Pesticide Certification & Licensing Program

The PA Department of Agriculture is responsible for pesticide certification and licensing within the Commonwealth.

The Pennsylvania Pesticide Control Act covers all aspects of the regulation of pesticides in the Commonwealth including:

• Labeling, distribution, storage, and registration
• Classification of restricted use pesticides
• Certification of pesticide applicators
• Licensing of pesticide dealers, pesticide application businesses, and pest management consultants
• Registration of pesticide application technicians
• - Notification procedures for pesticide applications

Pesticides are substances that control, kill, or mitigate pest organisms. They include, but are not limited to, herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, and rodenticides.

Applicator certification can be divided into two groups:

- Commercial and Public Applicators
- Private Applicators

Certification as a commercial or public applicator is required if:

• A pesticide application is being made to a property not owned or rented by the applicator or their employer.
• Restricted use pesticides or fumigants are being applied on a property rented or owned by the applicator, but are not applied for the production of an agricultural crop.
• Pesticides are being applied to apartments of four or more units, golf courses, parks, playgrounds/athletic fields, swimming pools for other than single-family residences, education/research institutions, and schools, including public and private day care centers with seven or more children.

Certification as a private applicator is required if:

- An applicator intends to purchase and/or apply restricted use pesticides for the purpose of producing an agricultural commodity on land which is owned or rented by that person or their employer.

Additional details on Pennsylvania's Pesticide Control Act (add adobe file) or Pennsylvania's Pesticide Certification and Licensing Program.