Who Can Test a Backflow? How to Become a Certified Tester

Only a certified backflow tester who is registered with your water utility can do a test the utility will accept. Being a licensed plumber or a sprinkler contractor isn't enough on its own, and not every plumber holds the certification. For homeowners, the fastest route is the utility's approved or registered tester list. For tradespeople, certification usually means a course of about a week, written and hands-on exams, a calibrated test kit, and renewal every few years, with the exact path set by your state.

Key takeaways

Homeowners: pick a tester from your utility's list. Lewisville, TX rejects reports from testers who aren't registered with the city.

Certification is separate from a plumbing license. In Minnesota, "not all licensed plumbers hold it."

Texas: a TCEQ Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester (BPAT) license needs a 40-hour course, an exam, two years of qualifying experience and a $111 application fee. It's valid three years and renewal needs 24 hours of continuing education.

New York: NYS Department of Health certification is valid three years, with no reciprocity with other states.

Illinois: tests are done by a licensed plumber holding a Cross-Connection Control Device Inspector (CCCDI) credential, according to Naperville.

Can any plumber or sprinkler company test my backflow?

No. "Do ALL plumbers do this test?" is a question homeowners have asked for years, often after struggling to find one (AnandTech forums). The short answer is that backflow testing is its own credential:

Minnesota: "Plumbing licensure isn't required for the certification, and not all licensed plumbers hold it" (Star Tribune).
Grand Rapids, MI: your irrigation contractor can't test it. The tester must be a licensed plumber employed by an ASSE-certified contractor (City of Grand Rapids).
Illinois suburbs: Naperville says you "may hire any licensed plumber with a CCCDI" (City of Naperville).
Texas: testers hold a state BPAT license from the TCEQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality) and register with each city they work in (City of Fort Worth, Austin Water).

A sprinkler company may well have a certified tester on staff. Just ask for the tester's name and certification number, and check it against the utility's list.

How do I find a certified backflow tester near me?

Start with the utility, not a search engine:

Get the utility's list. Longview, TX "cannot recommend testers" but publishes a list of registered testers (City of Longview). Cheney, WA mails a list with its notices (Cheney Free Press). New York State publishes a statewide list of certified testers (NYS DOH).
Check registration, not only certification. In Lewisville, TX, a report is rejected if the tester isn't registered with the city, or if their file lacks a state tester license or a gauge calibration report (City of Lewisville).
Confirm how the report is filed. Dallas uses SwiftComply, Fort Worth uses Vepo/Envirotrax, and many Illinois and Texas utilities use BSI Online. The tester should be set up on your utility's system (City of Dallas).
Remember testers are independent. Wilsonville, OR notes that testers don't work for the city (City of Wilsonville). You choose and pay them.

Questions to ask any tester: Are you on my utility's registered list? What's your certification or license number and its expiry date? When was your test gauge last calibrated? Will you file the report, and is the filing fee included? See our backflow test cost guide for what a fair quote includes.

Can I test my own backflow preventer?

Only if you get certified and registered, like any other tester. On Reddit someone suggested: "You can get certified and do the test yourself every year if it bothers you" (r/StLouis). Others push back on the effort. One HeatingHelp member said, "I don't think I would need 40 hours of training to figure out how to test it," while another replied that in Maine "you have to be a licensed master plumber and be certified for testing" (HeatingHelp). For one sprinkler device tested once a year, the course fee alone (about $895 in Texas) buys many professional tests.

How do I become a certified backflow tester?

The general path is similar across states. Syncta, a backflow software company, describes it as training through an approved program (it names ABPA, the American Backflow Prevention Association, and ASSE International), a course of about 4 to 5 days, then recertification every 1 to 3 years depending on the jurisdiction (Syncta). What actually decides whether you can test in a given city is that state's rule and the utility's registration.

Find out who certifies testers in your state. It might be an environmental agency (TCEQ in Texas), the health department (New York), or a plumbing authority. Some states accept national certifications. Others accept only their own approved courses.
Check the prerequisites. Some states require a plumbing license, others work experience.
Take an approved course. Expect about a week of classroom and hands-on training on actual RPZ, double check and PVB assemblies.
Pass the exams. Typically a written test plus a practical one. An Ohio tester described a 3-day course with written and practical exams where "1 mistake & you fail" (HeatingHelp).
Get a test kit and keep it calibrated. Utilities such as Lewisville and Fort Worth ask for a current gauge calibration certificate.
Register with each utility where you want to test, and set up on its reporting system.
Renew on time. Continuing education or a renewal course is required before your credential expires.

What are the requirements in Texas, New York and Illinois?

These are the states behind Backflow Compass's five city pages. Requirements change, so confirm with the agency before you enroll.

	Texas (Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin)	New York (NYC)	Illinois (Chicago)
Credential	TCEQ Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester (BPAT) license	NYS Department of Health tester certification (10 NYCRR 5-1.31)	Cross-Connection Control Device Inspector (CCCDI), held by a licensed plumber per Naperville
Prerequisites	High school diploma or GED, plus two years of qualifying experience (for example, public drinking water systems or lawn irrigation installation)	Course from a Department-approved provider	Plumbing license (per Naperville); confirm current state requirements
Training	40-hour course from a TCEQ-approved provider; TEEX lists one at $895 (2026-27 sessions)	Initial certification course; the Department doesn't set course prices	Confirm with the state
Exam	Written exam at a computer-based testing center; practical given by the training provider	Course completion certificate on passing	Confirm with the state
Application fee	$111	Not listed	Not confirmed
Valid for	3 years	3 years, on a fixed cycle	Confirm with the state
Renewal	24 hours of CE, 8 of them hands-on	Renewal course before expiry; more than a year lapsed means repeating the initial course	Confirm with the state
City registration	Required by each utility. Fort Worth: TCEQ license, confined space certificate, gauge calibration certificate, $500,000 liability insurance; no registration fee	Listed on the statewide tester list	Reports filed through BSI Online in many suburbs

Sources: TCEQ, TEEX, City of Fort Worth, NYS DOH instructions, NYS DOH FAQ, City of Naperville, WTTW.

New York doesn't recognize certifications from other states: "The Department does not have reciprocity with any other state." If you move or work across state lines, plan on a second credential.

How much does certification cost, and is it worth it?

Known costs in Texas, as published in 2026: a $895 40-hour course (TEEX) plus a $111 TCEQ application fee, before the exam, test kit, gauge calibration and insurance. Fort Worth asks registered testers for $500,000 in general liability coverage. Other states' fees weren't published on the pages we checked. Ask the training provider for the full cost.

On the business side, demand is real. Testers in Twin Falls, ID once had a "backlog of up to three months" (KMVT). Prices are competitive, though: one high-volume Oregon tester described doing "500 to 800 tests a month" at "$38.00 each" (BBB), while homeowners elsewhere report $69 to $165 per test (r/grandrapids, r/memphis). Certification tends to pay off for plumbers and irrigators who already visit properties with assemblies, and who can add testing to repair and installation work, with clear pricing to avoid any conflict-of-interest perception. Our guide My backflow failed the test explains why homeowners are wary of that.

FAQ

Can my irrigation company test my backflow? Only if the person doing the test is certified and registered with your utility. Grand Rapids, for example, doesn't allow irrigation contractors to test unless they meet its plumber and ASSE contractor rules.

Do all plumbers test backflow preventers? No. Backflow tester certification is a separate credential, and not all licensed plumbers hold it. Check your utility's registered tester list.

How long does it take to become a backflow tester? The course is usually about a week: 40 hours in Texas, about 4 to 5 days according to Syncta, and a 3-day course in one Ohio account. Add time for exams, the license application and utility registration.

How much does backflow tester certification cost in Texas? TEEX lists its 40-hour BPAT course at $895, and the TCEQ application fee is $111. Budget extra for the exam, a test kit, calibration and insurance.

How often do backflow testers renew? Every three years in Texas (24 hours of CE) and New York (renewal course). Elsewhere, Syncta reports renewal every 1 to 3 years.

Is a certification from another state valid? Not in New York, which has no reciprocity. Other states vary, so check with the certifying agency.

Find a registered tester, or get listed

Homeowners: compare providers on Backflow Compass and confirm each tester is on your utility's list. For local rules, see New York City, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Worth and Austin. Certified testers can check whether their business appears in the directory. Listings are unclaimed and there are no paid rankings. Not sure which device you'll be testing? See RPZ vs double check vs PVB.

Disclaimer: This article is general information, not legal or licensing advice. Certification and registration requirements are set by state agencies and water utilities and change over time. Confirm current requirements, fees and course approvals directly with the certifying agency and your utility before enrolling.

Sources

Independent general information. Requirements and prices depend on scope, locality, technical standards and current regulations. Verify critical details with qualified professionals and relevant authorities.