Being designated as a PSMA/NOF certified inspector is a sign of professionalism in the wastewater industry. The certification is recognized as a sign of quality by property owners, real estate agents, local government, regulatory agencies, and the wastewater community.
There are various levels of PSMA certification appropriate for different septic system inspectors including: 101 Basic, 102 Advanced, 103 Experienced, and SR1 Refresher certification levels. All PSMA inspector certifications are valid for two years before the inspector must re-certify at the same or a higher level. The expiration date of your certification is printed on your inspector ID card as well as your inspector certificate. Your employer/company must be a member of PSMA for your certification to remain valid.
Each certification level corresponds to the successful completion of a different level training course and exam, each with their own requirements.
101, 102, and 103 do NOT have a requirement for continuing education.
However, inspectors in the SR1 Refresher level must complete 16 hours of continuing education in the two years following their SR1 certification. The continuing education must be approved and documented. It can be obtained by attending various wastewater conferences, formal training courses, instruction with a manufacturer, online classes, etc. The education must be relevant to the onsite wastewater treatment inspection process to qualify and is generally awarded at a rate of one credit per one hour of instruction.
To help SR1 inspectors track their continuing education, PSMA has prepared a log sheet for you to document your CE activity. This form is provided to all SR1 inspector students in the front of the PSMA Inspection Standards book (SR1 edition). You can also download the log sheet here: PDF | Microsoft Excel
SR1 inspectors should mail, fax, or email their completed log sheet to PSMA at the end of their SR1 certification cycle and prior to recertification to demonstrate completion of 16 hours of education.
| Certification Level | Certification Length | Classroom Training | Online Training | Continuing Ed Hours |
| 101 Basic | 2 Years | 16 Hours | N/A | N/A |
| 102 Advanced | 2 Years | 16 Hours | N/A | N/A |
| 103 Experienced | 2 Years | 8 Hours | 8 Hours | N/A |
| SR1 Refresher | 2 Years | 4 Hours* | 4 Hours* | 16 Hours |