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The following section explains the
steps required to obtain and maintain an individual Commercial or
Non-Commercial Pesticide Applicator License.
Step One:
- One must take and pass the Basic
Core Exam and the category specific exams required for
the type license you need. Training is not required before taking
the exams but is available and recommended. The Extension Pesticide
Assessment Specialist conducts approximately four training sessions
per year (in Fayetteville, Little Rock, Jonesboro, and Monticello)
for individuals needing to take the exams. The dates for these
meetings vary from year to year, but they normally are conducted
in March. The dates for any given year will be set in January.
Call your County Extension Agent or the Pesticide Assessment Specialist
(501-671-2234) for more information on these meetings. Note:
Extension Agents do not provide the training for commercial
and non-commercial applicators, but they can provide the dates
for the training. If you cannot, or do not want to attend a training session before taking the exams, examination are given Twice a month at the Plant Board headquarters in Little Rock. Dates are on the Preregistration form (PDF) and preregistration is required. If questions, contact Assistant Director of Certification and Training in the Pesticide Division at 501-225-1598.
Step Two:
- Once you have passed the required
exams you are eligible to obtain your Pesticide Applicator License.
The Plant Board will send eligible individuals an Application
for License Form (Commercial
Form DP-30 and Noncommercial
Form DP-27). Complete the form and mail it back to the Plant
Board with the appropriate license fees for processing. The license,
once issued, will expire December 31 of the current year.
Step Three:
- Once you have obtained your license
you must attend a pesticide safety training session (conducted
by the Cooperative Extension Service in most cases) at least once
every three years in order to maintain your certification. These
sessions are known as Recertification sessions. Your pesticide
license has the "Recertification Training Required by:"
date printed on the front. You must attend a recertification session
by this date to receive your license for the next year and the
following two years. At least one (usually more) recertification
session is conducted each year in Little Rock by the Extension
Pesticide Assessment Specialist. Every third year, beginning in
1991 (then 1994, 1997, 2000, etc.), there will be at least four
recertification sessions conducted around the state because of
the large number of individuals who are on this recertification
cycle.
Click
here for a current list of training classes.
- After attending the full
3-4 hour training session, you must fill out the half-page triplicate
form (proof of Certification), provided by the trainers. Once
the form is filled out and then signed by the appropriate Extension
personnel, you remove the back copy for your records and the Extension
Service will keep the other two copies. The Extension Service
will send one copy to the Plant Board for their records. The Plant
Board will send an application for a license in October or November
of each year to all currently licensed individuals. If your certification
is current, you just fill out the application form and send it,
along with the appropriate fees, to the Plant Board for processing.
The license, once issued, will expire on December 31 of the current
year.
Step Four:
- Keep your license and recertification
current. Remember that recertification refers to the required
training conducted by the Cooperative Extension Service.
- If you let your license lapse you
do not have to retake the exams if you maintain your recertification
training requirements (i.e., you attend a recertification session
at least once every three years). If you let your recertification
expire, simply attend another recertification session and begin
the three year cycle again.
- If for some reason you are unable
to attend a recertification session by the required date and you
must have a license, you have only one option. You must retake
the exams at the State Plant Board in Little Rock. Therefore,
it is very important that you attend the training sessions at
least once every three years to maintain your recertification.
The above information applies to the
Commercial and Non-Commercial agricultural pesticide applicator
categories
Agricultural Plants
Agricultural Animals
Demonstration and Research
Forestry
Wood Treatment
Right of Way
Public Health
Aquatic
Regulatory
For licensing information regarding
other categories, contact the Pest Control Section of the State
Plant Board.
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