UGA Extension Office

Georgia Pesticide Applicator License

Georgia Pesticide Applicator Training and Licensing Information

Georgia Private Pesticide Applicators

The Georgia Private Pesticide Applicator License allows agricultural producers to purchase and apply restricted-use pesticides to their own property or the property of their employer for the purpose of producing an agricultural, horticultural, or forestry commodity. The safety training and exam required to apply for a Georgia Private Pesticide Applicator License may be completed online. The 10-module course corresponds to the chapters in the National Pesticide Applicator Certification Core Manual, Second Edition, published in 2014. This manual may be ordered from the UGA Extension Publications Store under Commercial Pesticide Applicator’s Safety Guides.

 To register for and take the online Private Pesticide Applicator Training Course, please follow these steps:

  1. Go to the Georgia Professional Certifications Storefront on the UGA Marketplace. Select the Private Applicators icon to purchase access to the training program.
  2. Once you receive order confirmation for the course, go to Georgia Professional Certifications Courses, select the Private Applicator’s License Training Course, and log in with your registration information. Allow 4-5 hours to complete all 10 training modules and examinations.
  3. After completing the training and examination with a passing grade, print out your certificate of completion.
  4. Print out and complete required information for the Georgia Private Pesticide Applicator’s License Application form from the Georgia Department of Agriculture. [will need to imbed a link to the pdf here]
  5. Bring the certificate, completed application form, and your driver’s license or other state-issued photo identification to your local UGA Extension Office for verification and forwarding to the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
  6. Georgia Department of Agriculture will application materials and mail license, if approved, to address of record. Allow 3-4 weeks for application processing.

 If you have questions, please call or email our office at 770-887-2418 or forsyth.extension@uga.edu

 

 

Georgia Commercial Pesticide Applicators

For information on training, testing, and applying for a Commercial Pesticide Applicator License, please visit UGA Pesticide Safety Education.

 

 

Pesticide Continuing Education and Recertification Training

A Private Pesticide Applicator License is valid for five years. Licensees must obtain three hours of GDA-approved pesticide safety education during the license term at least 90 days prior to license expiration in order to renew without needing to repeat the training and examination modules. Continuing education credits may be earned by attending certain grower’s meetings hosted by UGA Extension, by attending short courses, or by participating in pesticide safety and education webinars approved by the Georgia Department of Agriculture Pesticide Office. For the private pesticide applicator license renewal, only one hour of webinar education will be credited.

 A Commercial Pesticide Applicator License is valid for five years. The number of Continuing Education credit hours required for recertification ranges from 6-10, depending on license category. Licensees must complete the required number of CE credits at least 90 days before the license expiration date. CE recertification credits may be earned by attending meetings, trainings, and webinars approved for credit by the Georgia Department of Agriculture Pesticide Office.

Online continuing education is available through UGA’s Getting the Best of Pests webinars.