UST Professional Certification Programs General Information
The Underground Storage Tank Certification Programs certify the following UST professionals: Companies, Installers, Installation Inspectors, Compliance Inspectors, Cathodic Protection Inspectors, Removers, Testers (product lines, tanks and vapor recovery systems) and Liners, as well as Groundwater Professionals.
The rules overseeing this program can be found in Iowa Administrative Code 567 Chapter 134(455B). These rules require UST Professionals and Groundwater Professionals to be certified by the DNR and ensures compliance with the technical requirements for UST systems and related cleanup. If you have any questions about the certification program, please contact Charlotte Richards, the program coordinator, at ustlicensing@dnr.iowa.gov and 515-681-6932.
Note: The UST Section is transitioning all UST Professional Licenses to Certifications. This is being done in an effort to streamline the program and provide more consistency between all program areas. No practical changes are being made beyond the terminology change.
Upcoming Course Information
April 2-3, 2025 - Iowa UST Compliance Inspector Course
Registration and course information to be posted in fall 2025
UST Professionals
Individual UST professionals (excluding Groundwater Professionals) must be employed with a certified UST Professional company, or be certified as sole proprietor and provide their own liability insurance. UST Professionals must be certified by the DNR’s UST Section before performing work requiring a certified professional.
Groundwater Professionals
The DNR is responsible for the certification of persons who wish to do business in Iowa as groundwater professionals. This professional designation is required for any person who wishes to submit projects to the UST Section evaluating leaking underground storage tank sites or proposing corrective action.
A Groundwater Professional is defined by Chapter 567-134 as “a person who provides subsurface soil contamination and groundwater consulting services, or who contracts to perform or who supervises remediation or corrective action services at leaking underground storage tank sites.” These services and activities must be provided by or directly supervised by a certified groundwater professional. All reports submitted to the Iowa DNR must be signed by the Certified Groundwater Professional supervising the work at the site. In complying with the legislative mandate, persons must be certified as a Groundwater Professional before performing any of the above services.
List items for UST Professional Certification Programs
Information about all UST facilities and biennial compliance inspections can be found in our UST/LUST Database. See the 3rd Party Inspections Tanks Database User Guide for help on entering a compliance inspection into the database, and the Compliance Inspection Guide for guidance on compliance inspection regulations.
The UST Professional Certification database is designed to make the certification application process easier and faster for applicants, and to integrate fee payments into the DNR’s online payment portal.
Public Search - An online public search function now takes the place of previously regularly posted lists of all UST and Groundwater Professionals. This search function is offered to help the public find potential sources of assistance.
Applications - Initial and renewal applications for Groundwater Professionals, UST Professional Companies, UST Installers, Installation Inspectors, Compliance Inspectors, Cathodic Protection Inspectors, Removers, Testers, and Liners can be accessed through this new database.
Certification Management - Currently certified individuals can create accounts to manage their certifications, trainings, records and renew their certifications. Certified companies can use this system to manage their employees' certifications as well.
General Information
Persons wanting to obtain any UST Professional certification or Groundwater Professional certification must start by completing an application through the UST Certification Database. Upon submission, the application will be reviewed by DNR staff and a decision as to the applicant’s qualifications and submitted materials will be communicated to the applicant through their dashboard in the web application. Associated fees can be paid by check through the mail or by card via the DNR Payment Portal. Fees will not appear in the Payment Portal until the associated application has been submitted and approved.
UST Professionals
Please view the UST Professional Certification Requirements Spreadsheet for minimum experience and supporting documentation requirements before applying. Certification fees are $200 per individual and per company, and are renewed on a biannual basis at the end of each even numbered year (e.g., 2024, 2026, 2028, etc). Fees are non-refundable.
Groundwater Professionals
Individuals must meet at least 1 of the following minimum experience qualifications before qualifying for a Groundwater Professional Certification:
Certified by the American Institute of Hydrology as a:
Professional Hydrologist
Professional Hydrogeologist
Professional Hydrologist (Groundwater)
Certified by the Association of Groundwater Scientists and Engineers (division of the National Water Well Association)
Industrial Hygienist certified by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene
Professional Engineer registered in Iowa
Professional Geological certified by one of the following national organizations:
American Institute of Professional Geologists
American Association of Petroleum Geologists
Society of Independent Earth Scientists
License, certification, or registration to practice hydrogeology or groundwater hydrology issued by another state in the United States or by a national organization, provided that, at a minimum, a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college and 5 years of related professional experience is required.
5 years of direct or related experience and training as a Groundwater Professional or in the field of Earth Sciences. A minimum of 2 years education/training and 2 years of professional experience are required. The applicant must be able to show the professional application of scientific or engineering judgment, initiative, and application of scientific or engineering principles to execute work as a Groundwater Professional. This does not include performance of routine technical activities only, such as, drilling wells, water level measurements, laboratory work, sampling, soil excavation, drawing contour level measurements and maps, or compilation of data into a table. The applicant’s experience must include using the results of such routine technical work in determining underlying geology and hydrogeology, movement of groundwater, composition of groundwater, the presence and movement of any contamination, any future impact of contamination, and the design of remediation systems.
If a Groundwater Professional application is approved, the applicant will then need to complete the Iowa Groundwater Professional Self Study Course or other training course subject to DNR approval prior to taking the Iowa Groundwater Professional Exam. The Iowa Groundwater Professional Self Study Course Materials are listed and linked below. Applicants will need to contact ustlicensing@dnr.iowa.gov to make an appointment for testing once they are ready to attempt the exam. The exam is available in-person at the DNR Central Office or online. Certification fees are $200 per individual, and are renewed on a biannual basis at the end of each odd numbered year (e.g., 2025, 2027, 2029, etc). Fees are non-refundable.
PE Exception: Applicants who are currently registered as a professional engineer in the State of Iowa and meet the exemption qualification criteria in IAC 567-134.3(6) may qualify for a PE exemption from the Iowa Groundwater Professional Exam. A copy of the applicant’s current Iowa PE registration card, a copy of college transcripts, and a completed signed affidavit form must be submitted with the initial CGP application.
Iowa Groundwater Professional Self Study Course Materials:
UST professional licenses are up for renewal at the end of 2026 and can be completed through the UST Certification Database. Renewal applications and non-refundable $200 renewal fees for both company and individual licenses are due by December 1, 2026. No renewal applications after January 1, 2027 will be accepted. Renewal application fees paid after December 1 will be accepted with an additional non-refundable $50 late fee per application. For a list of what is all required in the renewal application, please view the UST Professional Certification Requirements Spreadsheet.
Groundwater Professional certification renewal applications are due at the end of 2025 and can be completed through the UST Certification Database. Renewal applications and non-refundable $200 renewal fees are due by December 1, 2025. No renewal applications after January 1, 2026 will be accepted.
If you are UST certified or licensed in another state or with a federal regulatory program, you may be eligible for UST Professional Certification in Iowa without having to take a course of instruction or pass an examination, pursuant to Iowa Administrative Code 567- 134. To find out if your license or certification is approved for reciprocity, please reach out to ustlicensing@dnr.iowa.gov. Note: reciprocity is not extended for Groundwater Professional, UST Company, Compliance Inspector or CP Tester certifications from other states or national entities.
If approved for reciprocity, you will need to submit an initial certification application with additional required supporting documentation shown on the UST Professional Requirement Spreadsheet, pay a non-refundable $200 certification fee, and also be employed under an Iowa UST Professional Certified company. Once certified in Iowa, all professionals are required to comply with Iowa UST regulations and certification renewal requirements.
