ASSE 5110 Backflow Tester Certification: Requirements, Exam, and Renewal
Understand the five-year experience prerequisite, 40-hour course, written and practical exams, three-year term, and local acceptance rules.
By Nik Machemehl. Published 2026-10-12. 4 min read.
ASSE 5110 is an advanced personnel certification for people who field-test installed backflow prevention assemblies. It is not a beginner plumbing credential, a plumbing license, or universal permission to test in every jurisdiction.
The current ASSE requirements include five years of documented related practical experience, a minimum 40-hour course, a written exam, and a hands-on practical exam. Verify local acceptance before spending money because the authority having jurisdiction may set additional or different rules.
Understand what ASSE 5110 covers
The ASSE International certification page describes 5110 as qualification to test installed backflow prevention assemblies in the field.
The credential does not by itself authorize a person to perform general plumbing, repair every assembly, administer a cross-connection-control program, or override local requirements. A water authority, state agency, municipality, or other authority having jurisdiction may control who can test and which procedures it accepts.
Check the experience prerequisite
Applicants need at least five years of documented practical experience in the installation or service of plumbing, mechanical, fire-protection, lawn-irrigation, or a related field.
That prerequisite is why ASSE 5110 should not be marketed as a quick entry credential. A new apprentice may build toward it over time, but completing a course does not replace the required experience.
Before enrolling, ask the approved school or ASSE what documentation is accepted and how your specific work history should be submitted.
Complete the required training
Initial candidates must successfully complete a minimum 40-hour course covering the ASSE 5110 standard.
Forty hours describes a minimum course requirement, not the total time needed to become eligible. It comes after the experience prerequisite and does not include every possible application, travel, study, or examination step.
Compare providers by:
ASSE approval and current schedule;
included manuals and equipment;
amount of hands-on practice;
class and exam dates;
retest rules and fees;
total tuition and material cost; and
whether the local authority recognizes the program.
Pass the written and practical exams
Written exam
The initial written exam has 100 questions, and candidates need 70 percent or higher to pass under the requirements reviewed for this guide.
Practical exam
The candidate must demonstrate testing on four assembly standards: ASSE 1013, 1015, 1020, and 1056. At least one assembly is placed in a failure mode.
The practical requirement matters because the credential is not based only on remembering terms. Candidates must follow an accepted test procedure, collect readings, recognize failures, and report results accurately.
Verify jurisdiction acceptance
ASSE is the credential issuer. The local water authority or other authority having jurisdiction decides what is accepted for local work.
Before enrolling, ask the authority:
Is ASSE 5110 accepted or required here?
Is a plumbing, irrigation, fire-protection, or contractor license also required?
Must testers register locally or carry insurance?
Which test procedures and forms are required?
Is additional local training or an exam required?
Which assemblies may a tester inspect, test, repair, or replace?
Get the answer from the authority, not only from a training seller.
Understand the full cost
ASSE listed an initial exam fee of $160 when this guide was researched. That is not the complete cost.
Your total can also include the 40-hour course, manuals, test equipment, travel, application processing, local registration, insurance, and retests. Ask the provider for an itemized total before enrolling.
Issuer and provider fees can change. Recheck the ASSE page and school quote immediately before paying.
Maintain the certification
ASSE 5110 has a three-year certification period. Recertification currently requires:
a minimum eight-hour recertification class;
a written exam; and
a practical exam.
ASSE states that the recertification written exam is 50 questions now and will change to 100 questions on January 1, 2027. Because that date is close, candidates should check the current recertification page rather than relying on an older course description.
ASSE listed a $110 recertification exam fee when this guide was researched. Provider and other costs remain separate.
Decide whether this credential fits your path
ASSE 5110 may fit experienced plumbers, irrigation specialists, fire-protection workers, mechanical workers, and others whose jurisdiction or employer needs qualified backflow testers.
It does not fit someone simply looking for the fastest way into plumbing. New entrants should first follow the local apprentice, training, and licensing path described in How to Become a Plumber.
Common questions
Can a new plumbing apprentice earn ASSE 5110?
Not without meeting the five-year documented related-experience prerequisite.
Is it a plumbing license?
No. It is a personnel certification with a limited testing scope. Government licensing and local authorization are separate.
Is it accepted everywhere?
Do not assume so. Verify acceptance and additional requirements with the authority having jurisdiction.
Is $160 the full price?
No. It is the initial ASSE exam fee listed when researched. Training and other provider or local costs are separate.
How long does it last?
The certification period is three years, followed by ASSE recertification requirements.
Conclusion
ASSE 5110 is a specialized credential for experienced workers who test installed backflow prevention assemblies. Its five-year experience prerequisite, 40-hour course, exams, and three-year term make it a serious later-career qualification—not an entry shortcut.
Confirm both the issuer's current rules and the local authority's acceptance before enrolling.
Sources used in this guide
ASSE International — Backflow Prevention Certifications
ASSE International — Recertification
ASSE International — Cross-Connection-Control Guidelines
Facts and fees last verified October 12, 2026. Recheck ASSE and local jurisdiction rules before enrolling or recertifying.
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