Commercial Applicators
The Commercial Applicator License is required for individuals who do not qualify as private applicators to purchase and use or supervise the use of general use or restricted use pesticides. To charge a fee for their service, Commercial Applicators must also hold a Pesticide Contractor license or work for a licensee (more information below).
Commercial Applicators must pass both a General Standards and Specialty Category examination with a score of 70% or higher. Pesticide purchases are limited to those categories in which a licensee is certified.
The Commercial Applicator licensing examination is administered by technical colleges throughout Georgia. The computerized exam lasts 2.5 hours and is composed of two portions: General Standards and Specialty Categories. Visit the Georgia Pest Exam site for more detailed information, registration, and testing locations.
The Pesticide Safety Education Program offers both printed and virtual manuals for the General Standards and Specialty Categories, as well as online study aids for select categories.
Print Manuals
To order printed copies of General Standards and Specialty Category manuals, visit the UGA Extension Publications storefront below.
Please note that purchasing a printed manual does not provide you with access to online study guides.
If you have a tax-exempt certificate, please email the UGA Extension Publications team with what product(s) and quantities you need to place your order.
Virtual Manuals
To order virtual copies of General Standards and Specialty Categories manuals, visit the PSEP storefront below.
When you purchase a virtual manual, you are purchasing a PDF file that you may highlight and print selections of at your convenience.
Manual orders are fulfilled during normal business hours each weekday by program staff. Do not be alarmed if you do not receive your material immediately after purchase.
Study Guides
Digital study guides for select Specialty Categories may be purchased at the PSEP storefront below.
At this time, self-paced learning modules are available for categories 21, 22, 24, 27, 27, and 41. These study guides are based upon the corresponding Specialty Category manual, incorporating images and transitions for a more interactive learning experience.
Study guide orders are fulfilled during normal business hours each weekday by program staff. Do not be alarmed if you do not receive your material immediately after purchase.
Commercial Pesticide Applicator licenses are valid for 5 years after issue. Licensees are required to accrue 6-10 hours of recertification credits no later than 90 days before license expiration to avoid retaking the Commercial Pesticide Applicators Examination. All licensees who obtain the required recertification credit hours will be mailed a renewal notice approximately 90 days prior to expiration.
Recertification credits may be earned by attending certain Extension meetings and short courses, professional meetings, or by viewing recordings that have been pre-approved by the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Division. Lists of approved courses by category are available on the department’s website.
Licensed Commercial Applicators who wish to charge a fee for the application of any pesticide to the property of another person or business that is not their employer must also have a Pesticide Contractor License for each business location. Pesticide Contractors must employ at least one full-time Commercial Pesticide Applicator to supervise all applications made under the license. Licensed businesses must pay an annual fee of $55 and demonstrate proof of financial responsibility. Pesticide Contractor License applications may be submitted to the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Division.
For more information about Pesticide Contractor licensure, please contact the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Division at (404) 656-4950 or AgPest@agr.georgia.gov.
In Georgia, Commercial Pesticide Applicators are required by law to maintain records of restricted use pesticide applications. Pesticide Contractors are required to keep records of all pesticide applications, restricted or general use. The following details are required to be recorded by Georgia regulations:
- Date and time of application
- Name of person for whom the pesticide was applied
- Location of application
- Crop or target to which applied
- Acreage/size of area treated, or total amount of pesticide used
- Target pest for which applied
- Pesticide used and application rate
- Type of equipment used
- Name of applicator
- Notation of any unexpected occurrence at or during application such as spillage, exposure of humans or non-target animals, drift, and any corrective or emergency action taken
- Names, concentrations, and quantities or all pesticides disposed and the manner of disposition
PSEP and the Georgia Department of Agriculture have developed a recordkeeping manual for Commercial Applicators which is available for purchase from the UGA Extension Publications webstore.
As required by the EPA’s Paraquat Dichloride Human Health Mitigation Decision and amended product labels, licensed applicators must complete an EPA-approved training program before mixing, loading, and/or applying paraquat. This product specific training is valid for 3 years after completion. This requirement includes (but is not limited to) any person transporting or storing open pesticide containers, cleaning equipment, disposing of excess pesticides, spray mix, wash waters, containers, and any other material containing paraquat.
The EPA-approved online training is available for free from Syngenta, paraquat’s producer. The training is available in English and Spanish, and users will be asked to complete a one-time registration before completing the course.
Aerial applicators of pesticides must meet all FAA and Georgia aeronautical requirements in addition to holding a Commercial Applicator license with certifications in one or more categories 21-32 and 38, in addition to category 34.