Pennsylvania Pesticide Applicator Requirements & FAQs

Phone: (717) 772-5231
Email: pesticides@pa.gov
Web: Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture

Private Pesticide Applicator Certification: required to purchase and/or apply restricted use pesticides for the purpose of producing an agricultural commodity on land which is owned or rented by that person or their employer.

Commercial/Public Pesticide Technician Certification: required when

• a pesticide application is being made to a property not owned or rented by the applicator or their employer
• RUPs or fumigants are being applied on property rented or owned by the applicator but are not being applied for the production of an agricultural crop
• pesticides are applied to apartments of 4 or more units, golf courses, parks, playgrounds/athletic fields, swimming pools used by more than a single family, education/research institutions, and schools including public and private day care centers with seven or more children.

Private Applicator

Commercial Technician

Public Technician

Registered Technician

1—Agronomic crops
2—Fruits and nuts
3—Vegetable crops
4—Agricultural animals
5—Forest pest control
6—Ornamental and shade trees
7—Lawn and turf
8---Seed treatment
9—Aquatic pest control
10—Right-of-way and weeds
11—Household and health related
12—Wood destroying pests
13—Structural fumigation
15—Public health vertebrate pest control
16—Public health invertebrate pest control
17—Regulatory pest control
18—Demonstration and research pest control
19—Wood preservation
20—Commodity and space fumigation
21—Soil fumigation
22—Interior plantscape
23—Park or school pest control
24—Swimming pools
25—Aerial applicator
26—Sewer root control

Yes.

Yes.

Yes, Pennsylvania has reciprocal licensing agreements with the following states:

-Arkansas
-Delaware
-District of Columbia
-Florida
-Idaho
-Indiana (except WDO)
-Iowa
-Louisiana
-Maine
-Maryland
-Mississippi (only aerial)
-Montana (only categories)
-Nebraska
-New Jersey
-New York
-North Dakota
-Ohio
-Rhode Island
-South Carolina
-Tennessee
-Utah
-Vermont
-Virginia
-West Virginia
-Wisconsin
-Wyoming

Commercial or Public Applicators:

1. Pass 2 written examinations (core and category)
2. Be employed by a pesticide application business
3. Apply for certification with the PDA

Private Applicators:

1. Pass written private certification exam

Examinations are administered by PDA regional offices

Register online at the PaPlants Certification Exam Search page or call your local PDA regional office.

References materials can be found on the Certification and Study Materials web page, or call 1-877-345-0691 Mon-Fri 8:00am-5:00pm EST.

All exams for public/commercial applicators (core and category specific) are closed book exams. The private applicators exam is open book.

-Private Applicator Exam: Free
-Private Applicator Renewal: $10
-Core Exam (Commercial/Public): $50
-Category Exam (Each): $10
-Commercial/Public Business License: $35
-Commercial Applicator Renewal: $40
-Commercial Registered Technician: $30
-Public Applicator Renewal: $10
-Public Registered Technician: $20
-Pesticide Dealer Manager Exam: $50
-Pesticide Dealer License Renewal: $10
-Pesticide Dealer Manager Renewal: $15

• Commercial/Public Applicators must complete 6 core credit hours, plus additional category specific credits every 3 years.
• Private Applicators must complete 6 category specific credits from categories 1-9 and 22. In addition, for private applicators with fumigation certification, two of the six category credits must be specific to fumigation.

We do! Our in house submission specialist will submit your course certificates upon completion of your course.

You can renew applicator and business licenses online at PaPlants. Log in to your account with your username and password. Licenses up for renewal will be listed on the front page and they will be in your shopping cart as well.

Yes, our courses Pennsylvania Pesticide Applicator Continuing Education courses are all approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture: individual course approval numbers can be found in the course titles.

Commercial Applicators: 1 year
Public Certified Applicators: 3 years
Registered Technicians: 1 year
Private Applicators: 3 years

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.