Pesticide Applicators License
UGA Extension’s Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP) promotes the responsible and safe use of pesticides throughout Georgia. We offer educational resources, training programs, and study guides for private, commercial, and residential applicators. If you want to purchase or use a restricted use pesticide, you or your supervisor must have a pesticide applicators license issued by the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
WHO NEEDS A PESTICIDE APPLICATOR'S LICENSE?
The private pesticide applicators license is required for individuals to purchase and use – or supervise the use of – a restricted use pesticide on your property or the property of your employer to produce a commodity (agricultural, horticultural, or forestry). According to the Georgia Pesticide Use and Application Act of 1976, examples of individuals who might benefit from this license include (but are not limited to):
- Farmers
- Ranchers
- Vineyardists
- Plant propagators
- Christmas tree growers
- Aquaculturists
- Floriculturists
- Orchardists
- Foresters
This pesticide application license does not allow you to charge a fee or collect anything of value in return. If you want to charge a fee for pesticide applications, please visit Pesticide Contractor’s License under Commercial Applicators.
HOW DO I OBTAIN A PESTICIDE APPLICATOR'S LICENSE?
Private Applicators License
Purchase course access for the Georgia Private Pesticide Applicator Certification Training Program. You will receive an order confirmation immediately after purchasing course access, please keep this for your records. Step-by-step instructions on how to purchase access to the training can be here:
How to purchase access to the UGA Private Applicator Certification Training Course (PDF)
Notice: Course enrollment is granted during normal business hours each weekday by the program coordinator. Do not be alarmed if you do not receive your welcome e-mail immediately after purchase. Dr. Johnson will enroll students into the course during normal business hours each weekday, typically around 10:00am EST or 4:00pm EST.
Commercial Applicators License
The commercial pesticide applicators license is required for individuals to purchase and use or supervise the use of a general use or restricted use pesticide and you do not qualify as a private applicator.
Commercial applicators must pass a general standards exam as well as at least one category standards exam with a score of 70% or higher on each exam, and pesticide purchases must be confined to only those categories for which you are certified by your license.
To charge a fee for their service, commercial applicators must also hold a pesticide contractor license or work for a pesticide contractor. Certified commercial applicators who want to charge a fee for the application of any pesticide to the land of another person or business must also have a pesticide contractor’s license for each business location. Please see Pesticide Contractor’s License for more information.
For more information on obtaining a commercial license, continuing education, and additional training see the following details:
TESTING AND ADDITIONAL TRAINING
The UGA Pesticide Safety Education Program offers printed copies and online study guides for the general standards and specialty categories.
To order printed copies of the general standards and category study guides, please visit the UGA Extension Publication store, below.
Notice: Purchasing a printed study guide does not give you access to the online study guide courses.
If you have a tax-exempt certificate, please e-mail the UGA Extension Publication Store (extstore@uga.edu) with what study guide(s) and quantity you need to place your order. Extension Publication Store
Digital access to online versions of the general standards study guide course and select categories can be found on the Georgia Professional Certifications Storefront. Step-by-step course ordering instructions can be downloaded here:
How to purchase access to online Commercial Applicator Study Guide Courses (PDF)
The program currently offers interactive online study courses for the general standards portion of the exam as well as categories 21 (Agricultural Plant Pest Control), 22 (Agricultural Animal Pest Control), 24 (Ornamental and Turf Pest Control), 26 (Aquatic Pest Control) and 41 (Mosquito Biology, Surveillance, and Control). Links to purchase online study guides are below.
Notice: Course enrollment is granted during normal business hours each weekday by the program coordinator. Do not be alarmed if you do not receive your welcome e-mail immediately after purchase. Dr. Johnson will enroll students into the course during normal business hours each weekday, typically around 10:00am EST or 4:00pm EST.
Georgia’s Technical Colleges administer the computerized general standards and category exams at several locations around Georgia throughout the year. For a map of current testing centers, visit the Testing Centers map.
Visit the Georgia Commercial Pesticide Applicator’s Testing Information website for exam information and registration:
RECERTIFICATION INFORMATION
Certified Pesticide Applicators must earn a required number of recertification credits every five years or be reexamined. Recertification credits may be earned by attending education meetings approved by the Georgia Department of Agriculture's Pesticide Program. You can search for Pesticide Applicator Re-Certification Courses by type of license (Commercial or Private), license category, or course date.
Private applicators must obtain three (3) re-certification credit hours in order to renew the Private Applicator license. Commercial applicators must obtain either six (6) or ten (10) recertification credit hours per licensed category (see CEU requirements for commercial and private categories) to renew their Commercial Applicator license.
Union County Extension offers several opportunities to obtain pesticide credits with continuing education courses, meetings and seminars. Please check with our office for credit courses by emailing Jacob Williams at jacob.williams@uga.edu or calling 706-439-6030.
Private Pesticide License Page
Commercial Pesticide License Page
Georgia Professional Certifications Store Front
