Looking for Pennsylvania pest control CEUs online? Pennsylvania commercial pesticide applicators must complete continuing education approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) to maintain pesticide certification.

For many professional pest-control companies, the most important Pennsylvania structural categories are:

• Category 11 — Household and Health Related
• Category 12 — Wood Destroying Pests
• Category 13 — Structural Fumigation

American Pest CEUs provides online pest-management continuing education through PestSchool.com.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s current approved online-provider information includes American Pest and identifies Pennsylvania credit availability in Core and structural pest-control categories including 11, 12 and 13.

Updated September 2026. Pennsylvania pesticide requirements and individual course approvals may change. Always verify your individual certification, recertification date and current course approval through PDA and PaPlants before completing training for credit.

Who Regulates Pest Control in Pennsylvania?

Pesticide applicator licensing, certification and continuing education in Pennsylvania are administered by the:

Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture — Bureau of Plant Industry.

PDA administers:

• Commercial pesticide applicator certification
• Public pesticide applicator certification
• Private pesticide applicator certification
• Registered Pesticide Technicians
• Pesticide Application Business Licenses
• Core and category examinations
• Recertification-credit approvals
• Online pesticide training
• PaPlants applicator records
• Pesticide compliance and enforcement

How Often Do Pennsylvania Applicators Need Recertification?

Pennsylvania pesticide recertification operates on a:

3-year cycle.

During each recertification interval, applicators must accumulate:

• 6 Core credits; and
• The required credits for each pesticide category held

How Many Core Credits Does Every Pennsylvania Applicator Need?

Regardless of commercial certification category:

Every Pennsylvania applicator needs 6 Core recertification credits.

Core training may cover subjects such as:

• Pesticide safety
• Pesticide labels
• Personal protective equipment
• Environmental protection
• Pesticide laws and regulations
• Application procedures
• Integrated Pest Management
• Pesticide formulations
• Recordkeeping
• Emergency response

Pennsylvania Structural Pest-Control Credit Requirements

How Many Total Credits Does Pennsylvania Category 11 Require?

A commercial applicator maintaining:

Category 11 — Household and Health Related

generally needs:

• 6 Core credits
• 10 Category 11 credits

for a combined requirement of:

16 qualifying credits during the three-year recertification interval.

What Is Pennsylvania Category 11?

Pennsylvania:

Category 11 — Household and Health Related Pest Control

is the primary certification for many general structural pest-management professionals.

It covers qualifying pesticide applications in, on or around locations such as:

• Homes and human dwellings
• Food-handling establishments
• Schools
• Hospitals
• Industrial establishments
• Warehouses
• Grain elevators
• Public and private structures
• Stored-product environments
• Processed or manufactured products

Does Pennsylvania Category 11 Include Rodent Control?

Yes.

Pennsylvania’s current Category 11 definition allows:

The use of rodenticides and avicides.

This makes Category 11 particularly important to professional pest-control companies handling:

• Rats
• Mice
• General structural pests
• Stored-product pests
• Household pests
• Health-related pests

Does Category 11 Include Outdoor Perimeter Treatments?

Yes.

Pennsylvania includes qualifying:

Outdoor perimeter pesticide treatments intended to control pests that may infest a structure

within Category 11.

What Pest-Control Topics Are Relevant to Pennsylvania Category 11?

Approved structural pest-management education may include:

• Ant identification and management
• Cockroaches
• Bed bugs
• Rodents
• Fleas
• Ticks
• Flies
• Stored-product pests
• Fabric pests
• Spiders
• Wasps and stinging insects
• Integrated Pest Management
• Pesticide safety
• Pesticide labels
• Application techniques
• Structural inspections

Does Pennsylvania Category 11 Include Termite Control?

No.

Pennsylvania maintains a separate certification category for:

Category 12 — Wood Destroying Pests.

What Is Pennsylvania Category 12?

Pennsylvania:

Category 12 — Wood Destroying Pests

covers pesticide use to control or prevent:

• Termites
• Powderpost beetles
• Other wood-destroying pests

in locations such as:

• Homes
• Schools
• Hospitals
• Stores
• Warehouses
• Structural components
• Wooden objects associated with structures
• Areas adjacent to structures

How Many Pennsylvania Category 12 Credits Are Required?

A Category 12 commercial applicator generally needs:

• 6 Core credits
• 10 Category 12 credits

during each:

Three-year recertification interval.

Pennsylvania Termite CEUs Online

Pest professionals searching for:

• Pennsylvania termite CEUs
• Pennsylvania termite credits
• Pennsylvania Category 12 CEUs
• Pennsylvania WDO continuing education
• Pennsylvania wood-destroying pest credits

should look for PDA-approved:

Category 12 recertification training.

What Is Pennsylvania Category 13?

Pennsylvania:

Category 13 — Structural Fumigation

covers use of:

A fumigant in or to a structure for the control of pests affecting the structure, its fixtures or inhabitants.

How Many Pennsylvania Structural Fumigation Credits Are Required?

A Category 13 applicator generally needs:

• 6 Core credits
• 6 Category 13 credits

during the three-year recertification interval.

Category 13 vs. Category 20 Fumigation

Pennsylvania separates structural fumigation from commodity and space fumigation.

Can Pennsylvania Pest-Control CEUs Be Taken Online?

Yes.

PDA expressly recognizes several recertification formats:

• In-person training
• Webinars
• Online on-demand courses
• Correspondence training

Pennsylvania describes an:

Online course

as a virtual event that can be accessed on demand.

Does Pennsylvania List American Pest as an Online Provider?

Yes.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s approved online-provider information currently identifies:

American Pest

and provides American Pest’s continuing education website and contact information.

Which Pennsylvania Categories Are Listed for American Pest?

PDA’s current online-provider listing identifies American Pest as offering approved Pennsylvania training in categories including:

• Core
• Category 6 — Ornamental and Shade Trees
• Category 7 — Lawn and Turf
• Category 11 — Household and Health Related
• Category 12 — Wood Destroying Pests
• Category 13 — Structural Fumigation
• Category 15 — Public Health, Vertebrate Pests
• Category 18 — Demonstration and Research
• Category 19 — Wood Preservation
• Category 23 — Park or School Pest Control

Where Can I Take Pennsylvania Pest-Control CEUs Online?

American Pest CEUs provides online pest-management continuing education through:

PestSchool.com

Before enrolling for Pennsylvania credit, verify the current approval of the individual course and its:

• Core credit
• Category 11 credit
• Category 12 credit
• Category 13 credit
• Other applicable Pennsylvania category credit

How Long Is One Pennsylvania Pesticide Credit?

Pennsylvania awards:

1 recertification credit for every 30 minutes of relevant approved instruction.

That means, for example:

PDA does not count breaks, meals or exhibit time as qualifying instructional time.

How Does Pennsylvania Approve Online Courses?

PDA requires training sponsors to submit pesticide recertification courses for approval.

The Department reviews:

• Course agenda
• Subject matter
• Speaker qualifications
• Instructional time
• Requested pesticide categories
• Attendance-verification methods

Online training must also include a method for confirming that the registered pesticide applicator actually completed the course.

How Does Pennsylvania Verify Online Course Attendance?

PDA allows virtual-course sponsors to use methods such as:

• Visual monitoring
• Polls
• Quizzes
• Other participation-verification methods

The sponsor must report participant information to PDA after successful course completion.

How Quickly Must Pennsylvania Course Providers Report Credits?

PDA currently requires sponsors to submit attendance information:

Within 10 business days after the approved course.

Can I Repeat the Same Pennsylvania Online Course?

Pennsylvania has an important restriction:

A successfully completed course number counts toward pesticide recertification only once in the lifetime of the applicator.

Do Extra Pennsylvania Credits Carry Over?

Generally, no.

Pennsylvania recertification credits normally reset when the applicator completes the renewal process.

If you have already earned all required Core and category credits, completing the certification renewal before taking additional training can allow later qualifying credits to begin counting toward the new recertification interval.

How Can I Check My Pennsylvania Pesticide Credits?

Pennsylvania uses:

PaPlants

for pesticide applicator and business information.

Before buying more continuing education, check:

• Your certification number
• Your renewal date
• Your Core credits
• Your Category 11 credits
• Your Category 12 credits
• Your Category 13 credits
• Any additional categories held
• Courses previously completed

How Often Does a Pennsylvania Commercial Applicator License Renew?

Commercial pesticide applicator licenses are:

Renewed annually.

Current PDA guidance lists a commercial applicator renewal fee of:

$40 per year.

Commercial applicator licenses currently expire:

September 30.

Annual License vs. Three-Year Recertification

What Happens If I Don’t Earn Enough Pennsylvania Credits?

If an applicator does not meet the required recertification credits by the required date:

The certification expires and pesticide applications requiring certification may no longer be made.

Can I Reinstate an Expired Pennsylvania Certification?

Pennsylvania generally provides:

Up to one year after expiration

to reinstate certification by:

• Obtaining the missing recertification credits
• Paying applicable fees
• Completing the reinstatement requirements

If certification has been expired for:

More than one year

reexamination is generally required.

Can Pennsylvania Applicators Recertify by Examination?

Yes.

Reexamination is available when an applicator does not maintain certification through continuing education or when certification has been expired long enough to require retesting.

How Do I Become a Pennsylvania Commercial Pesticide Applicator?

A commercial/public applicator generally must:

• Pass the Pennsylvania Core examination
• Pass one or more applicable Category examinations
• Be employed by a licensed pesticide application business
• Apply for certification within the required period after passing the exams
• Pay the applicable licensing fee

What Score Is Required on Pennsylvania Pesticide Exams?

The Pennsylvania Core and Category examinations currently contain:

50 multiple-choice questions.

A passing score is:

35 out of 50 — or 70%.

How Long Do I Have to Apply After Passing the Pennsylvania Exams?

After successfully passing the certification examinations, an individual generally has:

12 months

to apply for commercial or public pesticide applicator certification.

Does a Pennsylvania Pest-Control Company Need a Business License?

Yes.

Businesses required to employ commercial or public pesticide applicators generally also need a:

Pennsylvania Pesticide Application Business License.

Current PDA requirements include:

• At least one Certified Pesticide Applicator
• Required financial responsibility / insurance
• A Pesticide Application Business License
• The current annual business-license fee

How Much Is the Pennsylvania Pesticide Business License?

Current PDA guidance lists:

A $35 business-license fee initially and annually.

The business’s insurance company must provide proof of required financial responsibility with PDA listed appropriately as certificate holder.

What Is a Pennsylvania Registered Pesticide Technician?

Instead of having every employee become a Certified Applicator, Pennsylvania pesticide businesses may train qualifying employees as:

Registered Pesticide Technicians.

How Long Is Pennsylvania Registered Technician Training?

A new Registered Technician generally must complete a:

Minimum 30-day training program.

The program must be administered by a Certified Applicator who has:

At least one year of experience in the category in which the technician is being trained.

What Does Pennsylvania Technician Training Cover?

Required training topics include areas such as:

• Pest identification
• Pesticide labels
• Proper pesticide use
• Application equipment
• Equipment calibration
• Equipment maintenance
• Protective clothing
• Respiratory protection
• Human-health effects
• Environmental effects
• Transportation
• Spill handling
• Pesticide disposal
• State and federal pesticide regulations

Do Pennsylvania Registered Technicians Need Annual Training?

Yes.

Registered Technicians must receive:

Annual update training.

The employing pesticide business must retain qualifying technician training records.

When Does a Pennsylvania Registered Technician Registration Expire?

Registered Technician registrations currently expire:

February 28 each year.

Can a Pennsylvania Registered Technician Work Alone?

A properly trained Registered Technician may make qualifying pesticide applications without the Certified Applicator being physically present at the site.

However, the supervising Certified Applicator must generally be able to:

Reach the application site within five hours if necessary.

Can Pennsylvania Registered Technician Status Transfer to Another Company?

No.

Registered Technician status is tied to the pesticide business that provided and documented the required training.

A technician registration cannot simply be transferred from one employer to another.

Pennsylvania Pest Control CEUs for Philadelphia

Pest-management professionals in Philadelphia can use PDA-approved online continuing education toward Pennsylvania pesticide applicator recertification.

Common searches include:

• Pennsylvania pest control CEUs
• Philadelphia pest control CEUs
• Pennsylvania Category 11 credits
• Pennsylvania pesticide recertification online
• Pennsylvania termite CEUs
• Pennsylvania Category 12 CEUs
• Pennsylvania structural pest-control continuing education

Pennsylvania Pest Control CEUs for Pittsburgh

Pest professionals in Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania follow the same statewide PDA recertification requirements.

Category 11 applicators should track both their six required Core credits and ten required Household and Health Related credits.

Pennsylvania Pest Control CEUs for Allentown and Bethlehem

Pest-management professionals in Allentown, Bethlehem and the Lehigh Valley can review approved online and instructor-led pesticide recertification training through PaPlants.

Pennsylvania Pest Control CEUs for Harrisburg

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is headquartered in Harrisburg.

Pest professionals can use PDA and PaPlants resources to review applicator certification, pesticide businesses, exams and continuing education.

Pennsylvania Pest Control CEUs for Scranton and Wilkes-Barre

Pest professionals in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre and Northeast Pennsylvania can complete qualifying online Core, Category 11 and Category 12 continuing education when currently approved by PDA.

Pennsylvania Pest Control CEUs for Lancaster

Commercial applicators in Lancaster can use Pennsylvania’s approved online courses as part of the three-year recertification process while continuing to renew their actual commercial license annually.

Pennsylvania Pest Control CEUs for Erie

Pest-management professionals in Erie and Northwest Pennsylvania can use online recertification training to reduce travel associated with qualifying pesticide continuing education.

Pennsylvania Pest Control CEUs for Reading, York and Other Communities

Pennsylvania pesticide requirements apply statewide.

Pest professionals in Reading, York, State College, Altoona, Easton, Chester, King of Prussia, Pottstown and other Pennsylvania communities can review PDA-approved continuing education appropriate to their pesticide categories.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pennsylvania Pest Control CEUs

Disclaimer: This guide is provided for general educational purposes and is not a substitute for guidance from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Pesticide certification requirements, recertification credits, category definitions, individual course approvals, fees, business-license requirements and Registered Technician requirements may change. Always verify your individual Pennsylvania pesticide credential and current PDA course approval before purchasing or completing continuing education.