Texas OSSF Installer 1 Practice Test 2025/2026 – TCEQ
Licensed Installer Exam Prep Questions
Exam
30 TAC Chapter 285 - <<<<Answers>>>>This chapter establishes minimum standards
for planning materials, construction, installation, alteration, repair, extension, operation,
maintenance, permitting, and inspection of OSSFs. This chapter also provides the
procedures for the designation of local governmental entities as authorized agents.
30 TAC Chapter 30 - <<<<Answers>>>>The licensing of installers, designated
representatives, and site evaluators and the registration of apprentices is included in
this chapter.
Title 5, Chapter 366 Texas Health and Safety Code - <<<<Answers>>>>The Texas
statute establishing OSSF regulations and regulators.
September 1989 - <<<<Answers>>>>The year in which statewide regulation of OSSFs
began
OSSF minimum requirements - <<<<Answers>>>>1) produce no more than 5,000 g of
waste daily
2) waste must originate and be disposed of on site
3) wastewater must be disposed in soil or as vapor
1990 - <<<<Answers>>>>The requirement for installers to be licensed went into effect
1998 - <<<<Answers>>>>The requirement for Installer II and DR to be licensed went
into effect
2002 - <<<<Answers>>>>The requirement for SE to be licensed went into effect
2009 - <<<<Answers>>>>The requirement for MP to be licensed went into effect
Installer II extra requirements - <<<<Answers>>>>- one year as Installer I and 3
installations w/notarized statements
- or two years as apprentice with six installations w/notarized statements
SE extra requirements - <<<<Answers>>>>must have previous license of one:
Installer II
DR
PE
RS
,Professional Geoscientist
MP extra requirements - <<<<Answers>>>>Installer II, Class C Wastewater License, or
documented experience of 3 years as maintenance technician
Maintenance Technician and Apprentice note - <<<<Answers>>>>Only license that
doesn't require exam, Apprentice does not require class either
3 years, 24 hours - <<<<Answers>>>>OSSF licenses are issued for a term of ____
years and require ____ hours for renewal
Daily - <<<<Answers>>>>How often must an installer check an apprentice's work?
Ten Acre Rule - <<<<Answers>>>>An OSSF for a single-family residence on a 10 acre
lot or more with disposal lines at least 100ft from property line are not required to apply
for a permit for a new construction.
Permit Processing Steps - <<<<Answers>>>>1) Site Evaluation w/ written report
2) Selection of OSSF based on Site Evaluation
3) System planned
4) Permit application and planning materials submitted
5) Application reviewed and approved or denied within 30 days
6) Authorization to Construct ATC issued and valid for 1 year
7) Construction
8) Inspection covering all parts of system. If failed, 7 days to send letter of deficiencies
9) License to Operate LTO issued
OSSF permit application should include: - <<<<Answers>>>>- Site Evaluation
- Legal description of property
- Affidavits as required
- Maintenance contract
- Design Calculations
- Equipment/Material Specifications
- Scale drawing showing all features effecting operation of disposal system
- Criminal Penalties
- Injunction or civil suit
- Administrative Penalties - <<<<Answers>>>>Legal Penalties for violating OSSF rules
Criminal Penalties - <<<<Answers>>>>Initiated in court through district or county
attorney by either authorized agent or TCEQ. Often misdemeanors.
Injunction or Civil Suit - <<<<Answers>>>>Can only be initiated by TCEQ through
Attorney General. Local government may request TCEQ to initiate enforcement or
pursue civil action. TCEQ may choose not to.
, Administrative Penalites - <<<<Answers>>>>May be assessed by TCEQ against a
person in violation of the rules, regulations, or OSSF permit. May request enforcement
from Attorney General.
Installers can plan - <<<<Answers>>>>Standard, conventional, gravel-filled standard
drainfields, lined and unlined ET beds, gravelless pipe, leaching chambers
Requires a Professional Designer - <<<<Answers>>>>Surface application, low-
pressure dosing, mounds, non standard systems. All systems in Edwards Aquifer
recharge zone. Al multi-unit developments. All systems in floodways. All systems with
variance. Small lots with less than 1/2 acre on public water or 1 acre without public
water. Multiple systems on large tract
Risers on any kind of tank in an OSSF must: - <<<<Answers>>>>- have inside diameter
equal to or larger than clean-out
- be permanently fastened with watertight connection to tank lid
- have removable watertight caps protected against unauthorized access
6" to 12" - <<<<Answers>>>>Clean-out ports must have risers that extend to the
surface except for septic tanks, where clean-out port or riser can be from __________
below surface.
A padlock
A cover that requires tools for removal
A cover with a minimum net weight of 65lbs set into recess of the tank lid -
<<<<Answers>>>>Acceptable protective measures to prevent unauthorized access
greater than 5 feet - <<<<Answers>>>>depth at which an excavation must be sloped,
shored, or otherwise supported
Angle of repose - <<<<Answers>>>>The angle closest to the perpendicular at which the
soil will remain at rest
Waterborne diseases caused by pathogens - <<<<Answers>>>>Typhoid, Paratyphoid,
Cryptosporosis, Bacillary Dysentery, Cholera, Amoebic Dysentery, Giardiasis, Hepatitis,
Polio, Meningitis
Inorganics that appear to affect health - <<<<Answers>>>>Arsenic, cadmium, cyanide,
fluoride, lead, mercury, nitrate, and selenium
Methemoglobinemia (Blue Baby Syndrome) - <<<<Answers>>>>A serious, sometimes
fatal poisoning in infants after ingesting water with nitrate. Nitrate impairs the oxygen-
carrying capacity of blood.
Three primary routes of contamination: - <<<<Answers>>>>1) Neighborhood Pollution
2) Groundwater Contamination
Licensed Installer Exam Prep Questions
Exam
30 TAC Chapter 285 - <<<<Answers>>>>This chapter establishes minimum standards
for planning materials, construction, installation, alteration, repair, extension, operation,
maintenance, permitting, and inspection of OSSFs. This chapter also provides the
procedures for the designation of local governmental entities as authorized agents.
30 TAC Chapter 30 - <<<<Answers>>>>The licensing of installers, designated
representatives, and site evaluators and the registration of apprentices is included in
this chapter.
Title 5, Chapter 366 Texas Health and Safety Code - <<<<Answers>>>>The Texas
statute establishing OSSF regulations and regulators.
September 1989 - <<<<Answers>>>>The year in which statewide regulation of OSSFs
began
OSSF minimum requirements - <<<<Answers>>>>1) produce no more than 5,000 g of
waste daily
2) waste must originate and be disposed of on site
3) wastewater must be disposed in soil or as vapor
1990 - <<<<Answers>>>>The requirement for installers to be licensed went into effect
1998 - <<<<Answers>>>>The requirement for Installer II and DR to be licensed went
into effect
2002 - <<<<Answers>>>>The requirement for SE to be licensed went into effect
2009 - <<<<Answers>>>>The requirement for MP to be licensed went into effect
Installer II extra requirements - <<<<Answers>>>>- one year as Installer I and 3
installations w/notarized statements
- or two years as apprentice with six installations w/notarized statements
SE extra requirements - <<<<Answers>>>>must have previous license of one:
Installer II
DR
PE
RS
,Professional Geoscientist
MP extra requirements - <<<<Answers>>>>Installer II, Class C Wastewater License, or
documented experience of 3 years as maintenance technician
Maintenance Technician and Apprentice note - <<<<Answers>>>>Only license that
doesn't require exam, Apprentice does not require class either
3 years, 24 hours - <<<<Answers>>>>OSSF licenses are issued for a term of ____
years and require ____ hours for renewal
Daily - <<<<Answers>>>>How often must an installer check an apprentice's work?
Ten Acre Rule - <<<<Answers>>>>An OSSF for a single-family residence on a 10 acre
lot or more with disposal lines at least 100ft from property line are not required to apply
for a permit for a new construction.
Permit Processing Steps - <<<<Answers>>>>1) Site Evaluation w/ written report
2) Selection of OSSF based on Site Evaluation
3) System planned
4) Permit application and planning materials submitted
5) Application reviewed and approved or denied within 30 days
6) Authorization to Construct ATC issued and valid for 1 year
7) Construction
8) Inspection covering all parts of system. If failed, 7 days to send letter of deficiencies
9) License to Operate LTO issued
OSSF permit application should include: - <<<<Answers>>>>- Site Evaluation
- Legal description of property
- Affidavits as required
- Maintenance contract
- Design Calculations
- Equipment/Material Specifications
- Scale drawing showing all features effecting operation of disposal system
- Criminal Penalties
- Injunction or civil suit
- Administrative Penalties - <<<<Answers>>>>Legal Penalties for violating OSSF rules
Criminal Penalties - <<<<Answers>>>>Initiated in court through district or county
attorney by either authorized agent or TCEQ. Often misdemeanors.
Injunction or Civil Suit - <<<<Answers>>>>Can only be initiated by TCEQ through
Attorney General. Local government may request TCEQ to initiate enforcement or
pursue civil action. TCEQ may choose not to.
, Administrative Penalites - <<<<Answers>>>>May be assessed by TCEQ against a
person in violation of the rules, regulations, or OSSF permit. May request enforcement
from Attorney General.
Installers can plan - <<<<Answers>>>>Standard, conventional, gravel-filled standard
drainfields, lined and unlined ET beds, gravelless pipe, leaching chambers
Requires a Professional Designer - <<<<Answers>>>>Surface application, low-
pressure dosing, mounds, non standard systems. All systems in Edwards Aquifer
recharge zone. Al multi-unit developments. All systems in floodways. All systems with
variance. Small lots with less than 1/2 acre on public water or 1 acre without public
water. Multiple systems on large tract
Risers on any kind of tank in an OSSF must: - <<<<Answers>>>>- have inside diameter
equal to or larger than clean-out
- be permanently fastened with watertight connection to tank lid
- have removable watertight caps protected against unauthorized access
6" to 12" - <<<<Answers>>>>Clean-out ports must have risers that extend to the
surface except for septic tanks, where clean-out port or riser can be from __________
below surface.
A padlock
A cover that requires tools for removal
A cover with a minimum net weight of 65lbs set into recess of the tank lid -
<<<<Answers>>>>Acceptable protective measures to prevent unauthorized access
greater than 5 feet - <<<<Answers>>>>depth at which an excavation must be sloped,
shored, or otherwise supported
Angle of repose - <<<<Answers>>>>The angle closest to the perpendicular at which the
soil will remain at rest
Waterborne diseases caused by pathogens - <<<<Answers>>>>Typhoid, Paratyphoid,
Cryptosporosis, Bacillary Dysentery, Cholera, Amoebic Dysentery, Giardiasis, Hepatitis,
Polio, Meningitis
Inorganics that appear to affect health - <<<<Answers>>>>Arsenic, cadmium, cyanide,
fluoride, lead, mercury, nitrate, and selenium
Methemoglobinemia (Blue Baby Syndrome) - <<<<Answers>>>>A serious, sometimes
fatal poisoning in infants after ingesting water with nitrate. Nitrate impairs the oxygen-
carrying capacity of blood.
Three primary routes of contamination: - <<<<Answers>>>>1) Neighborhood Pollution
2) Groundwater Contamination
