Maintenance of Pesticide Certification and Licensing

A. All licensed and certified pesticide applicators are required to maintain competency in the use and application of pesticides. Every five years from the date of their license or certification, licensed and certified applicators must demonstrate competency by either re-examination, or by accruing the required number of credit hours through continuing education as specified for each license and certification in § 2.16(B) of this Part in order to:

• 1. Ensure that they continue to meet the requirements of changing technology, covering uses for which they are certified or licensed;
• 2. Assure that they maintain a continuing level of competence and ability to use pesticides safely and properly covering uses for which they are certified or licensed; and
• 3. Acquaint them with changes in Federal and State regulations.

B. Credit Hours – A standard number of credit hours will be required within every five years beginning from the date the applicators receive their initial license or certification in order for an applicator to maintain their license or certification as an applicator of pesticides. Recertification credits must be obtained by attendance at a Department approved training program. The total number of recertification credits required for each license or certification category are as follows:

• 1. Private Certification – Six (6) Credit Hours every five years.
• 2. Commercial License – Eight (8) Credit Hours every five years.
• 3. Commercial Certification – Eight (8) Credit Hours Per Category every five years. One credit hour equals fifty (50) consecutive minutes of continuing education training. 

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