Which Pesticide License Do You Need?
The following will help you figure out:
- Which pesticide license do you need?
- Which test is required?
- What manuals do you need to study.
- What passing grade is required?
- Are there any limitations on the certification?
- What are the renewal requirements of your license?
The laws can be somewhat complex and vague at times. This document cannot answer all questions. If in doubt, consult the Pesticide Applicator Certification and Licensing in Florida [436KB pdf] published by Florida Division of Agricultural Environmental Services (FDACS). Call (850) 488-3314 to obtain a copy of this publication. For clarification, contact either the Bureau of Compliance Monitoring (BCM) at (850) 617-7870, or the Bureau of Entomology & Pest Control (BEPC) at (850) 921-4177 - whichever is appropriate, in Tallahassee.
Pesticide Certification Decision Questions
The following questions and answers are intended to help potential applicators determine specifically which certification they require.
1. Do you work for a public agency?
| Yes | Go to Question #3 |
| No | Go to Question #2 |
2. What type of Property are you spraying? Private or Commercial?
| Private property owned by you or your employer (does NOT include contractors for-hire). | Go to Question #5 |
| Private property owned by a person or business other than yourself or your employer (includes contractors for-hire and wood treatment). | Go to Question #4 |
| Public property owned by the public and administered by a Local, State or Federal Agency. | Go to Question #4 |
3. What type of Public Site are you treating?
| Agriculture | Go to Question #7 |
| Aquatic (herbicides only) | Go to Answer A |
| Forest | Go to Answer B |
| Marine paint for boats & other structures | Go to Answer C |
| Mosquito Control | Go to Answer D |
| Natural Area | Go to Answer EE |
| Right-Of-Way | Go to Answer E |
| Structural or Interior pest control | Go to Answer F |
| Turf & Landscape around or near public buildings | Go to Answer G |
| Turf & landscape at golf courses, parks & cemeteries ONLY | Go to Answer H |
| Wood treatment | Go to Answer CC |
4. What type of Commercial Site are you treating?
| Aquatic (herbicides only) | Go to Answer I |
| Agricultural (farm, ranch, grove, etc) | Go to Question #6 |
| Forest | Go to Answer J |
| Marine paint for boats & other structures | Go to Answer K |
| Natural Area | Go to Answer DD |
| Right-Of-Way | Go to Answer L |
| Structural or interior pest control | Go to Answer M |
| Landscape shrubs/ beds only (no turf) | Go to Answer N |
| Turf & landscape | Go to Answer O |
| Wood treatment | Go to Answer W |
5. What type of Private Site are you treating?
| Structural or Interior pest control | Go to Answer F |
| Turf & Landscape pest control | Go to Answer G |
| Other privately owned or rented (by the client or client's employer) property - i.e. farm, ranch, grove, nursery, etc. | Go to Answer P |
6. What type of Site are you treating?
| Agriculture Animals | Go to Answer Q |
| Agriculture Row Crop | Go to Answer R |
| Agriculture Tree Crop | Go to Answer S |
| Raw Agricultural Commodity Fumigation | Go to Answer T |
| Soil & Greenhouse Fumigation | Go to Answer V |
7. What type of Public Agriculture Site are you treating?
| Agriculture Animals | Go to Answer X |
| Agriculture Row Crop | Go to Answer Y |
| Agriculture Tree Crop | Go to Answer Z |
| Raw Agricultural Commodity Fumigation | Go to Answer AA |
| Soil & Greenhouse Fumigation | Go to Answer BB |
Pesticide Certification Decision Answers
Answer A
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Public Certification in the Aquatic Category (view complete details).
Answer B
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Public Certification in the Forest Category (view complete details).
Answer C
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Public Certification in the Organotin Antifouling Paint Category.
This certification requires a passing grade (70%) on the Organotin Antifouling Paint Exam. You do not need to take the General Standards (CORE) Exam. This certification must be renewed every 4 years either by testing or with 4 CEUs. As of March 1, 2002 the license fee is $60 for 4 years, both initially and for each renewal. There is no fee for this examination.
The manual you need to study is:
- Organotin Antifouling Paint Manual (SM-042). $5.00.
Please make note of this information. Contact the County Extension Office in your county to determine the dates and times of pesticide testing.
Answer D
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Public Certification in the Public Health Category (view complete details).
Answer E
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Public Certification in the Right-Of-Way Category (view complete details).
Answer F
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Limited Structural Certification (view complete details).
Answer G
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Limited Lawn & Ornamental Certification (view complete details).
Answer H
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Public Certification in the Ornamental & Turf Category (view complete details).
Answer I
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Commercial Certification in the Aquatic Category (view complete details).
Answer J
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Commercial Certification in the Forest Category (view complete details).
Answer K
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Commercial Certification in the Organotin Antifouling Paint Category.
This certification requires a passing grade (70%) on the Organotin Antifouling Paint Exam. You do not need to take the General Standards (CORE) Exam. This certification must be renewed every 4 years either by testing or with 4 CEUs. As of March 1, 2002 the license fee is $160 for 4 years, both initially and for each renewal. There is no fee for this examination.
The manual you need to study is:
- Organotin Antifouling Paint Manual (SM-042). $5.00.
Please make note of this information. Contact the County Extension Office in your county to determine the dates and times of pesticide testing.
Answer L
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Commercial Certification in the Right-Of-Way (view complete details).
Answer M
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Pest Control Operator Certification in the General Household Category (view complete details).
Answer N
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Limited Commercial Landscape Maintenance Certification (view complete details).
Answer O
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Pest Control Operator Certification in the Lawn & Ornamental Category (view complete details).
Answer P
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Private Certification in the Private ApplicatorCategory (view complete details).
Answer Q
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Commercial Certification in the Agriculture Animals Category (view complete details).
Answer R
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Commercial Certification in the Agriculture Row Crop Category (view complete details).
Answer S
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Commercial Certification in the Agriculture Tree Crop Category (view complete details).
Answer T
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Commercial Certification in the Raw Agricultural Commodity Fumigation Category
This certification requires a passing grade (70%) on the Raw Agricultural Commodity Fumigation Exam and a passing grade (70%) on the General Standards (CORE) Exam. This certification must be renewed every 4 years either by testing or with 4 CEUs. As of March 1, 2002 the license fee is $160 for 4 years, both initially and for each renewal. There is no fee for this examination.
The manuals you need to study are:
- Applying Pesticides Correctly: A Guide for Pesticide Applicators (CORE) (SM-1). $20.00. Also called the "CORE Manual".
- Raw Agricultural Commodity Fumigation (Raw Agricultural Commodity Fumigation Exam) (SM-66 ). $5.00
Please make note of this information. Contact the County Extension Office in your county to determine the dates and times of pesticide testing.
Answer V
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Commercial Certification in the Soil & Greenhouse Fumigation Category (view complete details).
Answer W
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Commercial Certification in the Wood Treatment Category.
This certification requires a passing grade (70%) on the Wood Treatment Exam and a passing grade (70%) on the GeneralStandards (CORE) Exam. This certification must be renewed every 4 years either by testing or with 4 CEUs.As of March 1, 2002 the license fee is $160 for 4 years, both initially and for each renewal. There is no fee for this examination.
The manuals you need to study are:
- Applying Pesticides Correctly: A Guide for Pesticide Applicators (CORE) (SM-1). $20.00. Also called the "CORE Manual".
- The Preservation of Wood (Wood Treatment Exam) (SM-32). $8.00.
Please make note of this information. Contact the County Extension Office in your county to determine the dates and times of pesticide testing.
Answer X
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Public Certification in the Agriculture Animals Category (view complete details).
Answer Y
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Public Certification in the Agriculture Row Crop Category (view complete details).
Answer Z
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Public Certification in the Agriculture Tree Crop Category (view complete details).
Answer AA
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Commercial Certification in the Raw Agricultural Commodity Fumigation Category
This certification requires a passing grade (70%) on the Raw Agricultural Commodity Fumigation Exam and a passing grade (70%) on the General Standards (CORE) Exam. This certification must be renewed every 4 years either by testing or with 4 CEUs. As of March 1, 2002 the license fee is $160 for 4 years, both initially and for each renewal. There is no fee for this examination.
The manuals you need to study are:
- Applying Pesticides Correctly: A Guide for Pesticide Applicators (CORE) (SM-1). $20.00. Also called the "CORE Manual".
- Raw Agricultural Commodity Fumigation (Raw Agricultural Commodity Fumigation Exam) (SM-66 ). $5.00
Please make note of this information. Contact the County Extension Office in your county to determine the dates and times of pesticide testing.
Answer BB
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Public Certification in the Soil & Greenhouse Fumigation Category (view complete details).
Answer CC
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Commercial Certification in the Wood Treatment Category.
This certification requires a passing grade (70%) on the Wood Treatment Exam and a passing grade (70%) on the General Standards (CORE) Exam. This certification must be renewed every 4 years either by testing or with 4 CEUs.As of March 1, 2002 the license fee is $160 for 4 years, both initially and for each renewal. There is no fee for this examination.
The manuals you need to study are:
- Applying Pesticides Correctly: A Guide for Pesticide Applicators (CORE) (SM-1). $20.00. Also called the "CORE Manual".
- The Preservation of Wood (Wood Treatment Exam) (SM-32). $8.00.
Please make note of this information. Contact the County Extension Office in your county to determine the dates and times of pesticide testing.
Answer DD
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Commercial Certification in the Natural Areas (view complete details).
Answer EE
The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires a Public Certification in the Natural Areas Category (view complete details).
Downloads
Online CEUs
- Available CEU Class Search - Bureau of Entomology & Pest Control (BEPC)
- Bullseye Environmental: Bob Kessler CEU
- Florida Online & Distance Pesticide CEUs
- JPC Enterprises: CEUWeb.com
- National Pest Management Association, Inc
- Ornamental Outlook
- St. Lucie County
- UF/IFAS Florida Training and CEU Tutorials
- More Online CEU Opportunities...
Resources
- Basic Florida Pesticide License Information [73KB pdf]
- Bureau of Compliance Monitoring (BCM)
- Bureau of Entomology & Pest Control (BEPC)
- Florida Administrative Code, Chapter 5E-14: Entomology - Pest Control Regulations
- Licensing and Certification - Bureau of Entomology & Pest Control (BEPC)
- Limited Certification Application Instructions for Commercial Landscape Maintenance (216KB pdf)
- Pesticide Applicator Licenses - Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (FDACS)
- Pesticide Certification & Licensing - Bureau of Compliance Monitoring (BCM)
- Study Guides, Materials and Manuals
Florida Statutes
- Chapter 388: Mosquito Control - The 2000 Florida Statutes
- Chapter 482: Pest Control - The 2000 Florida Statutes
- Chapter 482: Structural Pest Control Act - The 2008 Florida Statutes
- Chapter 487: Pesticides - The 2000 Florida Statutes