Georgia Pesticide Applicator Requirements & FAQs

Phone: (404)656-4958
Email: Adrean.Rhodes@agr.georgia.gov
Web: Georgia State Department of Agriculture

An individual must obtain the appropriate type of pesticide applicator license in order to purchase, use, or supervise the use of a restricted use pesticide, or any general use or restricted use pesticide when providing pesticide applications for a fee.

Private Applicator – In order to purchase, use, or supervise the use of any restricted use pesticide on your property or the property of your employer, while engaged in the production of an agricultural commodity, a Private Applicator License is the appropriate license to obtain.

Commercial Applicator – When not engaged in the production of an agricultural commodity, a Commercial Applicator License in the appropriate category is required to purchase, use, or supervise the use of restricted use pesticides on your property or the property of your employer. In order to provide pesticide applications of any type of pesticide, whether general use or restricted use, to the property of another person, and collect a fee for these services, both a Commercial Applicator License and a Pesticide Contractor License are required.

• Private Applicator License – needed to purchase, use or supervise the use of any restricted use pesticide on your property or the property of your employer while engaged in the production of an agricultural commodity.
• Commercial Applicator License – needed to purchase, use, or supervise the use of restricted-use pesticides on your property or the property of your employer while not engaged in the production of an agricultural commodity.
• Pesticide Contractor – any individual or company that engages in the business of applying any pesticide to the lands of another and receives monetary compensation for those applications. There is no fee for Private Applicator.

A Commercial Applicator License and a Pesticide Contractor License are necessary in order to provide pesticide applications of any kind to the property of another person if you will be collecting a fee for the application.

The State of Georgia currently has 18 categories and subcategories for pesticide licensing. Applicators holding a commercial license will need to pass the core exam along with at least one of these specialties. Click here for a description of each classification.

Category 10 - Private Applicators
Category 21 - Agricultural Plant Pest Control
Category 22 - Agricultural Animal Pest Control
Category 23 - Forest Pest Control
Category 24 - Ornamental and Turf Pest Control
Category 25 - Seed Treatment
Category 26 - Aquatic Pest Control
Category 27 - Right-of-Way Pest Control
Category 31 - Public Health Pest Control – Government Employees
Category 32 - Regulatory Pest Control
Category 33 - Demonstration and Research Pest Control
Category 34 - AerialMethods
Category 35 - Industrial, Institutional, Structural, and Health-Related Pest Control
Category 36 - Wood Treatment
Category 37 - Antimicrobial Pest Control
Category 38 - Agricultural Commodity Fumigation
Category 40 - Worker Protection Standard
Category 41 - Commercial Mosquito Control
Private Applicators

Yes. This is called a Georgia Pesticide Contractor's License.

Each business office/location must have a Contractor's license and at least one certified commercial pesticide applicator employed at the location.

To obtain a contractor's license, The Georgia Pesticide Contactor's Application should be completed. This form can be accessed here.

In order for the Georgia Pesticide Contractor's Application to be processed, an S&V document, verifying that you are lawful to work in the United States, is required. The document is located here.

Send ALL completed forms, along with a check or money order, for $55, made payable to the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

The address is:
Georgia Department of Agriculture
19 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SW
Atlanta, Georgia 30334

Once the forms are processed, your Pesticide Contractors license will be sent to you in the mail.

Yes

Yes

Yes! Georgia’s reciprocal agreement with other states allows for Georgia licenses to be renewed based on your satisfying the other state’s recertification requirements. It is your responsibility to notify the State of Georgia within 90 days of the expiration of your license if these requirements are met. The Georgia Department of Agriculture Pesticide Program reciprocates Commercial Pesticide Licenses with states with an EPA pesticide program if the license category concurs with the State of Georgia.

Georgia Department of Agriculture

Private Applicators

• Step 1 – You must be at least 18 years old
• Step 2 - Complete necessary training for a license.
• Step 3 - Send training documentation to the Georgia Department of Agriculture Pesticide Division for processing, and your license will be printed and mailed to you.
• Step 4 - Call the County Agent at (404) 656-4958. They will call the Georgia Department of Agriculture Pesticide Division to obtain a temporary license number immediately once you complete the training exercise. Your temporary license will enable you to use restricted pesticides on your property or your employer’s property until your official license arrives in the mail.

Commercial Applicators

• Step 1 – You must be at least 18 years old
• Step 2 - Pass the commercial applicator examination provided by the Georgia Technical Colleges. Click here for more information about our Exam Prep Course!
• Step 3 - Once you pass the $45 exam, you will need to mail a check or money order of $90 to the Georgia Department of Agriculture. You must pass the general standards examination as well as at least one major category with a score of 70%.
• Step 4 - Your license will be mailed to you within 2 weeks if all required documents and fees are submitted.

Contractor Pesticide Applicators

• Step 1 – You must be at least 18 years’ old
• Step 2 – You must have a valid Commercial Applicator License
• Step 3 – Obtain ‘Certification of Financial Responsibility’. The Certification of Financial Responsibility is a form of liability insurance.  The certification can be obtained through most commercial insurance providers.
• Step 4 – Once insurance has been obtained complete the Georgia Pesticide Contractor License Application and send it with proof of insurance and a $55 application fee to the address on the form.
• Step 5 – Your Pesticide Applicator License will arrive in the mail within a few weeks. The license is valid for one year.

www.gapestexam.com

Go online to Georgia Pest Exam to schedule.

Reference materials can be found here.

No

Exam Fees: $45
License Fees: $90
Renewal Fees: $90
Late Fees: If passed expiration: add 50% of original cost.

• Option 1 – Take the commercial applicator’s exam again or participate in private applicator training again.
• Option 2 – Accumulate the required recertification credit hours during your five-year license period.
  • Private applicators need three recertification hours to renew.
  • Commercial applicators need either six or ten recertification hours per licensed category to renew.

    6 Credit Categories

    Animal Agriculture
    Forest Pest Control
    Seed Treatment
    Aquatic Pest Control
    Right-of-Way
    Regulatory
    Industrial Structure & Health
    Wood Treatment
    Antimicrobial

    10 Credit Categories

    Agriculture Plant
    Ornamental & Turf
    Public Health
    Mosquito Control

All recertification hours must be received by the Georgia Department of Agriculture Pesticide Division office 90 days prior to your license expiration. Applicator Licenses must be renewed every year.

Certified Training Institute will submit continuing education to the state of Georgia weekly.

Applicators must submit their continuing education to the state of Georgia at least 90 days prior to the expiration of their license. The state of Georgia will mail a renewal notice to all licensed pesticide applicators approximately 90 days prior to license expiration. Continuing education certificates can be sent to:

Georgia Department of Agriculture Agricultural Inputs - Pesticide Section 19 M.L.K. Jr. Drive, Room 410

Yes! All of our courses are state approved. Approval numbers are listed after the course title.

5 years

In order to get your certification reinstated, you must re-take the exam.

No. You will need to re-test to obtain certification.

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.