CPO Certification Requirements: What You Need to Know
Maintaining a pool isn’t just about water clarity — it’s about ensuring safety for swimmers, operating efficiently, extending the lifespan of equipment, and staying up-to-date with health regulations. Whether you manage a public swimming pool, private club, hotel facility, or spa, becoming a Certified Pool Operator (CPO) is an excellent way to sharpen your skills and knowledge of pool management to advance your career.
Getting your CPO certification has many benefits and can make you a more proficient pool professional; your skills will be better for it. Understanding what CPO Requirements are needed is one of the most common questions. The only requirements for becoming a CPO is confirming your state or jurisdiction rules, completing a course and passing the final exam, no previous experience in pool management is necessary!
Below we’ll cover all you need to know about the requirements to becoming a CPO, from picking a course to the various course structures to preparing for an exam and the CPO exam process.
What is a CPO?
As mentioned, a CPO is a Certified Pool Operator — the leading education and certification program for keeping pools safe, clean, and open.
There are numerous schools and companies that offer CPO certification, but the certification itself is overseen by the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA). The PHTA is the association representing the recreational swimming industry. Formed as a merger between the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (APSP) and the National Swimming Pool Foundation (NSPF) in 2019, the PHTA sets industry standards, including health and safety regulations, provides education, and advocates for the pool, spa, and hot tub industry.
What Will I Learn as a CPO?
CPO certification courses come in different formats, but they often only require approximately two days worth of training and instruction (more on that in a bit), plus a final exam to get your certification. A CPO course will cover in-depth several key aspects of pool maintenance. Just to name a few:
Health and safety compliance
Pool chemistry
Operational efficiency
Liability and risk management
Career advancement and professionalism
Environmental responsibility
Regulatory compliance
This in-depth training will equip professionals with the skills and knowledge to protect swimmers and efficiently run their facilities. Getting a CPO certification requires passing a final proctored exam. We will cover more on the exam below.
CPO Requirements by State
Any professional looking into becoming a CPO may want to learn state requirements, if it’s mandatory in their state or jurisdiction. While it’s highly advised that pool managers get their certification to sharpen their knowledge and skills, in some cases it may not be required.
According to the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance, 25 states require CPO training. Even within states that don’t require training, there may be some jurisdictions that do. Consult with the PHTA’s map below and check with your local codes.
| State / Jurisdiction | CPO Required | Approval Required | Virtual Delivery Allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No | No | Yes |
| Baldwin County AL | Yes | Yes | No |
| Alaska | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| City of Anchorage, AK | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Arizona | No | No | Yes |
| Cochise County, AZ | Yes | Yes | No |
| Pima County, AZ | Yes | Yes | No |
| Arkansas | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| California | No | No | Yes |
| Colorado | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Connecticut | No | No | Yes |
| Delaware | Yes | Yes | No |
| District of Columbia | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Florida | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Georgia | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hawaii | No | No | Yes |
| Idaho | Yes | Yes | No |
| Illinois | No | No | Yes |
| Indiana | No | No | Yes |
| Iowa | Yes | Yes | No |
| Kansas | No | No | Yes |
| Kentucky | No | No | Yes |
| Lousiana | No | No | Yes |
| Maine | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Maryland | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Massachusetts | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Michigan | No | No | Yes |
| Chippewa County, MI | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Marquette County, MI | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Minnesota | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mississippi | No | No | Yes |
| Missouri | No | No | Yes |
| St. Charles County, MO | Yes | Yes | No |
| City of Kansas City, MO | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| St. Louis County, MO | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Montana | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lancaster County, MT | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Nebraska | Yes | Yes | No |
| Nevada | Yes | No | Yes |
| Southern Nevada Health District, NV | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Washoe County, NV | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| New Hampshire | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| New Jersey | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| New Mexico | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bernalillo County, NM | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| City of Albuquerque, NM | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| New York | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Suffolk County, NY | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| North Carolina | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| North Dakota | No | No | Yes |
| Ohio | No | No | Yes |
| Oklahoma | No | No | Yes |
| Oregon | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | No | No | Yes |
| Allegheny County, PA | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rhode Island | No | No | Yes |
| South Carolina | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| South Dakota | No | No | Yes |
| Tennessee | No | No | Yes |
| Texas | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Utah | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Virginia | No | No | Yes |
| City of Alexandria, VA | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Arlignton County, VA | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fairfax County, VA | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Loudoun County, VA | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Vermont | No | No | Yes |
| Washington | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| West Virginia | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wisconsin | No | No | Yes |
| Wyoming | Yes | Yes | No |
CPO Certifications last for five years. There are also many CPO renewal courses if your CPO is expired or expiring.
How to Choose a CPO Course
Though all CPO certification courses teach the same information overall, they don’t all follow the exact same course structure. For instance, there are some in-person courses for two days (16 hours total) of instructor-led training. Other CPO courses allow you to get your CPO online, following a similar schedule while providing the convenience of online learning.
Some programs are a hybrid model, with a “CPO Fusion” course that covers the details of the Pool & Spa Operator Handbook, followed by a one-day, instructor-led class. Of course, all programs require passing a final proctored exam to earn CPO certification.
Choosing the best course structure for you all depends on your own schedule and preferences. If getting your CPO certification is mandatory for your career, perhaps taking a two-day, in-person class to learn the material as quickly as possible is the best route. If getting your CPO certification is optional and you just want to formalize your training and skills, perhaps a hybrid model that allows for more self-paced instruction is best.
Enrolling in a CPO certification course, while an excellent opportunity for career advancement, is also an expense of both time and money. So, choose a program that offers you perks, too! Consider whether you have to take the exam on the same day as the instructor-led course.
Perhaps this is the best option for those who like to cram and would rather take the exam while all of the information is fresh. But some students may feel overwhelmed with all of the information they receive in class. They may prefer a break before taking the exam. Some programs offer time in between classes and the final exam. This could be a better option for those who want to study the material and take practice exams. Look for programs that offer practice exams and study resources.
Additionally, research whether a CPO certification course offers multiple exam attempts — at no extra cost — just in case you don’t pass on the first try. But don’t worry, we believe anyone can pass the CPO exam on their first attempt.
How to Pass The CPO Exam
Getting your CPO certification requires passing a final proctored exam. For those who get anxious about taking tests: worry not.
The exam is open-notebook and multiple choice. You have three hours to complete the exam and need a 74% (or 37 of 50 questions) to pass. Still, it’s highly recommended that CPOs-in-training take multiple practice quizzes to get a better feel for the exam questions and the material itself.
The Training Center’s CPO certification course offers unlimited practice exams, of varying degrees in difficulty, and even points users to where they can find the relevant information in the Pool & Spa Operator Handbook. This type of preparation should make you confident when you head in for your final exam.
The Training Center CPO Course
The Training Center’s CPO certification course offers a flexible program that fits the needs of students. At just $350, The Training Center’s CPO course can be taken from the comfort of your home, at your own pace.
The program consists of three parts:
A 6-8-hour, self-paced, virtual Pool Operator Primer, which is an overview of the Pool & Spa Operator Handbook.
A one-day, five-hour, instructor-led Zoom course to continue your training.
The final exam, which can be taken on a separate day, allowing students more time to study and take practice exams.
The Training Center prides itself on its comprehensive, flexible, student-focused CPO program. This means unlimited practice exams, with different levels that offer increasing difficulty. Practice exams will also point students to where they can find relevant information in the Pool & Spa Operator Handbook — importance, since the exam is open-notebook, too.
Missed or forgot some information? The Training Center’s CPO course is recorded and allow students to go back and re-watch any time they want. Additionally, The Training Center offers unlimited final exam attempts — at no extra cost! This package of benefits is aimed at ensuring CPOs-in-training are given the best chance to pass their exam, earn their CPO certification, and advance their career.
