Exam Information

The following information is regarding the Swimming Pool and Spa Association’s approved challenge PO exam. To register for the Challenge Pool Operator’s exam, we ask that you go to our affiliate’s website at americanlifeguard.com and under Courses Through ALA scroll down to Virginia. On the next page and select Pool Operators Challenge Exam.

The Swimming Pool and Spa Association (SPSA) has the exclusive right to offer the approved Challenge Pool Operator’s exam, which meets the requirements to obtain a three-year Swimming Pool Operator’s certificate. This certificate is approved by numerous Northern Virginia jurisdictions, which include Fairfax County, Prince William County, the City of Alexandria, Loudoun County, the City of Fredericksburg, Fairfax City, and Falls Church. The PO requirements for these jurisdictions do not require individuals to have completed a lifeguard course, and no documentation of training is required to challenge the SPSA-approved exam.

It is up to the candidates to decide if they want to take a pool operator’s course because formal training is not a requirement. If you would like to take a national pool operator’s training course, we recommend the self-study program being offered by our affiliate, the American Lifeguard Association. This self-study course is also approved for other jurisdictions such as the State of Maryland and the District of Columbia. For further information on this PO course you may go to, http://americanlifeguard.com and select “Lifeguard Course Offered” at the top left of the home page.

The challenge exam is a timed 50-question multiple-choice test that candidates may take up to one hour to complete. Candidates must pass with a grade of 80 or higher to receive their PO certificate. The lifeguard course exam is offered only in English, and it is to be taken the closed book, with no access or reference to student notes, manuals, or language dictionaries. It will be necessary to bring proper proof of ID, such as a driver’s license, school ID, passport, or similar photo ID, and candidates must be 16 years of age or older to take the exam. The cost of our self-study course with exam and the three-year certificate is $250.00, and the registration for the exam must be paid in advance through our online registration system at the following link: SPSA PO Challenge Course

Upon completion of the exam, candidates will receive their PO results by email within 24 hours. Successful candidates will have a copy of their Swimming Pool Operator’s certification emailed to them with their results, and this certification may be used as your temporary certification. In addition, a plastic waterproof wallet certification card will be mailed out to them the next mailing day. As with all our certifications, you may go online to the Universal Certificate site at http://www.universalcertification.org and verify their validity.

For Further Information And To Register We Ask That You CLICK HERE

In addition to individual testing, the Swimming pool and spa association offer on-site group testing, for six or more individuals, in which we will send out one of our proctors to issue the exam. If you are interested in setting up group testing at your facility or location, we ask that you contact us in advance by emailing us at poolandspaassociation@yahoo.com so we may arrange accommodations for your group.

Along with offering on-site testing, the Swimming Pool and Spa Association offers the ability for groups to take the proctored exam at over 1,000 professional business centers across 450 cities in 75 countries worldwide with special arrangements. For more information, we ask that you email us at poolandspaassociation@yahoo.com.

If you have any questions or need any further assistance, we ask that you email us at poolandspaassociation@yahoo.com