- Plan for a trade exam.
Do you need a state license in Arkansas?
Arkansas licenses septic system work at the state level through the Arkansas Department of Health, Onsite Wastewater Program. Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
Arkansas license types for septic system work
Arkansas splits the work into 3 licenses. Pick the one that matches the jobs you take, since working outside its scope is the same as working without one.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Septic Tank Installer | Installing onsite wastewater systems |
| Designated Representative | Soil tests and septic system design, for engineers, surveyors, sanitarians, master plumbers and similar |
| Onsite Maintenance Provider | Maintaining onsite systems |
Steps to get licensed in Arkansas
- Get the installer study packet and prepare for the four part exam.
- Sign up for an exam date on the department's training and examination page.
- Pass every section with at least 75 percent.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
The license to apply for. Septic Tank Installer License (listed as Advanced Septic Installer).
Arkansas septic installer exams
Trade exam. A four part exam: 50 multiple choice questions, a math section, a control panel wiring section and a field section. You need 75 percent on every part. It is given nine times a year, January through September, at the Arkansas Rural Water facility in Lonoke.
Business and law exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
What it costs in Arkansas
We could not confirm the current fee schedule on an official page. Check with the board before you budget: Arkansas Department of Health, Onsite Wastewater Program.
Insurance and bond
Insurance. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Bond. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Reciprocity. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
After you are licensed
The license lets you take the work. Getting the work is the next job.
- Register the business. If you work under a name other than your own, register it where your state asks (often the Secretary of State, sometimes the county), and keep the name the same on your license, your truck and your invoices.
- Claim your Google Business Profile. It is the listing people see when they search for septic installation near them. Fill in your service area, hours and real photos of your work.
- Put up a website that shows the license. Customers look for it before they call. Koira builds a contractor website for you and keeps it current.
- See where you stand. The free Koira report checks how your business shows up in search and on maps against shops near you.
Where this comes from
Every fact on this page comes from the Arkansas Department of Health, Onsite Wastewater Program and the official pages below, checked October 9, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.