- Plan for a trade exam.
- Certifications last five years. A yearly in person class is offered but not required.
Do you need a state license in West Virginia?
West Virginia licenses septic system work at the state level through the West Virginia Office of Environmental Health Services, Public Health Sanitation Division. Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
Steps to get licensed in West Virginia
- Take the Class I or II installer training at Cedar Lakes.
- Get certified by the Public Health Sanitation Division.
- Renew every five years.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
The license to apply for. Individual Sewage System Installer certification, Class I or Class II.
West Virginia septic installer exams
Trade exam. Class I and II installer training is offered at the West Virginia Environmental Training Center at Cedar Lakes.
Business and law exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
What it costs in West Virginia
We could not confirm the current fee schedule on an official page. Check with the board before you budget: West Virginia Office of Environmental Health Services, Public Health Sanitation Division.
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. Certifications last five years. A yearly in person class is offered but not required.
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 West Virginia Office of Environmental Health Services, Public Health Sanitation Division and the official pages below, checked October 9, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.