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:
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.
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:
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), 27 (Rights-of-Way 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.
