- Property owners doing their own installation on their own property, for their own use, can apply for a temporary Class E license.
- The application needs two professional references signed this calendar year.
- Plan for a trade exam.
- Every year, before December 31, with proof of at least 10 hours of approved training.
Do you need a state license in Delaware?
Delaware licenses septic system work at the state level through the Delaware DNREC, Division of Water. Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
Property owners doing their own installation on their own property, for their own use, can apply for a temporary Class E license.
Delaware license types for septic system work
Delaware splits the work into 4 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 |
|---|---|
| Class E | Building and installing septic systems |
| Class F | Pumping and hauling the contents of septic tanks, cesspools, grease traps and holding tanks |
| Class H | Inspecting the condition of existing systems |
| Class B and C | Designing systems (B for conventional gravity systems, C for all types) |
Steps to get licensed in Delaware
- Apply online through Digital DNREC with two professional references.
- Get approved by the On-Site Systems Advisory Board. Apply at least 10 business days before its monthly meeting.
- Pass the Class E exam with 70 percent.
- Renew by December 31 each year with 10 hours of training.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. The application needs two professional references signed this calendar year.
The license to apply for. Class E groundwater discharge license (system installation).
Delaware septic installer exams
Trade exam. A separate multiple choice and true or false exam for each license type, given in February, May, August and November. You need 70 percent. If you fail, you take an approved prep course before you reapply.
Business and law exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
What it costs in Delaware
We could not confirm the current fee schedule on an official page. Check with the board before you budget: Delaware DNREC, Division of Water.
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, before December 31, with proof of at least 10 hours of approved training.
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 Delaware DNREC, Division of Water and the official pages below, checked October 9, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.