Virginia Pesticide License Renewal Requirements are as follows:
Maintaining your pesticide applicator certification requires you attend a recertification course approved for the category(s) of applications in which you are certified. Applicators who take the required recertification course will have their certificates automatically renewed and sent to them.
For Commercial Applicators and Registered Technicians:
- Certified applicators are required to attend an approved category specific recertification course every two years before their certificate expires for each category they hold.
- If an applicator has the required recertification credit, their certificate will be automatically renewed. Applicators will either renew in an odd or even year. The expiration date is listed on the applicator’s certificate. Effective March 17, 2022, the fee for commercial applicators and registered technicians to renew their certificates has been eliminated.
- Applicators whose certificates expire on June 30 and who take the required recertification course(s) will have their certificate automatically renewed and a new certificate will be sent to them. As long as the applicator has taken the required recertification course, they are considered “renewed” even if we have not yet entered the credit or sent the certificate.
- For applicators who are due for renewal but do not take a recertification course by June 30 their certificate is expired. If a pesticide applicator applies any pesticide without a current certification, they are in violation of Virginia’s laws and regulations and subject to enforcement action.
- Applicators are granted 60 days after June 30 to obtain recertification credit to renew their expired certificate, otherwise they will have to be reexamined. After the 60 day grace period, the only way to renew their certificate is by examination. Until they have taken the required recertification course, they are not allowed by law to apply pesticides.
- Applicators who do not take a recertification course by August 29 of the expiration year listed on their certificate and who wish to be certified are required by law to retest which requires submission of an application and fee.
For Private Applicators:
- Private applicators are required to attend an approved category specific recertification course every 2 years before their certificate expires.
- If an applicator has the required recertification credit, their certificate will be automatically renewed. Applicators will either renew in an odd or even year. The expiration date is listed on the applicator’s certificate. As long as the applicator has taken the required recertification course, they are considered “renewed” even if we have not yet entered the credit or sent the certificate.
- If an applicator does not take the recertification course by December 31, their certificate is expired. If a private pesticide applicator applies a restricted use pesticide without a current certification, they are in violation of Virginia’s laws and regulations and subject to enforcement action.
- Applicators are granted 60 days after December 31 to obtain recertification credit to renew their expired certificate, otherwise they will have to be reexamined. Until they have taken the required recertification course, they are not allowed by law to apply restricted use pesticides.
- After the 60 day grace period, the only way to renew their certificate is by examination.
Commercial Pesticide Applicator Categories
Category Title (Category Number)
Agriculture Plant Pest Control (1A) – For commercial applicators using pesticides in the production of agricultural crops, on grasslands, and noncrop agricultural land.
Agriculture Animal Pest Control (1B) – For commercial applicators using pesticides on agricultural animals, and places on or in which such animals are confined, for control of pests directly affecting such animals.
Fumigation of Soil and Agricultural Products (1C) – For commercial applicators using pesticides for soil fumigation in the production of agricultural commodities and/or fumigation of agricultural products.
Agricultural Chemigation (1D) – For commercial applicators applying pesticides through an irrigation system.
Forest Pest Control (2) – For commercial applicators using pesticides in forests, forest nurseries, and seed orchards.
Ornamental Pest Control (3A) – For commercial applicators using pesticides to maintain ornamental plants – trees, shrubs, herbaceous foliage or flowering plants (other than ornamental turf) in plantscapes (interiorscapes or landscapes).
Turf Pest Control (3B) – For commercial applicators using pesticides to maintain ornamental turf on sites such as on golf courses, residential lawns, parks, and cemeteries.
Seed Treatment (4) – For commercial applicators applying pesticides to seeds.
Aquatic Pest Control (5A) – For commercial applicators using pesticides in or on standing or running waters for the express purpose of controlling pests, excluding those applicators engaged in activities relating to public health.
Marine Anti-Foulant Paints (5B) – For commercial applicators using marine anti-foulant paints containing tributyltin or other restricted-use pesticides. Persons wishing to become certified in this category are exempt from the Virginia Core exam.
Right-of-Way Pest Control (6) – For commercial applicators using pesticides to maintain public rights-of-way such as roads, electric power lines, telephone lines, pipelines and railways; and to maintain fence lines, structural perimeters and other similar areas.
General Pest Control (7A) – For commercial applicators using pesticides to control household pests, including pests that infest structures, stored products, and residential food preparation areas, and pests that infest or contaminate food at any stage of processing in food processing facilities. This includes treatment of food processing areas and control of vertebrate structural invaders. This category does not include control of wood-destroying pests or the use of fumigants.
Management of Wood Destroying Pest Organisms (7B) – For commercial applicators using pesticides other than fumigants to control organisms that destroy structures made of or containing wood.
Fumigation (Non-Agricultural) (7C) – For commercial applicators using fumigant pesticides to control pests in structures and items other than soils and raw agricultural commodities.
Vertebrate Pest Control (7D) – For commercial applicators using pesticides to control vertebrate pest animals outside of human dwellings or other structures.
Sewer Root Pest Control (7E) – For commercial applicators using pesticides, including those containing metam-sodium (a restricted-use pesticide), to control roots in sewer lines.
Public Health Pest Control (8) – For commercial applicators using pesticides to manage or control pests of medical significance that pose a risk to public health. Federal, state, and local employees involved in public health pest control are included in this category.
Regulatory Pest Control (9) – For federal, state, and local governmental employees using pesticides to control regulated pests.
Demonstration and Research Pest Control (10) – For commercial applicators, including federal, state, and local government employees, who teach proper pesticide use, application techniques, and/or make pesticide recommendations; for research application of pesticides in greenhouses or field plots.
Aerial Pesticide Application (11) – For commercial applicators applying pesticides by fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft.
Wood Preservation and Wood Products Treatment (12) – For commercial applicators using pesticides at wood treatment plants and sawmills for the preservation of wood and wood products.
