A pump truck is parked two doors down, and the driver walks over to say he can do yours too while he is on the block, cash, today. Maybe he is the best cesspool man in Brookhaven. Maybe he is not licensed at all. The county will tell you which, and you can find out from your phone before he finishes his coffee.
Which license applies in each county
The two counties license this work differently, so the first step is knowing what to search for.
| Suffolk | Nassau | |
|---|---|---|
| License | Liquid waste license, with endorsements for each kind of work | Home improvement license |
| Issued by | Suffolk County Department of Consumer Affairs | Nassau County Office of Consumer Affairs |
| Law | Suffolk County Code, Chapter 563, Article VII | Nassau’s home improvement licensing, which lists “cesspool builders and cleaners” and “sewer cleaners” |
| Where to look it up | Suffolk license search, choose “Liquid Waste License” | Nassau license lookup |
Looking up a Suffolk license
- Open the Suffolk Consumer Affairs license search.
- Type the business name, or the license number if you have it. You can also search by phone number, address, city or ZIP code.
- In “Search for a Specific License Type,” choose Liquid Waste License.
- Check that the name matches the truck and the paperwork, and that the license is current.
The county notes that searching by license type shows license data only, not complaints or violations. For those, call Consumer Affairs at (631) 853-4600.
Suffolk’s guide for its septic portal says this license number usually starts with “LW,” a dash and five digits. If the number on a quote looks nothing like that, ask.
What the Suffolk endorsements mean
A Suffolk liquid waste license is only half the answer. Section 563-79 requires an endorsement for each kind of work, and a company can hold some and not others. The ones homeowners run into:
- Septic tank pumping, cleaning and maintenance: pumping and servicing cesspools, septic tanks and holding tanks
- Waste line cleaning and inspection: clearing and inspecting the pipes
- Conventional septic system maintenance inspector: inspections
- Conventional septic system installation: installing, replacing or doing major repairs on conventional systems
- Innovative and alternative treatment system installer: installing nitrogen-reducing systems
- Innovative and alternative treatment system service provider: inspecting, running, maintaining and making minor repairs on those systems
Ask which endorsements the company holds and whether they cover your job.
What it takes to get one in Suffolk
Under sections 563-79 and 563-80, applicants generally need five years of documented experience in the trade within the last ten, $1,000,000 in liability insurance and a $10,000 license and permit bond. The installation endorsements need a training class and certification test, and the nitrogen-reducing endorsements also need manufacturer certificates. Renewing takes continuing education. A company that has all that has a lot to lose by doing the job badly.
Looking up a Nassau license
- Open the Nassau Consumer Affairs license lookup.
- Search by company name or license number.
- Check that the license is active and the name matches.
Nassau’s grant flyer for its SEPTIC program says contractors working under the grant must hold a Nassau County home improvement license and carry appropriate insurance.
Extra checks for grant-funded work
If a county grant is paying for a new system, there is one more list. Suffolk says only vendors on its Approved Installer List may install grant-funded systems; the list is linked from the county’s septic grant page. In Nassau, the county’s Septic FAQ says state law does not allow the same firm to both design and install a system, so your designer and installer should be two different companies.
The truck and the state permit
Hauling septage is also regulated by the state. Under Part 364 of the state’s waste transporter rules, septage is a regulated waste, and the companies hauling it need a waste transporter permit from NYSDEC unless an exemption applies. It is fair to ask a company whether it has one.
Our license line on each company
Every company card here carries a license line. A yellow “not checked yet” line means we have not searched for that company, and its link opens the right county search so you can. A green line with a number means our search found an active license on the date we list. A company’s own profile page is published only after that green check.