- Four installations with leaching systems, done with a licensed installer and verified by the local health department, within 5 years of the exam. Installers licensed elsewhere for at least 4 years can verify that license instead.
- Plan for a trade exam.
- Every year. The first renewal is in your first birth month after the license is issued.
Do you need a state license in Connecticut?
Connecticut licenses septic system work at the state level through the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Environmental Engineering Program. Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
Connecticut license types for septic system work
Connecticut splits the work into 2 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 |
|---|---|
| Installer | Building and installing subsurface sewage disposal systems |
| Cleaner | Cleaning and servicing septic systems |
Steps to get licensed in Connecticut
- Work on at least four septic installations with a licensed installer, verified by the local health department.
- Mail the notarized installer application with a photo and the $50 fee.
- Pass the installer exam at a PSI test center ($65).
- Renew every year in your birth month.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. Four installations with leaching systems, done with a licensed installer and verified by the local health department, within 5 years of the exam. Installers licensed elsewhere for at least 4 years can verify that license instead.
The license to apply for. Subsurface Sewage Disposal System Installer license.
Connecticut septic installer exams
Trade exam. The Department of Public Health installer exam, taken at a PSI test center for a separate $65 fee.
Business and law exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
What it costs in Connecticut
The board lists 2 fees along the way. These are the state's own numbers. Insurance, any bond, exam prep and your business registration come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Installer license application | $50 |
| Exam at PSI | $65 |
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. Every year. The first renewal is in your first birth month after the license is issued.
Reciprocity. Installers licensed in another state for at least 4 years, under equal or higher standards, can use that license in place of the four experience forms. They still take the exam.
Good to know in Connecticut
- An apprentice can work under a licensee with an apprentice's permit.
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 Connecticut Department of Public Health, Environmental Engineering Program and the official pages below, checked October 9, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.