California Backflow Tester Certification Courses
40-Hour Backflow Class Schedule ($1,000)
San Jose, CA - Monday 12/01/25 through Friday 12/05/25
Anaheim, CA - Monday 02/16/26 through Friday 02/20/26
Bellflower, CA - Saturday 02/21, Sunday 02/22, Saturday 02/28, Sunday 03/01/26
Fallbrook CA ( San Diego ) - Monday 02/23/26 through Friday 02/27/26
Certification for backflow testing in California is a three step process. (1) You take a course ( 36 hour minimum ) that is acceptable to the third party exam provider, we have the schedule above. (2) You sit for a California State recognized third party practical and written exam ( we recommend CA-NV AWWA ) - more info on how to schedule and study for the CA-NV AWWA exams on our California Backflow Exam Prep Page - (3) you register with the applicable county or water purveyor. County by County requirements are broken down at the bottom of the webpage, they are in order of population.
Do a Private Course or Host A Public Course
No course scheduled in your area ? We have two additional programs available, links to more info below:
Private Course - We can come to your location and train only your staff, bring all props, handouts, equipment, etc., Minimum of 10 students
Host a Course - Similar to a private course, we come to your facility and train your staff, but also you allow other local technicians to attend. No minimums for these and you get 2 free students.
Course Approvals
Our course on its own can certify a technician to test preventers in some situations, mostly on Military Bases / Native American Reservations. To test on new construction or annual tests on preventers that tie to California State regulated water purveyors, an additional third party exam and registration with the county is likely required.
Our 40-hour course is based on the USC (University of Southern California) 10th edition textbook and course materials. We have submitted our course and received approval for our training with CA-NV-AWWA and all relevant county programs. Across the state, the Kruger 40-hour tester courses are known to be one of the most thorough course offering and has a good pass rate for students who sit for the third party exams.
Why should I choose Kruger Training Academy for my backflow tester certification training ?
With all of the Kruger products and services, we strive to take a holistic approach and develop and equip backflow testers, both new and old. Check out our commitment to The Kruger Difference
Which Backflow Preventer Testing Procedures Should I Use?
All of our courses utilize the University of Southern California, Foundation for Cross Connection Control and Hydraulic Research ( USC-FCCHR ) 10th Edition testing procedures and diagnostics, using derivative materials and auxiliary tests if applicable by the local authorities.
On our YouTube Channel, we created a series of videos explaining the testing procedures:
Bookwork Style YouTube Videos:
The Complete Guide to Backflow Preventer Assembly Testing ( By the Book )
Field Testing Demonstration YouTube Videos:
RP Testing Procedures – EXPLAINED
Double Check Valve - Multi Hose vs Single Hose
PVB Testing Procedures – EXPLAINED
Tips and Tricks and how to Study for Backflow Practical Exams
The USC 10th Edition Textbook can be purchased at www.uscfoundationstore.com
County Breakdown - title is a link to their website - counties in order of population - some omitted
We have posted the most current version of the county websites and requirements, with more information on how to register with them to get on their tester lists. We are not aware of any city level jurisdictions that supersede the county, the registrations are always county level or directly with the water purveyors. Many of their websites have not been updated or have incomplete information, the state level changes came into effect in July 2025. More info on the regulatory changes and exams can be found on our California Exam Prep Page - Generally speaking, you take a class, then sit for a third party exam, and then send the third party certification to each county or water purveyor that you test backflows for. Registrations usually have a fee also. Some counties in the past have had more specific requirements including which third party exam you took, but that should no longer be the case since July 2025.
Los Angeles County – As of August 2025, Los Angeles County has their own exam and will continue to do so for some time, but you can also register to be a tester in the county using a State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) approved third party exam certification. Their website has not been updated to reflect this information but it has been confirmed with their staff directly. The county also confirmed that you do not need to be working for a C-36 Plumbing Contractor as was required before. You just have to submit their application - downloadable here - and some fees. You may want to speak with them directly about their current process, their website has not been updated and we base most of this off of a conversation with them in August 2025 where it seemed likely they would update their website shortly after.
San Diego County – There is no county level management agency, so testers need to be registered with each water purveyor. The City of San Diego Public Utilities Department is the main water purveyor, servicing the City of San Diego and pretty much all of the surrounding cities and towns in all directions, but more rural parts in the Eastern part of the county may not be under their jurisdiction. Testers need to take an SWRCB approved third party examination and then schedule a tester orientation meeting to get registered. Orientations only happen in January and July.
Orange County – Testers need to be certified directly through Orange County Health Care Agency, Division of Environmental Health. They require an SWRCB approved third party examination and an application and fee, all is updated and downloadable on their linked website.
Riverside County – Testers need to register with the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health, application is downloadable on their website. They require an SWRCB approved third party examination and an application and fee.
San Bernardino County – Testers need to hold a certification with the County Department of Environmental Health. They require an SWRCB approved third party examination and an application and fee.
Santa Clara County – There is no county level management agency, so testers need to be registered with each water purveyor. San Jose Water and California Water Service ( Cal-Water ) operate in these areas, both require an SWRCB approved third party examination with no additional fees or applications.
Alameda County – There is no county level management agency, so testers need to be registered with the water purveyors, which there are two larger ones. For Alameda County Water District ( Hayward, South and East ) they have extensive pre-requisites, application requirements here, you have to take an SWRCB approved third party examination ( AWWA is specifically listed, but the state does mandate them to accept the other approved ones ) and you have to already be a tester for a period of 2 years and test over 100 devices in that 2 years (or work for a company that has a technician with this experience), and they only accept applications between Nov 1st and 30th each year, so basically you have to know somebody who knows somebody. For East Bay Municipal Utilities District ( north of Hayward including Oakland ), testers need to take an SWRCB approved third party examination and then make an application, pay a fee, and sit for their exams that are proctored on their end, which usually happen every six months in January and July. Any smaller local water purveyors would require
Sacramento County – Testers need to hold an SWRCB approved third party examination with no additional fees or applications. To register or for more info can email them at crossconnection@saccounty.net
Contra Costa County – There is no county level management agency, so testers need to be registered with the water purveyors, which there are two larger ones. For Contra Costa Water District ( Central and Eastern ) they don't publish their requirements, but require a SWRCB approved third party examination with no further applications or fees. For East Bay Municipal Utilities District ( Western Party on the Coast ) testers need to take an SWRCB approved third party examination and then make an application, pay a fee, and sit for their exams that are proctored on their end, which usually happen every six months in January and July. Any smaller local water purveyors would require
Fresno County – There is no county level management agency, so testers need to be registered with each water purveyor. California Water Service ( Cal-Water ) operates much of the services in the county, and they require an SWRCB approved third party examination with no additional fees or applications.
Kern County – There is no county level management agency, so testers need to be registered with each water purveyor. California Water Service ( Cal-Water ) operates much of the services in the county, and they require an SWRCB approved third party examination with no additional fees or applications.
City and County of San Francisco – Testers need to have an SWRCB approved third party examination certification, a certificate of liability insurance, and a calibrated test kit, and submit an application and fee to the San Francisco Department of Public Health. You then have to take a written only exam which is scheduled directly through them.
Ventura County – This is regulated by the County of Ventura, Resource Management Agency. They used to have a program where they managed the backflow assembly testing, but now it appears they have very little to do with it and post a list of water purveyors. Most likely all of them require an SWRCB approved third party examination with no additional fees or applications.
San Mateo County – There is no county level management agency, so testers need to be registered with each water purveyor. California Water Service ( Cal-Water ) operates much of the services in the county, and they require an SWRCB approved third party examination with no additional fees or applications.
San Joaquin County – This is managed by the San Joaquin County Environmental Health Department. There is not a lot of information on their website, but they likely require an SWRCB approved third party examination with no additional fees or applications to get on their backflow testers' list.
Stanislaus County – This is managed by the Stanislaus County Department of Environmental Resources, and their website doesn't have much information, but they require an SWRCB approved third party examination with no additional fees or applications. Our contact is rariess@envres.org
Marin County – This is managed by Marin Water – they require an SWRCB approved third party examination, and then you fill out a registration form to set up a hands-on demonstration with them, held in April and October of each year. They also ask for your CSLB license number, C-36 Plumbing, C-27 Landscaping, C-16 Fire Sprinkler, or miscellaneous related field that includes backflow prevention assemblies, but it's not clear if the licenses are required or just informational.
Santa Barbara County - There is no county level program, each jurisdiction has their own list. The City of Santa Barbara requires an SWRCB approved third party examination. Santa Ynez Conservation district has the same requirements but a separate submission to get on their tester list.
(if your county is not listed, you might want to google it yourself and check their requirements, if they are not listed then there is likely no county program and defaults to the local water purveyors, who generally just require an SWRCB approved third party examination )