The Pennsylvania Pesticide Control Act covers all aspects of the regulation of pesticides in the Commonwealth, including:
Pesticides are substances that control, kill or mitigate pest organisms. They include, but are not limited to, herbicides, fungicides, insecticides and rodenticides. This brochure briefly explains why certification is necessary and the process of becoming a certified pesticide applicator. Applicator certification can be divided into two groups:
Certification as a commercial or public applicator is required if:
Certification as a private applicator is required if:
Required for Employers of Commercial and Public Applicators
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) defines a pesticide application business as a government entity or commercial establishment engaged in the application of pesticides and meeting the definition of a commercial or public applicator. This includes individual operators that meet the definition of a commercial or public applicator.
Businesses must be licensed to apply general or restricted-use pesticides. A license must be obtained indicating the certification category in which the business makes applications. The business must, at all times, employ an applicator certified for each category in which it intends to make a pesticide application.
Businesses must meet the requirements for comprehensive general liability insurance coverage for pesticide applications. A minimum of $200,000 coverage is required. This must include $100,000 coverage for bodily injury and $100,000 coverage for property damage per occurrence. Coverage must include a statement that pesticide applications are included, or endorsement #CG26160194 or #CG26160798.
Businesses operating at multiple locations or under more than one name must maintain separate business licenses, liability insurances, and records for each location or name. Vehicles involved in the application phase of a business are required to display the business license number in three-inch letters and numerals.
To become a certified private applicator, testing is required; however, normally only a private examination is necessary. Additional testing is required if the applicator intends to use a restricted-use fumigant. In this case, the applicator must obtain a special permit by passing a written examination specifically related to the type of fumigation that will be made. Private applicators are also required to obtain update training (six core and six category) credits at three-year intervals.
Currently there are 25 categories of commercial and public applicators (see “Pesticide Certification Categories and Recertification Credit Requirements”). To be eligible for certification, a person must pass two written examinations (core and category) and be employed by a pesticide application business. Once exams have been successfully passed, that person has 12 months to apply for certification with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
In anticipation of employment by a pesticide application business, an individual may take and pass the examinations and receive certification upon employment, provided the employment begins within 12 months of initial certification eligibility.
Study materials to prepare for testing may be obtained through Penn State Extension. Arrangements for testing are made locally through the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture regional offices listed in this brochure. Test dates and locations can be accessed through the PaPlants website.
To maintain certification, applicators must attend update training programs in core and appropriate category-specific topics. Six core credits and up to ten category credits for each category in which the applicator is certified are required (see “Pesticide Certification Categories and Recertification Credit Requirements”).
Recertification credits are accumulated based on attendance at approved meetings and other appropriate training. An annual statement of credits, which outline the credit requirements and recertification renewal date, is mailed to each certified applicator.
If the recertification credit requirements are not met by the specified date, the applicator's license will expire and that applicator will no longer be permitted to make pesticide applications until the license is reinstated (see "Reinstating an Expired Certification").
Registered technicians are those applicators who have received training as required under subsection 128.51 of the Pennsylvania Pesticide Rules and Regulations. Simply stated, these applicators have completed minimum training requirements under the direction of an applicator with at least one year’s certification in the category for which the technician is being trained. They must also be under the supervision of a certified applicator who can be on site within five hours if necessary. Registered technicians must be re-registered and receive update training on an annual basis.
Applications may be made by an individual who is neither certified nor a registered technician if and only if that individual is under the direct supervision of a certified applicator who is physically present and within sight of the application being made.
The Pennsylvania Pesticide Hypersensitivity Registry, which is maintained by the PDA, is a list of people who have been verified by a physician to be excessively or abnormally sensitive to pesticides. Commercial and public pesticide applicators must contact anyone on the registry whose listed location is within 500 feet of a pesticide application site.
Notification is mandatory and must be made not less than 12 hours and not more than 72 hours prior to the pesticide application. Notification requirements are met if the information is sent via email, placed on a telephone-answering device or information is given to an adult contacted by dialing any of the listed telephone numbers. Information that must be provided includes date, time, location of application, EPA registration number, brand name, common name of active ingredients of the pesticide(s) that may be used, business name, BU number, business phone number and a copy of the label if requested.
If an applicator’s certification expires, further use of pesticides that would otherwise be permitted is prohibited. However, the applicator has up to one year to reinstate the certification by obtaining the necessary recertification credits and paying the appropriate fees. If the certification is expired for more than one year, reexamination is required for recertification.
Commercial and public applicators must maintain records for each application. Private applicators are required to maintain records for all applications of restricted-use pesticides. Operations that employ agricultural workers or handlers covered by the Worker Protection Standard must keep records for all pesticide applications. All pesticide application records must be maintained for three years, completed within 24 hours of the pesticide application and contain the following:
To maintain pesticide certification, applicators must obtain updated training during three-year intervals by accumulating PDA-approved recertification credits. Regardless of the category of certification, each applicator must accumulate six core credits. The number of category-specific credits required for recertification varies from category to category. Specific requirements are listed below.
| Category Certification | Category Credits |
|---|---|
| Private Applicator Category* | 6 |
| 01 Agronomic Crops | 10 |
| 02 Fruit and Nuts | 10 |
| 03 Vegetable Crops | 10 |
| 04 Agricultural Animals | 6 |
| 05 Forest Pest Control | 8 |
| 06 Ornamental and Shade Trees | 10 |
| 07 Lawn and Turf | 10 |
| 08 Seed Treatment | 4 |
| 09 Aquatic Pest Control | 4 |
| 10 Right-of-way and Weeds | 8 |
| 11 Household and Health Related | 10 |
| 12 Wood Destroying Pests | 10 |
| 13 Structural Fumigation | 6 |
| 15 Public Health - Vertebrate Pests | 8 |
| 16 Public Health - Invertebrate Pests | 8 |
| 17 Regulatory Pest Control | 10 |
| 18 Demonstration and Research | 10 |
| 19 Wood Preservation | 4 |
| 20 Commodity and Space Fumigation | 6 |
| 21 Soil Fumigation | 4 |
| 22 Interior Plantscape | 6 |
| 23 Park or School Pest Control | 10 |
| 24 Swimming Pools | 4 |
| 25 Aerial Applicator | 10 |
| 26 Sewer Root Control | 4 |
* For private applicators with fumigation certification, two of the required six category credits must be specific to fumigation.
Bureau of Plant Industry
Division of Health and Safety
2301 North Cameron Street
Harrisburg, PA 17110-9408
717-772-5231 pesticides@pa.gov
Regional Offices can help:
(Please call before visiting Regional Offices.)
Please call the Regional Office for business hours before visiting.
| Region | Address | Phone # |
|---|---|---|
| Region I | 13410 Dunham Rd Meadville, PA 16335 | 814-332-6890 |
| Region II | 542 County Farm Rd, Suite 102 Montoursville, PA 17754 | 570-433-2640 |
| Region III | 113 SR 92 South, PO Box C Tunkhannock, PA 18657 | 717-257-6533 |
| Region IV | 214 Donohoe Rd Greensburg, PA 15601 | 724-832-1073 |
| Region V | DEP District Office 3001 Fairway Dr Altoona, PA 16602 | 717-705-5500 |
| Region VI | 2301 North Cameron St, Suite G-5 Harrisburg, PA 17110 | 717-346-3223 |
| Region VII | 1015 Bridge Rd Collegeville, PA 19426 | 717-772-5231 |
Study materials are available for a fee from Penn State Extension. Ordering can be done via:
All sales are final.
| Order # | Category |
|---|---|
| PEP-00P | Private Applicator Packet |
| PEP-00C | Commercial/Public Applicator Packet |
| PEP-01 | Agronomic Crops |
| PEP-02 | Fruit and Nuts |
| PEP-03 | Vegetable Crops |
| PEP-04 | Agricultural Animals |
| PEP-05 | Forest Pest Control |
| PEP-06 | Ornamental and Shade Trees |
| PEP-07 | Lawn and Turf |
| PEP-08 | Seed Treatment |
| PEP-09 | Aquatic Pest Control |
| PEP-10 | Right-of-way and Weeds |
| PEP-11 | Household and Health Related |
| PEP-12 | Wood Destroying Pests |
| PEP-13 | Structural Fumigation |
| PEP-15 | Public Health - Vertebrate Pests |
| PEP-16 | Public Health - Invertebrate Pests |
| PEP-18 | Demonstration and Research |
| PEP-19 | Wood Preservation |
| PEP-20 | Commodity and Space Fumigation |
| PEP-21 | Soil Fumigation |
| PEP-22 | Interior Plantscape |
| PEP-23 | Park or School Pest Control |
| PEP-24 | Swimming Pools |
| PEP-25 | Aerial Applicator |
| PEP-26 | Sewer Root Control |
| PEP-27 | Pesticide Dealer Manager |
| Description | Fee |
|---|---|
| Private Applicator Exam | Free |
| Core Exam | $50 |
| Category Exam (per exam) | $10 |
| Pesticide Dealer Manager Exam | $50 |
| Business License (commercial and public) Annual fee due on December 31st | $35 |
| Commercial Applicator Renewal Annual fee due on September 30th | $40 |
| Commercial Registered Technician Annual fee due on February 28th | $30 |
| Public Applicator Renewal Triennial fee due September 30th | $10 |
| Public Registered Technician Annual fee due February 28th | $20 |
| Private Applicator Renewal Triennial fee due March 31st | $10 |
The CHEMSWEEP waste pesticide collection program provides all Pennsylvania citizens a means to dispose of old, unusable, or unwanted pesticide products. Participants in this program can legally dispose of waste pesticides at no cost.
To participate in the Plastic Pesticide Container Recycling Program, applicators must ensure that containers are free of all product, inside and outside. Pressure rinsing or triple rinsing each container is required. All label booklets and caps should be discarded. Only #2 HDPE plastic containers from EPA-registered agricultural, structural, turf, forestry, and specialty pest control products, as well as containers from adjuvants, crop oil, surfactants, and fertilizers, can be accepted.
For more information about these programs, visit the PaPlants website or call 717-772-5210.
