Announcements
Commercial pesticide applicators are:
- For-hire applicators who are owners or employees who apply pesticides for pesticide application businesses
-
Not-for-hire owners or employees who apply non-agricultural pesticides to their own land or buildings
Steps to licensing:
- Buy training materials and complete training from University of Wisconsin-Extension
- Get certified by passing a closed-book exam administered by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection; schedule an exam here
- Apply for a license either
online or by paper application (available under the resources section)
Certification is valid for five years. Licenses are valid for one year. Employees may get a 30-day license during their training period while they complete the certification process.
There are 20 categories for certification. You may need more than one depending on the work you do.
Online licensing
You can apply online or you can download a paper application. Links for both options are available in the resources section on this page. Note that if you are applying online, you need to choose the correct link for your situation -- whether you are working commercially for hire or not for hire, for a government agency, or for an educational institution.
Applying pesticides in Indian country:
In addition to state certification and licensing, you need federal certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to apply restricted-use pesticides in
Indian country. After receiving certification in a Wisconsin category, you must apply to the EPA for certification, which will be based on the Wisconsin category.
EPA information and application form for Indian country certification
Back to main certification and licensing page