I have a buddy going back to school and wants to do irrigation in between classes to allow for a flexible schedule but is struggling to find the proper way to get licensed.

Has anybody done this in the Houston area or has a contact?

Just pay a licensed irrigator to sign off on the job. Much easier.

You have to take a 40 hr class before being able to take the exam. There are several companies out there who provide the class. I agree with TS, pay a LI to sign off and pull permits if it is a temporary gig. I will say that LI's are in high demand right now, so not a bad career path.

ETA - go to tceq website for licensing requirements.

I was the youngest licensed irrigator in TX history when I got my license in 2006

I took the class through John Deere landscapes which became Site One landscape. LI 10871
contact tceq or A&M school of irrigation

El Hombre Mas Guapo said:

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I was the youngest licensed irrigator in TX history when I got my license in 2006

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Woah I know who you are

TCEQ has a list of training courses. I took my class at Houston Community College. After you take the 40 hour course, you have to pass the licensing exam. None of it was too difficult, especially if you are decent with math.

uncover&humpit said:

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TCEQ has a list of training courses. I took my class at Houston Community College. After you take the 40 hour course, you have to pass the licensing exam. None of it was too difficult, especially if you are decent with math.

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He's tried contacting the listed person on the TCEQ website for Houston community College and no return emails and the phone number is no longer in service.

I'm making the assumption that the OP's friend is just going to do repairs as it would be impossible to install a full irrigation system between classes by yourself. You'd need a good crew & a full day of work.

OP - does your friend have experience in diagnosing irrigation problems? Does he know how to set up a program on multiple irrigation controller types? How about tools? Wire tracker? Truck w/pipe rack? It would be a great way to make some money, but if he isn't experienced he'll burn up a ton of time learning on the job (Not to mention buying tools & a truck full of inventory)

I hate to discourage someone looking to work, but IMO it would be better to find a local irrigation contractor that needs a helper. Ride along with their repair tech & learn the trade. Trust me, they'll pay well for someone with a driver's license & is dependable.

I'd skip the irrigator's license for now & just become a licensed installer. He would have to have that anyway if working under someone else's license.

Today I discovered you need a license to install irrigation.

The TCEQ has lots of rules that are routinely violated with regards to irrigation installation.

They lack the ability to police & enforce their own rules. What usually gets the hammer dropped on an irrigator is when a customer begins complaining through the proper channels... then things can get really expensive.

You can still do irrigation repair & work on your own property outside of backflow work (I think)

rootube said:

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Today I discovered you need a license to install irrigation.

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When you run the risk of contaminating everyone's drinking water down line from you, you appreciate that they have some kind of training and licensing.

rootube said:

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Today I discovered you need a license to install irrigation.

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This is what is wrong with my industry

among many things like the municipalities not caring (too busy) to respond to unlicensed irrigator reports

Apache said:

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The TCEQ has lots of rules that are routinely violated with regards to irrigation installation.

They lack the ability to police & enforce their own rules. What usually gets the hammer dropped on an irrigator is when a customer begins complaining through the proper channels... then things can get really expensive.

You can still do irrigation repair & work on your own property outside of backflow work (I think)

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That's a relief. Im also going to tell my wife she is married to an outlaw. May spice thing up a bit.

El Hombre Mas Guapo said:

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I was the youngest licensed irrigator in TX history when I got my license in 2006

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Are your initials JL? Are your dad's initials also JL?

craig09 said:

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El Hombre Mas Guapo said:

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I was the youngest licensed irrigator in TX history when I got my license in 2006

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Are your initials JL? Are your dad's initials also JL?

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mAgnoliAg said:

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craig09 said:

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El Hombre Mas Guapo said:

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I was the youngest licensed irrigator in TX history when I got my license in 2006

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Are your initials JL? Are your dad's initials also JL?

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No - but maybe the year was actually 2005... I'll see if I can find anything from those days and confirm.

Rookie move, you gotta know if you drop some personal info on the ODB you're going to be found, and quickly!

El Hombre Mas Guapo said:

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mAgnoliAg said:

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craig09 said:

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El Hombre Mas Guapo said:

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I was the youngest licensed irrigator in TX history when I got my license in 2006

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Are your initials JL? Are your dad's initials also JL?

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No - but maybe the year was actually 2005... I'll see if I can find anything from those days and confirm.

Rookie move, you gotta know if you drop some personal info on the ODB you're going to be found, and quickly!

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So is that a yes? "JL" got it at age 13-14 around that time. I actually thought it was a few years before that

mAgnoliAg said:

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El Hombre Mas Guapo said:

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mAgnoliAg said:

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craig09 said:

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El Hombre Mas Guapo said:

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I was the youngest licensed irrigator in TX history when I got my license in 2006

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Are your initials JL? Are your dad's initials also JL?

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No - but maybe the year was actually 2005... I'll see if I can find anything from those days and confirm.

Rookie move, you gotta know if you drop some personal info on the ODB you're going to be found, and quickly!

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So is that a yes? "JL" got it at age 13-14 around that time. I actually thought it was a few years before that

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Another LI here. The younger JL got his at 12 in 1998 or 1999. He is in the 8xxx. My former boss and the guy who taught me the trade was in the class with him and said that the older JL absolutely hammered him the entire class and he never buckled once, he used to talk about it all the time.

Small world

In the Houston area have him look up WETS (http://wetscourses.com) . They have the Irrigator Licensing Class in the Houston Area fairly often likely monthly to every other month.

Its a big investment by the time you pay for classes ($500), exam ($120) and licensing application ($111) for a student wanting to make money on the side. Also it is not a quick process to get licensed and he is very behind if he wants to get licensed this summer.

I've been an LI since 2008 but was working in Ag irrigation for 4 years prior to that. I work more on the consulting and education side but manage to squeeze in a good handful of repairs after regular hours during the summer.

You dont have to have a lot of special equipment to get started out as but you do need to have a basic inventory to do timely repairs. I have a big plastic tub of pvc fittings and another of sprinklers and valves with about 5ft of 1/2". 3/4" and 1" pipe in my truck that gets me through most repairs, i dont have everything so there is still the occasional run to the supplier.