The steps to a Class D license
- Finish the two required courses: Basic Water Works Operations, approved for 20 credit hours[2], and Resiliency Overview, at least two hours[1].
- Apply online and pay TCEQ[3]: $111[4].
- Wait for TCEQ’s approval letter.
- Book your exam at a computer-based testing center and pay the center’s fee.
- Bring the approval letter on exam day.
What a Class D license costs
The price of the courses is not in the table: it depends on who gives them.
The Basic Water Works Operations course
TCEQ approves the Basic Water Works Operations course for 20 credit hours toward the license, and TEEX also offers it by correspondence in Spanish[2]. OperadorListo is not that course: it is practice for the exam.
What exam day looks like
The provisional Class D, if you have no diploma
The provisional Class D license is for people without a high school diploma or GED, costs $74 and lasts two years[6]. You work under the direct supervision of a license holder, and before it ends you show your diploma or GED and apply for Class D[6].
If you don’t pass the first time
You may sit again once you have your result, as long as your application is approved[7]. Each attempt pays the center’s fee again[5]. TCEQ’s pass rates.
How to practice for the Class D exam
OperadorListo is independent practice software for the TCEQ Class D water exam, in English and Spanish, with every math problem worked step by step. Start with the free check.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need work experience for a Class D license?
No. Class D requires no work experience[1].
How long is a water operator license valid?
Three years[1]. To renew it you need 30 hours of continuing education from TCEQ-approved courses[1].
Can I take the Class D exam in Spanish?
Yes. TCEQ offers the Class D water exam in Spanish[3], on the same computer test.
Does OperadorListo count toward the course hours?
No. OperadorListo is practice for the exam. Hours count only from TCEQ-approved courses[1].
Sources
- TCEQ, Occupational Licenses: Water System Operators, Class D Licensing Requirements; NEW As of April 1, 2024, resiliency training will be required for ALL water operators; Occupational licenses are valid for three years; Continuing Education Requirements (read November 13, 2026)
- TEEX, Basic Water Works Operations (Spanish Correspondence), WWW470, Course Description: approved by TCEQ to fulfill 20 credit hours (read November 13, 2026)
- TCEQ, Computer-Based Testing for Occupational Licenses, Pre-approval of your licensing application is required; NOTE: All exams have a 3 hour time limit unless otherwise noted; CBT license examinations offer; Spanish exams now available by computer-based test (CBT) (read November 13, 2026)
- 30 TAC §30.30(a) and (c); TCEQ Water System Operators page, Class D, (c) "The license fee is $111 for a three-year license" ... "nonrefundable"; (c) paid with each initial and renewal application (read November 13, 2026)
- Sam Houston State University Testing Center, TCEQ, Registration/Administration/Test fee $53.50; all fees non-refundable, non-transferable (read November 13, 2026)
- 30 TAC §30.394, Provisional Licenses; TCEQ Water System Operators page, (b)(1) two years; (b)(2) $74.00; (a)(3), (c), (d) (read November 13, 2026)
- 30 TAC §30.20(b), Examinations; also TCEQ Water System Operators page, (b) "The minimum passing score for an examination is 70%."; (c) no repeat until notified of results; (d) 365 days or four failures (read November 13, 2026)
Reviewed November 13, 2026. Published by OperadorListo. The sources above are the authority. This is a summary in our own words: check the source before you act on it.