Accelerated Certification Training (ACT)

Registering for the ACT

Before registering for the accelerated OSTDS courses, you must submit your certification application to the State Health Office (see forms below).

The application process for Environmental Health Certification is managed by the Florida Department of Health's Facilities Program.

Examination Requirements for the ACT

The exams for each section of the ACT will be proctored by the DEP’s Operator Certification Program’s testing provider, PSI. Once the webinar and hands-on portion of the ACT is complete, participants will receive notification with further instructions regarding the exams. A score of 70% or greater is required to pass each portion of the course. Any participant scoring less than 70% will be provided further instruction for reexaminations. Participants will be allowed to schedule two attempts to achieve passing scores on any section of the ACT. Those who do not achieve a passing score after scheduling two attempts are required to first retake the ACT course(s) corresponding to the exam that was not passed before they will be authorized to schedule another exam.

ACT Course Agenda and Documents

As of January 2021, a hybrid version of the Accelerated Certification Training has been implemented, combining prerequisite webinar coursework hosted by the Florida Onsite Wastewater Association (FOWA) with a hands-on training component. Agendas for the hands-on component and a listing of the webinar series for Parts I, II and III of the ACT is provided below.

• Webinar Listing

• ACT Participation Guide

• The location of the ACT PDF Webinars are here and the password is "student"

• For each Course (ACT/Master I, II, and III), the webinar components listed must be completed before a participant will be allowed to attend the corresponding hands-on component.
  • Training Center Hands-On Class Agenda
    • Each full certification training course will require participation in a 2-day hands-on session.  The dates are in the schedule below and will run as two groups, each assigned to either the Monday through Tuesday class or the Wednesday through Thursday session.
    • Session 1 - Monday/Tuesday 
      • Monday Morning ACT/Master I - 3.5 Contact Hours
        • 8:00 – 8:15       Welcome, Q/A, and Overview (Master I and Master III)
        • 8:15 – 9:00       Hands-On Tour of Training Center Stations (0.75 Contact Hours: R, M and C)
        • 9:00 – 10:00      Hands-On Application Review Exercise (2.25 Contact Hours: R, M and C).
        • 10:00 – 10:15    Break
        • 10:15 – 11:30    Hands-On Application Review Exercise (Continued)
        • 11:30 – 12:00    Master I Questions and Review (0.5 Contact Hours: R, M and C)
        • 12:00 – 1:00      LUNCH (On Your Own)​​​​​
      • Monday Afternoon ACT/Master III – 3.25 Contact Hours
        • 1:00 – 2:45        System Inspection/Standardization Field Exercise (1.75 Contact Hours: R, M and C)
        • 2:45 – 3:00       Break
        • 3: 00 – 4:00      Permit Specification Exercises (1.0 Contact Hours: R, M and C)
        • 4:00 – 4:30       Master III Questions/Review (0.5 Contact Hours: R, M and C)
      • Tuesday (ACT/Master II - 6.75 Contact Hours
        • 8:00 – 8:15       Welcome, Q/A, and Overview (Master II)
        • 8:15 – 9:00       Field Soil Exercise (0.75 Contact Hours: R, M and C)
          • Munsell Color Determination
          • Touch Texture Methodology
          • Near-Saturated Rub Test
          • Use of Hydric and Non-Hydric Indicators
        • 9:00 – 9:15       Break
        • 9:15 – 12:00      Field Soil Exercise (2.75 Contact Hours: R, M and C)
          • Auger and Sharpshooter Use
          • WSWT Determination
        • 12:00 – 1:00      LUNCH (On Your Own)
        • 1:00 – 1:45       Field Soils Exercise (0.75 Contact Hours: R, M and C)
          • Touch Texture Practice (Ribboning)
        • 1:45 – 2:45       Site Evaluation Standardization Field Exercise (1.0 Contact Hours: R, M and C)
        • 2:45 – 3:00       Break
        • 3:00 – 4:00       Site Evaluation and Soil Classroom Exercises (1.00 Contact Hours: R, M and C)
        • 4:00 – 4:30       Master II Questions/ Review (0.5 Contact Hours: R, M and C)
      • Session 2 - Wednesday/Thursday
        • 8:00 – 8:15       Welcome, Q/A, and Overview (Master II)
        • 8:15 – 9:00       Field Soil Exercise (0.75 Contact Hours: R, M and C)
          • Munsell Color Determination
          • Touch Texture Methodology
          • Near-Saturated Rub Test
          • Use of Hydric and Non-Hydric Indicators
        • 9:00 – 9:15       Break
        • 9:15 – 12:00      Field Soil Exercise (2.75 Contact Hours: R, M and C)
          • Auger and Sharpshooter Use
          • WSWT Determination
        • 12:00 – 1:00      LUNCH (On Your Own)
        • 1:00 – 1:45       Field Soils Exercise (0.75 Contact Hours: R, M and C)
          • Touch Texture Practice (Ribboning)
        • 1:45 – 2:45       Site Evaluation Standardization Field Exercise (1.0 Contact Hours: R, M and C)
        • 2:45 – 3:00       Break
        • 3:00 – 4:00       Site Evaluation and Soil Classroom Exercises (1.00 Contact Hours: R, M and C)
        • 4:00 – 4:30       Master II Questions/ Review (0.5 Contact Hours: R, M and C)
      • Thursday Morning ACT/Master I - 3.5 Contact Hours
        • 8:00 – 8:15       Welcome, Q/A, and Overview (Master I and Master III)
        • 8:15 – 9:00       Hands-On Tour of Training Center Stations (0.75 Contact Hours: R, M and C)
        • 9:00 – 10:00      Hands-On Application Review Exercise (2.25 Contact Hours: R, M and C).
        • 10:00 – 10:15    Break
        • 10:15 – 11:30    Hands-On Application Review Exercise (Continued)
        • 11:30 – 12:00    Master I Questions and Review (0.5 Contact Hours: R, M and C)
        • 12:00 – 1:00      LUNCH (On Your Own)
      • Thursday Afternoon ACT/Master III – 3.25 Contact Hours
        • 1:00 – 2:45        System Inspection/Standardization Field Exercise (1.75 Contact Hours: R, M and C)
        • 2:45 – 3:00       Break
        • 3: 00 – 4:00      Permit Specification Exercises (1.0 Contact Hours: R, M and C)
        • 4:00 – 4:30       Master III Questions/Review (0.5 Contact Hours: R, M and C)

ACT Course Dates for 2025 (Notice: ACT classes during the week of October 14, 2024 are postponed due to effects from Hurricane Milton. New dates are the week of November 18, 2024 (status 10/21/24))

There are two full sessions each week, Session 1 is Monday and Tuesday, Session 2 is Wednesday and Thursday