Florida Pesticide Applicator Requirements & FAQs

Phone: (850) 617-7870
Fax: (850) 617-7895
Web: Florida Department of Agriculture

Agricultural pest control, including pest control on any area where farming of any type is performed or livestock is raised; or where any ground crops, trees or plants are grown for production purposes such as a nursery.

Golf Courses, parks, athletic fields, cemeteries, electric lines, telephone lines, railroads and pipelines.

Aquatic pest control, aerial pest control, seed and wood treatment, demonstration and research for use of restricted pesticides, applying chlorine gas to residential swimming pools, controlling roots in sewer lines and herbicides to control plants.

Private Applicator – applies restricted use pesticides by ground application on property owned or rented by applicator or the applicators employer. For owners of farms, ranches, groves, nurseries and gardens. The license is valid for application of restricted use pesticides for ornamental and turf production.

Public applicator- is employed by federal, state, county, city or other local agency or government entity who uses restricted use pesticides on the job. Examples: railways, state and federal highway departments, universities, extension agents and city and county parks.

Commercial Applicator- must have for the following uses: Contract Application of restricted use pesticides for someone else and non contract application for any purpose other than agricultural production. Examples: aquatic weed control, aerial application, golf courses, chemical/fertilizer company, seed/wood treatment company.

Florida uses three levels of licensing for pesticide applicators. The license you will need will depend on the work you plan to perform.

• Private Applicator License - This level of license is issued to persons that will be applying restricted use pesticides to property that they own or rented/owned by their employer. The license will be valid for turf or ornamental production operations, but not valid when maintaining turf or ornamentals. For example, you can use this level of licensing to maintain the turf at a sod farm, but not a golf course.
• Public Applicator License - This level of licensing is reserved for governmental employees who use restricted pesticides during their regular duties for agricultural or other related applications.
• Commercial Applicator License - This level of license is issued to individuals that will be applying restricted use pesticides to agricultural, ornamental, or turf area that is not associated with a building (must be more than 10 feet from a building). This license is used for the following uses:n>
  • applications for other individuals or property owners to outdoor sites not associated with buildings; or
  • applications for any other outdoor use, not associated with buildings, not for an employer or government, and not involved with the agricultural production.

"Associated with a building" is any site that is within 10 feet of any building. Applications to this area require an additional license or certification from the Bureau of Licensing and Enforcement, Pest Control Section.

Florida has designated the following certification categories. Applicators with a Commercial or Public license may be certified in one or more of these categories.

Aerial Application
Agricultural Animal Pest Control
Agricultural Row Crop Pest Control
Agricultural Tree Crop Pest Control
Aquatic Pest Control
Chlorine Gas Infusion
Demonstration and Research
Forest Pest Control
Natural Areas Weed Management
Organotin Antifouling Paint
Ornamental and Turf Pest Control
Raw Agricultural Commodity Fumigation
Regulator Inspection and Sampling
Regulatory Pest Contro
Right-of-Way Pest Control
Seed Treatment
Sewer Root Control
Soil and Greenhouse Fumigation
Wood Treatment
WPS Crop Advisor Exemption

No

Yes

A license is required only for use of restricted-use pesticides.

1. Determine which type of applicators license best suits your needs. Click here for a chart of certification and license requirements.
2. Review the recommended study materials for your license. Click here for information on our Exam Prep Course!
3. Pass the required exams for your license.
4. Submit your application and licensing fee. ($100 for Public or Private Applicators, $250 for Commercial Applicators)

The Florida Department of Agriculture will send you a renewal notice approximately 60 days before your license expires.

1. Complete the appropriate continuing education (See table below)
   OR
   Retake the certification exams
   *You may renew some categories by reexamination and other categories by accumulating continuing education.
2. Complete the renewal notice forms you received in the mail from the Florida Department of Agriculture

Yes.

Yes! All of our online courses are approved by the Florida Department of Agriculture. Approval numbers are listed after each course title.

Applicators are responsible for submitting their continuing education credits to the Florida Department of Agriculture. Upon course completion, applicators will be provided with a certificate of completion as well as the required Record of Attendance form.

1. Download or scan "Record of Attendance"
2. Visit the website: aesecomm.freshfromflorida.com
3. Select applicable license type
4. Click on "Upload Documents" (Not a renewal app)
5. Type detail information and select "Document Type"
6. Click on "Browse and Upload document" then "Save"

You will find your Records of Attendance in the "My Documents" section of your student profile. Records are uploaded for you to access within 5 business days of course completion.

Go online to https://aesecomm.freshfromflorida.com/

You may not apply restricted-use pesticides until your license is renewed. To renew your license after the expiration date you must provide a signed and notarized affidavit stating that you have not applied any restricted-use pesticides since your license expired. Affidavit forms will be mailed to you with your renewal notice.

• Licenses renewed less than 60 days past expiration - Complete the affidavit, no late fee is incurred.
• Licenses renewed more than 60 days past expiration - Complete the affidavit, pay an additional $50.
• Licenses expired more than 1 year cannot be renewed. You must retake the appropriate certification exams.

You must retake the required exams or complete extra CEU's. If your expiration is more than 60 days passed you must also pay an extra $50.

1 year

Pesticide certification is the demonstration (through testing) that an individual has the knowledge to apply pesticides without undue risk to themselves, the public, or the environment.

Pesticide licensing is the legal standing with the state to offer your application services to the public for monetary compensation.

• $159 will train your whole staff for a year (up to 25 employees)
• Training can be completed as often as needed for up to 25 employees.
• Employees can watch the video course individually or all at once
• Certificates will be available for each worker at the end of the course

An agricultural worker is anyone who works in a field that has been sprayed with pesticides within the last 30 days or does high-contact agricultural tasks such as weeding, moving irrigation equipment, pruning, and harvesting. Workers DO NOT handle pesticides.

A handler is anyone who assists with applications, mixes, loads, or transfers pesticides into application equipment, cleans repairs, or maintains application equipment, works on equipment that has been used to mix, load, or apply, disposes of pesticides or materials with pesticides on them, acts as a flagger, performs tasks as a crop adviser, or applies pesticides.

The Worker Protection Standard (WPS) applies to all establishments involved in growing, producing, or maintaining for sale agricultural plants (including ornamental plants). This may include, but is not limited to:

• Nurseries, garden centers, or other similar operations where plants are maintained for sale (retail or wholesale).
• All Crop producing farms.
• Dairy farms that produce hay for cattle.
• Forestry Operations
• Golf courses that produce their own sod
• Public park operations that produce their own plants
• Prisons that have "Prison Farms" where agricultural plants are produced and the prisoners are employed as workers or handlers.
• The WPS also applies to any establishment operating as a commercial pesticide handling establishment that applies WPS-labeled pesticide products on agricultural establishments or provides crop advising services for an agricultural establishment.

Most establishments covered by the WPS are crop producing such as farms, forest operations or nurseries. WPS also covers family owned agricultural operations even if only family members handle and work around pesticides. Essentially, WPS applies to any entity that grows, maintains or produces agricultural plants.

The following facilities or operations that are not generally recognized as traditional agricultural production establishments are covered by the rule if they use WPS-labeled pesticide products:

• Nurseries, garden centers or other similar operations
• Dairy farms if they produce hay for cattle feed.
• Golf courses that produce sod or ornamentals for their course
• Public parks or privately-held ornamental garden operations that produce ornamental plants
• Theme parks, hotels, or other entertainment operations that produce ornamentals for their locations
• Prisons that have "prison farms" where plants are produced by employed prisoners
• University extension agricultural research facilities that conduct research on agricultural plants
• Educational classes or vocational agriculture programs where plant production is completed by students and students receive compensation or reduced tuition
• Pine straw harvesting/production operations.
• Government-owned or managed agricultural operations.

The WPS also applies to any entity operating as a commercial pesticide handling establishment applying or advising the application of WPS-labeled pesticide products on agricultural commodities

Inform

All employers must provide EPA approved pesticide training for workers and handlers. Employers must also provide access to specific information including: applications on the establishment, safety data sheets for pesticides applied on establishment, and display a poster with pesticide safety and emergency information.

Protect

Employers must keep workers and others out of areas where pesticides are being applied and away from equipment during applications. Handlers must stop application if workers or others are near equipment during applications. Workers must stay out of areas that are under a restricted-entry interval (REI). All early-entry workers on the job in in pesticide-treated areas during REI must be trained in the correct usage of personal protective equipment. Any handlers using highly toxic pesticides must be monitored. Personal protective equipment must be provided and monitored by employers.

Mitigate

The Worker Protection Standard course will train handlers and workers on supply decontamination and emergency assistance including transportation in the case of a pesticide-related accident.

More information on the requirements and how to comply can be found here. https://goo.gl/bjfk8K 

As of January 2nd, 2017 employers are required to train workers and handlers annually before pesticide application.

• Full Training for Workers and Handlers is now required annually (Every year).
• No grace period for training. Workers must be trained before they work in an area where pesticide has been used or an REI has been in effect in the past 30 days.
• Handlers are no longer able to be the qualified person available during the training.
• Expanded training content requirements.
• Establishments must keep records of training for 2 years and provide records to Workers and Handlers if requested.
• Handlers and early entry workers must be at least 18 years old.

A pesticide product is covered by the WPS if the following statement is in the Directions for Use section on the product labeling:

AGRICULTURAL USE REQUIREMENTS

Use this product only in accordance with its labeling and with the Worker Protection Standard, 40 CFR 170.

More information may be found at the EPA Agricultural Worker Protection Standard website, or you may reach the EPA at one of the regional offices listed below.

EPA Region 1 (New England) - 888-372-7341 in the New England States, or 617-918-1111
EPA Region 2 - 887-251-4575
EPA Region 3 (Mid-Atlantic) - 800-428-2474 in Region 3, or 215-814-5122
EPA Region 4 (Southeast) - 800-241-1754 in Region 4, or 404-562-9900
EPA Region 5 - 800-621-8431 in Region 5, or 312-353-2000
EPA Region 6 (South Central) - 800-887-6063
EPA Region 7 (Midwest) - 800-223-0425 in Region 7, or 913-551-7003
EPA Region 8 (Mountains and Plains) - 800-227-8917 in Region 8, or 303-312-6312
EPA Region 9 (Pacific Southwest) - 866-372-9378 in Region 9, or 415-947-8000
EPA Region 10 (Pacific Northwest) - 800-424-4372 in Region 10, or 206-553-1200

Not sure what region you're in? Click here.

Employers at agricultural establishments and commercial pesticide handling establishments such as farms, forests, nurseries, and greenhouses.

Yes! Worker Protection Standards apply to pesticides if the following statement is in the Directions for Use section on the product labeling:

AGRICULTURAL USE REQUIREMENTS

Use this product only in accordance with its labeling and with the Worker Protection Standard, 40 CFR 170.

Pesticide certification is the demonstration (through testing) that an individual has the knowledge to apply pesticides without undue risk to themselves, the public, or the environment.

Pesticide licensing is the legal standing with the state to offer your application services to the public for monetary compensation.

• Up-to-date pest management information and your responsibilities as an applicator
• Six general pest management methods and their application
• "Integrated Pest Management (IPM)" solutions defined
• Simplified federal pesticide laws and regulations that you will understand
• "Restricted use" vs. "general use" pesticides
• Learn to build an organized record keeping system
• Pesticide label explanations for proper identification and use
• Understand pesticide formulation and its effects
• Common abbreviations for pesticide formulations (e.g. WP or RUP)
• Typical symptoms of pesticide exposure in humans and harmful effects
• Hazard level classification including corresponding signal words
• Complete guide to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Clear understanding of environmental effects of pesticides
• Proper transportation, storage and security of pesticides
• Emergency response and how to react
• Choosing the proper pesticide and correct application procedures
• Practice exam to test your knowledge

Anyone who is preparing to become a commercial or private pesticide applicator and plans on taking the National Pesticide Applicator Certification Core Exam. This course will give you everything you need to know to pass the exam on your first try. It is also an awesome tool for pesticide applicators who would like to refresh their knowledge or need to complete CEUs*.

*Please check with your state for current continuing education requirements.

Pesticide certification is the demonstration (through testing) that an individual has the knowledge to apply pesticides without undue risk to themselves, the public, or the environment.

Pesticide licensing is the legal standing with the state to offer your application services to the public for monetary compensation.

The CCA certification was established by the American Society of Agronomy in 1992 to provide a benchmark for practicing agronomy professionals in the United States and Canada.

Any adviser/consultant that spends the majority of their time advising growers or farm managers/operators on agronomic practices and can meet the standards of the program. Being certified adds credibility and shows that you are serious about what you do.

1. Pass two exams (International and Local Board)
2. Meet the experience requirements
3. Apply for the CCA Credential

• Have at least two years of experience with at least a Bachelor of Science Degree in an agronomy related field
  (Please keep in mind that University degrees and transcripts must be in English and based on the United States educational standard. If you need assistance in the translation process, you may use Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. or World Education Services)
  *The number of CCAs with at least a Bachelor of Science Degree is greater than 70%
• Have at least three years of experience with an Associates Degree in an agronomy related field
• Have at least four years of experience with no degree

1. Document education and crop advising experience (Including transcripts and supporting references)
2. Sign and agree to uphold the CCA Code of Ethics (Included in application)

1. Earn 40 hours of continuing education units every 2 years
2. Pay an annual renewal fee

2 years: your certification will expire December 31st two years after your initial certification date.

For example: if you became a CCA on any day between January 1st, 2018-December 31st, 2018--your expiration date would be December 31st, 2020.

Yes, many of our courses are approved by the American Society of Agronomy Board. On the state pages, the course description will say "Approved for Certified Crop Adviser Credit".

Yes, the continuing education units you complete must fall within certain topic guidelines. The topic breakdown is as follows:

In each two year cycle, a CCA must complete a minimum of 5 CEUs in each of the 4 categories.

The categories are Nutrient Management, Soil and Water Management, Integrated Pest Management, and Crop Management.

At least 20 of the 40 total CEUs must be board approved.

Yes, absolutely! Any course that is approved for Certified Crop Adviser Credit can also be used for state pesticide applicator continuing education credits.