Backflow Base / Tester certification / New York
Backflow tester certification in New York.
Testers must be certified under 10 NYCRR 5-1.31. Since 2011 the Department no longer issues certificates; Department-approved training providers issue the course completion certificate.
Last updated .
Who certifies
New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Water Supply Protection
518-402-7650 · h2ocert@health.ny.gov
The state issues the certificate testers need.
What it takes
- Credential
- Certificate of completion from a NYSDOH-approved backflow tester training provider.
- Training
- 32-hour initial certification course from an approved provider.
- Exam
- The Department pages do not describe an exam; the provider issues the certificate on satisfactory completion.
- Renewal
- Every 3 years by passing an approved renewal course; start at least 3 months early. Lapsed under 1 year: renewal course; lapsed over 1 year: repeat the full initial course.
- Fees
- Set by each training provider, not the Department.
Certificates from elsewhere
- AWWA: accepted as it is. NEWWA is on the approved training provider list. Whether ASSE, ABPA or USC certificates are accepted is not stated.
New York does not accept other states' tester certificates.
Where to get certified
- NYS Backflow Testers AssociationWhite Plains, NY · course · in person. Initial and renewal courses at several NY locations. 914-280-3073.
- AAA Backflow Certification of NYNew Hyde Park, NY · course · in person. Initial and renewal. 516-307-8423.
- DST-NYCopiague, NY · course · in person. Initial and renewal. 516-586-3840.
- Cross Connection Control Foundation of the Niagara FrontierWebster, NY · course · in person. Initial and renewal. 585-216-2223.
- Specialty Pipeline ServicesLaGrange, NY · course · in person. Initial and renewal. 914-497-2058.
- New England Water Works Association (NEWWA)Holliston, MA · course and exam · in person. Initial tester course with written and practical exams on the last day, plus recertification review courses. Classes in all six New England states, NY, NJ and PA. 508-893-7979.
Listed for convenience, not endorsed. Check that a course is on the state's approved list before you pay.
Free exam prep → Study questions, practice exams, device tests.
Test procedures for every assembly → The steps we recommend for the field exam.
Filing test reports
Report on form DOH-1013 (NYC form GEN 215B also approved) goes to the owner, the water supplier, the local health department, and your file. Each water system may also require its own portal.
Deadline: Within 30 days of the completed test (NYSDOH FAQ)
Portals in use: VEPO CrossConnex
Largest water systems
New York City Department of Environmental Protection
Suffolk County Water Authority
- Contact
- 631-698-9500
- Reports
- Online Test Entry Portal for NYS certified testers and plumbers at scwa.com/water-customers/customer-service/rpz-dcv-online-test/. Maintenance Form 215B also posted.
Monroe County Water Authority
Onondaga County Water Authority
- Contact
- 315-455-7061 · BFP@ocwa.org
- Reports
- All initial and annual reports through VEPO CrossConnex (free app and web). Initial DOH-1013 within 45 days of installation.
- Testers
- Register with VEPO CrossConnex before your first test at veposolutions.com/backflowtesters. Annual tests must be by a NYSDOH-certified tester.
Erie County Water Authority
- Contact
- 716-849-8444
- Reports
- Page links Form DOH-1013 to complete and mail to 3030 Union Road, Cheektowaga, NY 14227; unclear if this covers annual test reports.
Sources
- NYSDOH Backflow Tester Certification Instructions and Procedures
- NYSDOH Backflow FAQ
- NYSDOH approved backflow tester training providers
- OCWA Backflow Prevention
- SCWA Backflow Prevention Devices
- ECWA Service and Backflow Applications
Checked 2026-10-19 against each state's own program pages and rules. Rules change; confirm with the program before you book an exam or a test. Spot something out of date? hello@backflowbase.com.
The software
- Bookings from a booking page, your own website, and an AI receptionist on your phone.
- Schedule board and route for each tester.
- Field app that scores every test, even with no signal.
- Test reports sent to the water system that serves each address.
- Card payments to your own Stripe account, and yearly renewals that charge after the test.
- Client portal for HOAs, property managers and contractors.
- $50/month flat: no per-test fee, no cut of payments.
- Every feature →What the app does, part by part.
- Compare →Next to other backflow and field-service software.
- Start free →No card. $50/month or $500/year once you go live, 45 days free.
- Free exam prep →Study questions, practice exams, device tests, a VR wet lab.