Pool operator requirements in Maryland

Maryland is one of the states that runs its own pool-operator certification rather than simply pointing to a national credential. If you operate a public pool or spa in Maryland, the requirement is written into the state code and administered by the Maryland Department of Health, so it pays to know exactly what the card is and how to keep it current.

Does Maryland require a certified pool operator?

Yes. COMAR 10.17.01.41 is explicit: a person may not act as or perform the duties of a public pool or spa operator without a pool and spa operator certification card issued by the Secretary of Health. The rule also defines a general pool operator, who may perform operator duties at a limited public-use, recreational, or semipublic pool and public spa.

Which certification does Maryland accept?

Maryland does not name the CPO or AFO by brand in the regulation. Instead it issues its own operator certification card, earned by:

• Completing a 14-hour approved public pool and spa operator’s course, and
• Scoring at least 70 percent on an approved written examination.

A CPO-style course that Maryland has approved can be the vehicle for meeting this, but the credential of record is the state-issued card, not the national certificate on its own. If you are deciding which course to take, the CPO vs AFO guide explains how the national credentials map onto state requirements like Maryland’s.

The governing code and agency

• Agency: Maryland Department of Health (the Secretary issues the operator card).
• Rule: COMAR 10.17.01 (Public Swimming Pools and Spas), with operator certification at .41.

Recertification in Maryland

The operator certification card is valid for three years. To renew, an operator completes an approved 4-hour refresher course or passes a challenge exam offered by the Secretary. Note that this three-year cycle is shorter than the national five-year CPO recertification, so Maryland operators renew more often than the national credential alone would require. See the CPO recertification guide for how the national cycle works.

Prepare for the exam behind the card

Whichever approved course you take, the water chemistry and pool math are the same, and the math is where most candidates win or lose. Drill it free with the pool-math trainer, verify your dosing and saturation-index work in the pool chemistry calculator, and read the full path in how to become a CPO. For contrast, Minnesota accepts the CPO course directly, while Massachusetts mandates no specific operator certification at all.

Source: Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 10.17.01.41 and 10.17.01 (verified 2026-07-24). Requirements are set by the Maryland Department of Health and can change; confirm the current regulation and your local jurisdiction before relying on it. Pool Operator Prep is independent and not affiliated with the Maryland Department of Health, PHTA, or NRPA.