- Pre-license training: the DEQ Initial Installer Certification course at Chemeketa Community College.
- A $15,000 Sewage Disposal Service bond for an installer license, in the exact business name you registered.
Do you need a state license in Oregon?
Oregon licenses septic system work at the state level through the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Onsite Program. Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
Steps to get licensed in Oregon
- Register your business name with the Secretary of State if needed.
- Take the DEQ Initial Installer Certification course at Chemeketa Community College.
- Get the $15,000 Sewage Disposal Service bond.
- Apply and pay in Your DEQ Online, then mail the original signed and sealed bond to DEQ in Eugene.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. Pre-license training: the DEQ Initial Installer Certification course at Chemeketa Community College.
The license to apply for. Sewage Disposal Service (SDS) license, Installer.
Oregon septic installer exams
Trade exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Business and law exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
What it costs in Oregon
We could not confirm the current fee schedule on an official page. Check with the board before you budget: Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Onsite Program.
Insurance and bond
Insurance. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Bond. A $15,000 Sewage Disposal Service bond for an installer license, in the exact business name you registered.
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 Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Onsite Program and the official pages below, checked October 9, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.