applies: 30 hours of continuing education.
- Source: TCEQ Wastewater Operator Licensing ('Wastewater Operator Renewal Exceptions' + 'Continuing Education Requirements'.)
The mistake that surprises wastewater candidates later
Treating Class D as permanent. It is not renewable for operators at activated-sludge facilities of any size, larger trickling filter or RBC facilities, or drip-dispersal facilities. If your plant fits one of those, Class D gets you started, and the move to Class C needs to be on your calendar.
Before you apply: the order that avoids delays
- Confirm you have a high school diploma or GED. If not, the Provisional Class D path ($74) exists and is valid for two years.
- Finish the required course: Basic Wastewater Operation (20 hours). Keep the completion record.
- Apply to the TCEQ through the online application (OLEA) and pay the $111 fee.
- Wait for the approval letter. You cannot book the exam before your application is approved.
- Only then contact a registered testing center to book. Ask the center about its own fees and hours.
Every step above is from the cited TCEQ requirements.