Commercial Pesticide Applicator

Part 1. General Information

Pesticide Applicator Certification is designed to demonstrate a certain level of competency by pesticide users on the safe use of pesticides. Users of pesticides are classified as either private applicators or commercial applicators.

PRIVATE APPLICATOR – any person who uses, or supervises the use, of pesticides for the purpose of raising an agricultural commodity. The application can be done on land owned or rented by the applicator or the applicator’s employer. Examples of private applicators are dairy farmers, vegetable or fruit growers, greenhouse growers, ranchers, nurserymen, and home gardeners. Request a private exam application if your occupation requires private certification.

COMMERCIAL APPLICATOR – any person who applies pesticides for non-agricultural purposes. Any person who uses, or supervises the use, of pesticides on a “for hire” basis.* Also, any person who applies pesticides as part of his job with any governmental agency. Examples of commercial applicators are those who work for exterminators; landscapers; tree services; aerial applicators; weed control firms; pet groomers; apartments, motels, nursing homes, restaurants, etc. who do their own pest control work; and governmental agencies such as mosquito extermination commissions, public schools, Departments of Public Works, Departments of Health, the DOT, etc.

*If you apply pesticides “for hire” in New Jersey, State law requires that your business obtain a Pesticide Applicator Business License. The definition of a Pesticide Applicator Business is a business (or person) who, either wholly or in part, holds himself out for hire to apply pesticides. Examples are: pet groomers, exterminators, landscapers, tree services, aerial applicators, etc. This Pesticide Applicator Business License is in addition to your Certified Pesticide Applicator license.

LICENSE AMENDMENTS: To make changes to personal information associated with a current license, including updates to the home address, please submit License Change Form VPC-004  to pestcertcourses@dep.nj.gov.

Part 2. Commercial Applicator Certification

Rutgers University now administers all pesticide licensing exams. In most cases, a Commercial Pesticide Applicator is fully certified after passing the Core exam and at least one Category exam. Please note that one must become fully certified within one year of passing any certification exam or the exams previously passed will become invalid. The online Pesticide Applicator Certification Exam Registration (PACER) system is available for your use. Anyone interested in taking a Pesticide exam must register through the PACER system.

  • The PACER system and exams are available 24/7.
  • All exams will be administered via remote proctoring including real-time student ID verification and activity monitoring to uphold the Department’s exam standards and security.
  • Exam applicants will be assessed a nominal fee for each exam.
  • All exams are CLOSED book.
  • Applicants who fail an exam may re-apply directly to Rutgers at pacer.rutgers.edu to retake the exam.  Exam fees apply for each retake.
  • Please direct questions to pacer@njaes.rutgers.edu

When you have passed the Core exam and a Category exam, you are fully certified, unless you have taken either the Category 10, 11, or 13 exam. For Category 10, 11, and 13 you must pass at least one other category exam to be fully certified. Because Categories 10, 11, and 13 are general categories; an additional category exam, which is more specific to the type of pesticide work being done, must be taken.

CORE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAM SIGN-UP INSTRUCTIONS:

Everyone must pass the basic “Core” certification exam. This exam is based on the Pesticide Applicator Training Manual – Core.

STEP 1 – To be eligible to take the Core exam, the applicant shall submit proof of completion of a Department approved Basic Pesticide Training Course. The course shall provide a working knowledge of the following: proper use of application equipment, potential hazards involved in applying pesticides, instructions for the mixing of pesticides, protective clothing and equipment, applicable State and Federal pesticide laws and regulations, interpretation of pesticide labels and understanding integrated pest management. Proof of course completion must be uploaded to the PACER system at pacer.rutgers.edu when applying to take the Core exam.

You must attend an approved Basic Pesticide Training Class before taking the Core exam if:

  1. You have NEVER taken the “Basic Pesticide Training Class” before, or
  2. You can no longer provide proof of having previously taken the course

You do not need to take the “Basic Pesticide Training Class” if you are taking exams for recertification AND it has been less than two (2) years since your license expired as long as you have a copy of your expired license or a copy of your original training certificate (see Attention Recertification Applicants in Step 2 below).

STEP 2 – Prepare the following:

  1. A digital copy/picture of the “Basic Pesticide Training Class Attendance Certificate” to upload to the PACER system. You will receive the Basic Pesticide Training Class Attendance Certificate from the course coordinator after completion of the course.Attention Recertification Applicants: If you are taking the exam for recertification purposes, and it has been less than two years since your license expired, you do not need to resubmit the “Basic Pesticide Training Class Attendance Certificate.” Instead, you have the option to submit the certificate OR prepare a digital copy of your expired Commercial Pesticide Applicator license.
  2. To prepare for the exam, it is recommended you purchase the “Core Training Manual” from the County Cooperative Extension Office in your area or online. Training manuals cannot be purchased from the Department.

STEP 3 – Sign up for the exam with Rutgers University

Register through the PACER system.

  • The registration PACER system and exams are available 24/7.   QUESTIONS? Email pacer@njaes.rutgers.edu.
  • All exams will be administered via remote proctoring including real-time student ID verification and activity monitoring to uphold the Department’s exam standards and security.
  • Exam applicants will be assessed a nominal fee of $135.00 for the Core exam.
  • All exams are CLOSED book.

CATEGORY REQUIREMENTS AND EXAM SIGN-UP INSTRUCTIONS:

In addition to the Core exam, one or more “Category” certification exams must be passed. The Category exams needed depend on the type of pest control that will be done. To be eligible to take a Category exam, the applicant must complete a minimum of 40 hours of “on-the-job training” (OJT) for each category applied for. By definition, 40 hours of on-the-job training shall consist of a minimum number of separate applications, as specified in the following table. Certification in Category 10 and 13 is exempt from the category training requirements. Certification in Category 11 requires training in aerial only.

STEP 1 – Complete 40-hours of “On-the-Job Training” (OJT) for each category if it is available to you. Forty hours of OJT is required if it is available to you.

Attention Recertification Applicants: You do not need to take 40 hours OJT again for a category you were previously licensed in. You may use the Affidavit Form VPE-001 if you have been previously licensed as a New Jersey Commercial Pesticide Applicator in the categories you are applying for. Upload the signed affidavit to the PACER portal when you apply for you category exam.

IF OJT IS AVAILABLE TO YOU:

Have the licensed Commercial Pesticide Applicator who trained you fill out and sign the Training Verification Form VPE-002.  Prepare a digital copy/picture of the form to upload to the PACER system. To submit the 40 hours of OJT information, indicate on the “Category Training Verification Form” the following information:

  1. Check the yes block and fill in the category training received;
  2. Enter the applicant’s name, signature and date;
  3. Complete the trainer’s name, signature and date;
  4. Submit the “Category Training Verification Form” with the exam application form.

IF OJT IS NOT AVAILABLE TO YOU:

Option A – You may take training courses for categories 3A, 3B, 7A, 7B and 8B. Trainers certified in these categories can be found on the Pesticide Training Courses page. You will receive a category training attendance certificate from the course coordinator after completion of the course. Prepare a digital copy of your category training attendance certificate to upload to the PACER system.

OR

Option B – For categories other than 3A, 3B, 7A, 7B, 8B, or 11, a training exemption is available. Some of the situations that would qualify for this exemption include a person who is starting their own business, or someone working for an apartment complex, school or government agency and where there is no Certified Pesticide Applicator currently employed to give the training. To apply for the exemption, indicate on the Training Verification Form VPE-002 why the 40 hours of OJT is not available to you and prepare a digital copy of the form to upload to the PACER system.

OJT is always required for Category 11: Aerial. However, if all applications will be done aerially, additional categories do not require OJT.

Categories Available with the Minimum Number of Applications to be Witnessed or Performed and Training Course Availability:

 

Category of Work Minimum Number of Applications Training Classes Available Y/N
Category 1A – Agricultural Plant Pest Control 5 N
Category 1B – Agricultural Animal Pest Control 2 N
Category 2 – Forest Pest Control 2 N
Category 3A – Ornamental Pest Control 15 Y*
Category 3B – Turf Pest Control 15 Y*
Category 3C – Interior Plantscaping 15 N
Category 4 – Seed Treatment 2 N
Category 5 – Aquatic Pest Control 5 N
Category 6B – Right of Way Pest Control 5 N
Category 7A – General and Household Pest Control 15 Y*
Category 7B – Termites & other Wood Destroying Insects Pest Control 6 Y*
Category 7C – Fumigation Pest Control 2 N
Category 7D – Food Manufacturing and Processing 5 N
Category 7E – Wood Preserving Pest Control 2 N
Category 7F – Antifoulants 2 N
Category 8A – General Public Health Pest Control 15 N
Category 8B – Mosquito Pest Control 5 Y*
Category 8C – Campground Pest Control 5 N
Category 8D – Cooling Water Pest Control 2 N
Category 8E – Sewer Root Control 2 N
Category 8F – Pet grooming 15 N
Category 9 – Regulatory Pest Control 5 N
Category 10 – Demo & Research 0 NA
Category 11 – Aerial Pest Control 10 NA
Category 12A – Water Sanitization 10 N
Category 12B – Sterilization (EtO) 15 N
Category 13 – School IPM 0 NA

* Visit the Pesticide Training Course page to find category trainers

The Category exams are based on information contained in Category training manuals. To prepare for the exam, it is recommended you purchase the specific
“Category Training Manual” from the County Cooperative Extension Office in your area or online. Training manuals cannot be purchased from the Department.

STEP 2 – Sign up for exam with Rutgers University

  • Register through the PACER system.
  • The registration PACER system and exams are available 24/7.   QUESTIONS? Email pacer@njaes.rutgers.edu.
  • All exams will be administered via remote proctoring including real-time student ID verification and activity monitoring to uphold the Department’s exam standards and security.
  • Exam applicants will be assessed a nominal fee of $135.00 for each Category exam.
  • All exams are CLOSED book.

AFTER YOUR EXAMS:

  • Scores will be communicated to examinees via email by Rutgers University within 7-10 days of exam completion. A license number will be provided at that time.  The license number is not valid until the licensing invoice is paid.
  • The Department receives your scores approximately 2 weeks after you receive the email notification. If you have passed the Core and Category exams within one year of each other, an invoice will be available online 7-10 days after the Department receives your scores. A paper invoice will also be mailed to your home address.
  • See Invoice Numbers for Unpaid License Invoices – Individuals to look up your invoice number. Make sure to capitalize the letter in your license number and include the dashes in the date. Government Exempt employees must process their invoices online.
  • If you have passed an exam with the purpose of adding categories to your license, the category will be added automatically when the Department receives your score.  You can request a duplicate copy of your license, which will include the additional category, by contacting the Department.

For detailed information on certification and training requirements, refer to the NJ Pesticide Control Regulations N.J.A.C. 7:30 – 6. If there are any questions on Commercial Applicator certification, please call the BPC at 609-984-6568

Part 3. Commercial Applicator Recertification

Once you are fully certified, your certification is good for a minimum of 5 years. Each certification exam you have passed will have its own 5 year recertification date. The recertification date will be an October 31st date and is calculated by adding 5 years to the next October 31st date following the date you passed the exam (example: pass exam May 15, 2000; next October 31st date is October 31, 2000; recertification date is October 31, 2005).

You will receive an update of your recertification status once a year with your license renewal. The “Recertification Update Form” will tell you when your 5-year period is up for each area you are certified in, how many units you have accumulated by July of that year, and how many more units you need. IF YOU ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR RENEWAL YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE THIS NOTICE. Check your license recertification status and credit transcript to confirm eligibility.

Recertification can be accomplished in two ways:

  1. Retake the exams during the 5th year.
  2. Accumulate units of recertification credit over the 5 year period by attending NJ approved courses, seminars and meetings. A Commercial Applicator must accumulate 8 units (one unit equals 30 minutes of instruction time) of Core subject matter and 16 units of Category subject matter (for each Category of certification) within the 5 year recertification period. Course information can be obtained by contacting your County Cooperative Extension Office, industry associations, and private companies which handle such courses. Course providers can also be found by running a report on our website.

RECIPROCAL LICENSES – if you qualified for your pesticide applicator license through reciprocity, you can renew your New Jersey license by sending proof of current certification in your primary state. For more information about reciprocal license recertification.

Pesticide applicators can obtain 25% of their credits (2 Core units and 4 units in each Category) for each category that they are certified in by completing online courses during their 5-year recertification period. Online courses are listed on the applicator’s transcript with the date 01-JAN of the licensing year the course was taken. Remote classes preapproved to monitor attendees on camera qualify for in-person CEUs and are exempt from the 25% restriction. Please contact your course coordinator with questions regarding on-camera attendance.

  • Search for classes by category To look for online courses, use January first (01/01) of this licensing year as the start and end date of the search. Remote classes that are not subject to the 25% restriction will be listed under the date they take place, and with the county listed as “Various”.

For detailed information on certification and training requirements, refer to the NJ Pesticide Control Regulations N.J.A.C. 7:30 – 6. If there are any questions on Commercial Applicator recertification, please call the BPC at 609-984-6568.

Part 4. Commercial Applicator Licensing Reports