1. (1) Persons subject to registration. A person is subject to the requirements of this Chapter and must be registered as a septic tank contractor, Master Septic Tank Contractor, or licensed as defined in Section 489.105(3)(m), F.S., if he or she contracts or advertises to provide services to the public or holds himself or herself out as being capable of performing services related to any of the following activities in the onsite sewage treatment and disposal industry regulated by the Department:

   1. (a) Installation of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems;
   2. (b) Repair of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems;
   3. (c) Modification of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems;
   4. (d) Maintenance of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems, except when performed by a permitted maintenance service entity for aerobic treatment units or performance-based treatment systems qualified by a wastewater treatment plant operator and permitted in accordance with subsection 62-6.012(4) or paragraph 62-6.027(6)(e), F.A.C.;
   5. (e) Septic tank pumping and septage disposal services, excluding companies which only provide portable toilet or temporary holding tank services;
   6. (f) Abandonment of an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system.
2. (2) Examination. Applications for the septic tank contractor examination must be made on Form DEP 4074, effective date June 2026, Application for Registered or Master Septic Tank Contractor Examination, herein adopted and incorporated by reference at HYPERLINK "http://flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-19502"http://flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-19502. Copies of this form are available as provided in subsection (5) below from the Department. In order for the application to be considered complete, the applicant for a Septic Tank Contractor registration examination or reexamination must provide all information on the application in the appropriate spaces, sign the application, include the correct payment of the applicable fees as stated in subsection 62-6.030(2), F.A.C., in the correct amount, and include all supporting documentation required with the Form DEP 4074. The applicant has ninety days after the Department issues a request for additional information to submit the requested information to the Department. If the applicant does not respond within ninety days, the application will be denied.

3. (3) Registration. Persons seeking registration as a septic tank contractor, who successfully passed the examination as provided in subsection 62-6.019(4), F.A.C., can apply for registration as a Registered Septic Tank Contractor. The application for registration as a Registered Septic Tank Contractor must be made on Form DEP 4075, effective date June 2026, Application for Septic Tank Contractor Registration, adopted and incorporated by reference at HYPERLINK "http://flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-19503"
   http://flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-19503. In order for the application to be considered complete, the applicant must provide all information on the application in the appropriate spaces, the application must be signed by the applicant, and include the correct payment of the applicable fees as stated in subsection 62-6.030(2), F.A.C. The application must include all supporting documentation required with the Form DEP 4075. The supporting documentation that must be provided include:

   1. (a) Verification of at least three years of experience, as required under Section 489.553(4)(d), F.S., and demonstrated by a total of 6,000 hours of experience received from one or a combination of experience stated in subparagraphs 62-6.019(3)(a)1. through 5., F.A.C. The sum of related experience and educational experience stated within subparagraphs 62-6.019(3)(a)2., 3., and 5., F.A.C., may substitute for a maximum of two years (4,000 hours) of experience.

      1. Experience verification signed by a Registered Septic Tank Contractor, Master Septic Tank Contractor, or plumbing contractor as defined in Section 489.105(3)(m), F.S., certifying the applicant’s active experience serving an apprenticeship as a skilled worker under the supervision and control of a Registered Septic Tank Contractor, Master Septic Tank Contractor, or plumbing contractor as defined in Section 489.105(3)(m), F.S., providing septic tank contracting services. The experience verification must specifically identify the applicant’s supervisor, company and dates of work experience, work responsibilities, and work hours engaged in the construction or maintenance of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems.

      2. Certification by the applicant demonstrating related work experience which must, at a minimum, include information regarding the extent of experience in onsite sewage treatment and disposal system design, inspection, installation, regulation, environmental health professional certification in onsite sewage, site evaluation, underground utility contracting, and wastewater treatment plant maintenance and operation. Related work experience does not include clerical, purchasing or estimating work. The certification must identify the applicant’s supervisor, company, dates of work experience, work responsibilities, and hours worked. The experience of a person employed by and under the supervision of a contractor licensed in another state for septic tank contracting is considered related work experience. The experience of a person self-employed as a private site evaluator or private provider inspector is considered related work experience. No more than two years (maximum 4,000 hours) of related work experience will be accepted and the certification must account for the hours of related work.

      3. Certification by the applicant’s employer or supervisor demonstrating related work experience which must, at a minimum, include information regarding the extent of experience in onsite sewage treatment and disposal system design, inspection, installation, regulation, environmental health professional certification in onsite sewage, site evaluation, underground utility contracting and wastewater treatment plant maintenance and operation. Related work experience does not include clerical, purchasing or estimating. The certification must identify the applicant’s supervisor, company and dates of work experience, work responsibilities, and hours worked. Employment under the supervision of a contractor licensed in another state for septic tank contracting is considered related work experience. No more than two years (maximum 4,000 hours) of related work experience will be accepted and the certification must account for the hours of related work.

      4. Certification from a regulatory agency of another state demonstrating the applicant held a statewide license for septic tank contracting in their jurisdiction, length of time the license has been held, verification of compliance with continuing education requirements consistent with Florida’s requirements, and verification of the passing of an examination that at a minimum included the following topics: system location and installation, site evaluation criteria, system size determinations, disposal of septage, construction standards for drainfield systems, and U.S. Department of Agriculture’s soil textural classification system. Out of state experience will be prorated as 2000 hours per 365 days of license holding.

      5. Certification of completion of Department approved coursework, which will be counted at a ratio of 33 work hours per hour of coursework up to a maximum of 4000 hours.

   2. (b) A certified State of Florida Criminal History Record Check, reviewed and provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, sent by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement directly to the Department of Environmental Protection, Finance and Accounting, Post Office Box 3070, Tallahassee, Florida 32315. Applicants indicating work experience required by paragraph 62-6.019(3)(a), F.A.C., which occurred outside of the State of Florida must submit a certified criminal history check equivalent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Criminal History Record Check for each out of state jurisdiction. The Department will evaluate the applicant’s good moral character pursuant to the requirements stated in Section 489.553(4)(a), F.S.

   3. (c) The applicant must not:

      1. Have a final agency enforcement action against the applicant under Chapter 381, F.S., 403, F.S., part III of Chapter 489, F.S., or Chapter 62-6, F.A.C., in the three years immediately preceding the date of application.

      2. Have a civil or administrative penalty assessed pursuant to a Department final order under Chapter 62-6, F.A.C., which has not been paid.

   4. (d) The applicant is responsible for all information supplied to the Department. The applicant has ninety days after the Department issues a request for additional information to submit the requested information to the Department. If the applicant does not respond within ninety days, the application will be denied.

   5. (e) The applicant must identify how they will comply with Section 489.555(2), F.S., by indicating if, after registration, they:

      1. Will offer septic tank contracting services under an existing authorized business,

      2. Will apply for a new certificate of authorization before offering septic tank contracting services,

      3. Will offer septic tank contracting services under their own legal name, which is exempt from the requirement for a certificate of authorization, or

      4. Are not currently planning to offer septic tank contracting services in Florida.

4. (4) Eligible applicants must successfully complete an examination administered by the Department. Minimum passing score for the examination is a 75 percent correct response to all questions comprising the examination. A passing score is valid to issue a registration for five years from the date of the examination and expires on the fifth anniversary date. An applicant who was a Master Septic Tank Contractor within the previous three annual cycles and had previously been a Registered Septic Tank Contractor with the Department is exempt from the examination requirement to become a Registered Septic Tank Contractor. All other requirements for registration apply.
5. (5) All materials incorporated herein may be obtained from the Department of Environmental Protection, Onsite Sewage Program at www.floridadep.gov or 2600 Blair Stone Road, MS #3596, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400.

Rulemaking Authority 489.553(3), 489.557(1) FS. Law Implemented 489.552, 489.553 FS. History–New 10-25-88, Amended 3-17-92, 1-3-95, 5-14-96, 2-13-97, Formerly 10D-6.072, Amended 2-3-98, 4-21-02, 6-18-03, 11-26-06, 4-28-10, Formerly 64E-6.019, Amended 6-8-26.