Which states require a licence for biohazard cleanup?
Very few. Most states do not license trauma cleanup as its own trade and instead regulate the waste — who may transport it and where it may go. California and Florida are the two we have confirmed regulate this directly, and they do it in completely different ways.
The thing most people get wrong
Families reasonably assume that work this serious must require a licence, and that a licensed company is therefore a vetted one. Neither is generally true.
Most states do not license trauma cleanup as its own trade. What they regulate is the waste: who may transport it, in what packaging, and where it may be treated. A company can be entirely lawful in most of the country without any trade-specific credential at all.
What we have confirmed
| State | Verification | Agency | Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | Verified | California Department of Public Health | A business must register with CDPH as a Trauma Scene Waste Practitioner before it begins work. Registration requires a demonstrated contractual relationship with a registered medic… |
| Florida | Verified | Florida Department of Health | Florida does not license trauma cleanup and does not regulate how it is performed. It does require biomedical waste transporter registration for anyone transporting 25 pounds or mo… |
| Alabama | Not confirmed | Alabama Department of Public Health | We have not confirmed what Alabama requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a tra… |
| Alaska | Not confirmed | Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation | We have not confirmed what Alaska requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a trad… |
| Arizona | Not confirmed | Arizona Department of Environmental Quality | We have not confirmed what Arizona requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a tra… |
| Arkansas | Not confirmed | Arkansas Department of Health | We have not confirmed what Arkansas requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a tr… |
| Colorado | Not confirmed | Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment | We have not confirmed what Colorado requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a tr… |
| Connecticut | Not confirmed | Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection | We have not confirmed what Connecticut requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a… |
| Delaware | Not confirmed | Delaware Division of Public Health | We have not confirmed what Delaware requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a tr… |
| District of Columbia | Not confirmed | DC Department of Energy and Environment | We have not confirmed what District of Columbia requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than … |
| Georgia | Not confirmed | Georgia Environmental Protection Division | We have not confirmed what Georgia requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a tra… |
| Hawaii | Not confirmed | Hawaii Department of Health | We have not confirmed what Hawaii requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a trad… |
| Idaho | Not confirmed | Idaho Department of Environmental Quality | We have not confirmed what Idaho requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a trade… |
| Illinois | Not confirmed | Illinois Environmental Protection Agency | We have not confirmed what Illinois requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a tr… |
| Indiana | Not confirmed | Indiana Department of Health | We have not confirmed what Indiana requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a tra… |
| Iowa | Not confirmed | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | We have not confirmed what Iowa requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a trade … |
| Kansas | Not confirmed | Kansas Department of Health and Environment | We have not confirmed what Kansas requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a trad… |
| Kentucky | Not confirmed | Kentucky Division of Waste Management | We have not confirmed what Kentucky requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a tr… |
| Louisiana | Not confirmed | Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality | We have not confirmed what Louisiana requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a t… |
| Maine | Not confirmed | Maine Department of Environmental Protection | We have not confirmed what Maine requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a trade… |
| Maryland | Not confirmed | Maryland Department of the Environment | We have not confirmed what Maryland requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a tr… |
| Massachusetts | Not confirmed | Massachusetts Department of Public Health | We have not confirmed what Massachusetts requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through… |
| Michigan | Not confirmed | Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy | We have not confirmed what Michigan requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a tr… |
| Mississippi | Not confirmed | Mississippi State Department of Health | We have not confirmed what Mississippi requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a… |
| Missouri | Not confirmed | Missouri Department of Natural Resources | We have not confirmed what Missouri requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a tr… |
| Montana | Not confirmed | Montana Department of Environmental Quality | We have not confirmed what Montana requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a tra… |
| Nebraska | Not confirmed | Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy | We have not confirmed what Nebraska requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a tr… |
| Nevada | Not confirmed | Nevada Division of Environmental Protection | We have not confirmed what Nevada requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a trad… |
| New Hampshire | Not confirmed | New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services | We have not confirmed what New Hampshire requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through… |
| New Jersey | Not confirmed | New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection | We have not confirmed what New Jersey requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a … |
| New Mexico | Not confirmed | New Mexico Environment Department | We have not confirmed what New Mexico requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a … |
| New York | Not confirmed | New York State Department of Environmental Conservation | We have not confirmed what New York requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a tr… |
| North Carolina | Not confirmed | North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality | We have not confirmed what North Carolina requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than throug… |
| North Dakota | Not confirmed | North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality | We have not confirmed what North Dakota requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through … |
| Ohio | Not confirmed | Ohio Environmental Protection Agency | We have not confirmed what Ohio requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a trade … |
| Oklahoma | Not confirmed | Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality | We have not confirmed what Oklahoma requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a tr… |
| Oregon | Not confirmed | Oregon Department of Environmental Quality | We have not confirmed what Oregon requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a trad… |
| Pennsylvania | Not confirmed | Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection | We have not confirmed what Pennsylvania requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through … |
| Rhode Island | Not confirmed | Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management | We have not confirmed what Rhode Island requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through … |
| South Carolina | Not confirmed | South Carolina Department of Environmental Services | We have not confirmed what South Carolina requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than throug… |
| South Dakota | Not confirmed | South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources | We have not confirmed what South Dakota requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through … |
| Tennessee | Not confirmed | Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation | We have not confirmed what Tennessee requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a t… |
| Texas | Not confirmed | Texas Commission on Environmental Quality | We have not confirmed what Texas requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a trade… |
| Utah | Not confirmed | Utah Department of Environmental Quality | We have not confirmed what Utah requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a trade … |
| Vermont | Not confirmed | Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation | We have not confirmed what Vermont requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a tra… |
| Virginia | Not confirmed | Virginia Department of Environmental Quality | We have not confirmed what Virginia requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a tr… |
| Washington | Not confirmed | Washington State Department of Health | We have not confirmed what Washington requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a … |
| West Virginia | Not confirmed | West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection | We have not confirmed what West Virginia requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through… |
| Wisconsin | Not confirmed | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | We have not confirmed what Wisconsin requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a t… |
| Wyoming | Not confirmed | Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality | We have not confirmed what Wyoming requires of a trauma cleanup company. Most states appear to regulate this work only through general medical waste rules rather than through a tra… |
| Minnesota | Not confirmed | Minnesota Department of Health | Minnesota is sometimes described in industry material as licensing this work. We could not confirm that from a primary state source and are not repeating it. Call the agency above … |
California is the strict outlier. A business must register with the Department of Public Health as a Trauma Scene Waste Practitioner before beginning work, and must demonstrate a contractual relationship with a registered medical waste hauler and a permitted treatment facility. Renewal requires proof of disposal during the prior period.
This one matters to you directly, not just to the company: California’s victim compensation program will only reimburse cleanup performed by a registered practitioner. Hiring outside that list can cost you the claim. More on California.
Florida regulates indirectly. The Department of Health does not license trauma cleanup and does not regulate procedures. It requires biomedical waste transporter registration for anyone transporting 25 pounds or more from a trauma scene at once, and operating without it violates state law. The Department’s own directory of registered transporters explicitly disclaims any endorsement of cleanup procedures — being listed means a company may lawfully haul waste, and says nothing about the quality of its work. More on Florida.
What we are not publishing
You will find pages listing states that “license” this work, sometimes naming Minnesota and Indiana. We could not confirm those from primary state sources, so we are not repeating them.
That leaves this page incomplete, and we would rather it be incomplete than wrong. A properly sourced fifty-state matrix of this does not exist anywhere on the internet as far as we can tell. Building one honestly, state by state from primary sources, is work we are doing rather than work we are claiming to have done.
What to do in a state we have not confirmed
The absence of a licence requirement does not leave you without checks. Ask:
- Who transports the waste, and where is it treated? Every state regulates this somehow. A specific answer is a good sign; a vague one is the answer.
- Do the attending technicians hold IICRC TCST? What that means.
- Can I see your written exposure control plan and last training records? Federally required of any employer doing this work.
- Do you issue a Certificate of Treatment? Your claim will need it.