Pesticide Applicator Information
Under the Kansas Pesticide Law, private certification authorizes you to use or supervise the use of a restricted us pesticide only to produce an agricultural commodity (1) on property owned or rented by you or your employer, or (2) on the property of another for no compensation other than trading of personal services between products.
Private applicator certification does NOT authorize you to apply pesticides on someone else's property and charge a fee for the services. If you wish to apply pesticides commercially, you must first obtain commercial applicator certification and a business license.
How To Become Certified As A Private Pesticide Applicator
As a private applicator you must complete the application procedure prescribed by the Kansas Sate Department of Agriculture, which is as follows:
- You need to have a "Private Pesticide Applicator Manual". Download the manual or one can be obtained at the Midway Extension District Offices for $5.00.
- Once you have read the manual, come to one of the Midway Extension District Offices during business hours to take the test. The test is open book, has 75 multiple choice questions, and takes approximately 2-3 hours to complete. The test is administered online. The $25 payment can be made by credit card/debit card or online check.
- You must answer at least 56 questions correctly in order to pass (56/75 = 75%).
- Once you complete the test, a score will be automatically calculated. If passed, you will receive an email with a copy of your score and license to print. If failed, you will be given new login information and the option to test again.
The applicators license is valid for 5 years. The recertification test will be sent directly from the Kansas Dept. of Agriculture and can be filled out open book at your home.
If an EMERGENCY Certification is needed to spray ASAP, please contact 785-472-4442; a proctored test can be arranged and a temporary license issued.
How To Become Certified As A Commercial Pesticide Applicator
For initial certification, both the General and one category/subcategory exam must be passed within 12 months of each other. If you pass one of the exams, you have 12 months from the date you passed that exam to pass the second exam. You are not certified until you pass both exams. Applicants must be 18 years of age or older to be eligible for commercial applicator certification.
