Announcements
- Certification exam available online: Pearson Vue offers the pesticide applicator certification exam online. The computer-based exam includes a $45 convenience fee that is paid entirely to Pearson Vue. DATCP will continue to offer a paper exam at no charge.
- Pearson Vue will have a PDF-style manual that will share half the screen with the exam. You will have to get 70% of the questions correct to pass.
- The online UW PAT training or in-person training you took qualifies you for the 50% passing score when testing in-person at a UW-Madison Division of Extension office. Your county Extension office will determine when they are able to offer an in-person private applicator certification exam.
About
Private applicators are individuals who apply restricted-use pesticides to their own or their employer's agricultural crops. In addition to farm crops, this includes Christmas trees, forests, and nursery and greenhouse plants.
Private applicators must be certified, but do not need a license.
Steps to certification
- Buy a training manual at the UW PAT Store online or use a mail in form.
- Self-study the training manual or attend a training. The UW-PAT Program will be providing online training. You may elect to take the online training or attend a training hosted by your county Extension. To find an in-person training go to - https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/pat/events/. Training sessions will be posted in November.
- Schedule an exam. To schedule an exam, go to https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/pat/county-testing-sites/ to find a County Extension office providing the test. You can also call the UW PAT Program or your local County Extension office to let you know which counties are testing. Testing is by appointment only. You can also choose to take a computer based exam via Pearson Vue testing company ($45).
- Pass an open-book exam at a participating County Extension office or with Pearson Vue.
- You will receive your new or updated certification card in the mail 7-10 days after taking the exam.
Certification is valid for five years. There are six categories for certification. You may be certified in more than one category.
100.0/101.0 | General Farming |
104.0/105.0 | Greenhouse & Nursery |
112.0/113.0 | Fruit Crop |
107.0 | Fumigation by Private Applicator |
109.0 | Chemigation |
111.0 | Aerial Application |
Applying pesticides in Indian country:
In addition to state certification and licensing, you need federal certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 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
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