Which Pesticide License Do You Need?
Dave Palmer - Extension Agent I - Hillsborough County Extension Service

The following information will help you figure out:
        which pesticide license you need
        which test is required
        what manuals you'll need to study
        what passing grade is required
        any limitations on the certification
        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 published by DACS - Division of Agricultural Environmental Services. Call (850) 488 - 3314 to obtain a copy of this publication. For clarification, contact either the Bureau of Compliance Monitoring (850) 488-3314 or the Bureau of Entomology &  Pest Control (850) 921-4177, whichever is appropriate, in Tallahassee.

  The following questions and answers are intended to help potential applicators determine specifically which certification they require.

Questions

Answer each question by clicking on the underlined term.
Use the "Back" button to return to a previous page

1) Do you work for a public agency?   

                                                               If Yes, then go to Question #3

                                                               If No, then go to Question #2

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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 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 site are you treating? (public)

            Agriculture................................................... Go to Question # 7

            Aquatic - herbicides only........................... Go to ANSWER A

            Forestry....................................................... 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 FF

            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 DD

4) What type of site are you treating? (commercial)

            Aquatic - herbicides only............................Go to ANSWER I

            Agricultural (farm, ranch, grove, etc) .........Go to Question #6

            Forestry.........................................................Go to ANSWER J

            Marine paint for boats
            & other structures.........................................Go to ANSWER K

            Natural Area..................................................Go to ANSWER EE

            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 site are you treating? (private)

            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

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   6) What type of commercial agricultural 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

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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 CC

Pesticide Certification Decision Table

ANSWERS

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Answer A. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                    a Public Certification in the Aquatic Category.
                    Click Here for complete details

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Answer B.  The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                      a Public Certification in the Forestry Category.
                      Click Here for complete details

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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 CEU's. 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-42) $5.00  

                Please make note of this information. Contact  the Cooperative Extension
                Office in your county to determine the dates and times of pesticide testing. 

                Click on the following link:  http://ifasbooks.ufl.edu/merchant2/merchant.mv?
                Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=IFASBOOKS&Category_Code=PTBK
                to scroll through the list of pesticide-related books available for purchase.

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 Answer D. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                     a Public Certification in the Public Health Category.

                This certification requires a passing grade (70%) on the Public Health
                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  16 CEU's. 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 manuals you need to study are:

                        "Applying Pesticides Correctly"  (SM-1) $7.00,  also called the
                          "Core" manual and  "Public Health Pest Control Applicator
                        Training Manual" This publication is   available FREE from The
                        Bureau of Entomology - Mosquito Control Section 850-922-7011

                Please make note of this information. Contact  the Cooperative Extension
                Office in your county to determine the dates and times of pesticide testing. 

               Click on the following link:  http://ifasbooks.ufl.edu/merchant2/merchant.mv?
                Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=IFASBOOKS&Category_Code=PTBK
                to scroll through the list of pesticide-related books available for purchase.

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Answer E. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                    a Public Certification in the Right-of-Way Category.
                    Click Here for complete details

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Answer F. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                    a Limited Structural Certification.
                    Click Here for complete details

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Answer G. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                    a Limited Lawn & Ornamental Certification.
                    Click Here for complete details

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Answer H. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                     a Public Certification in the Ornamental & Turf Category.
                     Click Here for complete details

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Answer I. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                   a Commercial Certification in the Aquatic Category
                   Click Here for complete details

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Answer J. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                    a Commercial Certification in the Forestry Category.
                    Click Here for complete details

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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 CEU's. 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-42) $5.00

                Please make note of this information. Contact  the Cooperative
                 Extension Office in your county to determine the dates and times of
                pesticide testing. 

                Click on the following link:  http://ifasbooks.ufl.edu/merchant2/merchant.mv?
                Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=IFASBOOKS&Category_Code=PTBK
                to scroll through the list of pesticide-related books available for purchase.

*

Answer L. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                    a Commercial Certification in the Right-of-Way Category.
                    Click Here for complete details

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Answer M. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                     a Pest Control Operator Certification in the General Household Category.
                     For more information Click Here

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 Answer N. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                     a Limited Commercial Landscape Maintenance Certification.
                     Click Here for complete details

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Answer O. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires:

                a Pest Control Operator Certification in the Lawn & Ornamental
                Category. Click Here for more details

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Answer P. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                     a Private Certification in the Private Applicator Category.
                     Click Here for complete details

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Answer Q. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                a Commercial Certification in the Agriculture Animals Category.
                Click Here for complete details

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Answer R. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                     a Commercial Certification in the Agriculture Row Crop Category.
                     Click Here for complete details

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Answer S. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                    a Commercial Certification in the Agriculture Tree Crop Category.
                    Click Here for complete details

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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 CEU's. 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"  (SM-1) $7.00,  also called the
                        "Core" manual and  "Raw Agricultural Commodity Fumigation"
                        (SM-66 ) $5.00

                Please make note of this information. Contact  the Cooperative Extension
                Office in your county to determine the dates and times of pesticide testing. 

                Click on the following link:  http://ifasbooks.ufl.edu/merchant2/merchant.mv?
                Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=IFASBOOKS&Category_Code=PTBK
                to scroll through the list of pesticide-related books available for purchase.

*

Answer V. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                    a Commercial Certification in the Soil & Greenhouse Fumigation  Category.
                    Click Here for complete details

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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 General Standards
                (Core) Exam. This certification  must be renewed every 4 years either by
                testing or with  4 CEU's. 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"  (SM-1) $7.00,  also called the
                        "Core" manual and  "The Preservation of Wood" (SM-32) $8.00

                Please make note of this information. Contact  the Cooperative Extension
                Office in your county to determine the dates and times of pesticide testing. 

                Click on the following link:  http://ifasbooks.ufl.edu/merchant2/merchant.mv?
                Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=IFASBOOKS&Category_Code=PTBK
                to scroll through the list of pesticide-related books available for purchase.

*

Answer X. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                    a Public Certification in the Agriculture Animals Category.
                    Click Here for complete details

*

Answer Y. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                    a Public Certification in the Agriculture Row Crop Category.
                    Click Here for complete details

*

Answer Z. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                    a Public Certification in the Agriculture Tree Crop Category.
                    Click Here for complete details

*

Answer AA. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                a Public 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 CEU's. 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 manuals you need to study are:

                        "Applying Pesticides Correctly"  (SM-1) $7.00,  also called the
                        "Core" manual and  "Raw Agricultural Commodity Fumigation"
                        (SM-66 ) $5.00

                Please make note of this information. Contact  the Cooperative Extension
                Office in your county to determine the dates and times of pesticide testing. 

               Click on the following link:  http://ifasbooks.ufl.edu/merchant2/merchant.mv?
                Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=IFASBOOKS&Category_Code=PTBK
                to scroll through the list of pesticide-related books available for purchase.

*

Answer CC. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                a Public Certification in the Soil & Greenhouse Fumigation Category.
                Click Here for complete details

*

Answer DD. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                a Public 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 CEU's. 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 manuals you need to study are:

                        "Applying Pesticides Correctly"  (SM-1) $7.00,  also called the
                        "Core" manual and  "The Preservation of Wood" (SM-32) $8.00

                Please make note of this information. Contact  the Cooperative Extension
                Office in your county to determine the dates and times of pesticide testing. 

                Click on the following link:  http://ifasbooks.ufl.edu/merchant2/merchant.mv?
                Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=IFASBOOKS&Category_Code=PTBK
                to scroll through the list of pesticide-related books available for purchase.

*

Answer EE. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                a Commercial Certification in the Natural Areas Category.
                Click Here for complete details

*

Answer FF. The type of pesticide application that you have indicated requires
                a Public Certification in the Natural Areas Category.
                Click Here for complete details

This page last updated on 12/16/06