How to Become a Certified Private Pesticide Applicator

A Certified Private Pesticide Applicator (Private Applicator) is certified to use or supervise the use of restricted use pesticides, when producing agricultural commodities on property owned or leased by the applicator or the applicator's employer. 

If applications are going to be made on property not owned or leased by the applicator or applicator’s employer, commercial certification is required. 

Steps to Become Certified

1. Meet Eligibility Requirements

All individuals pursuing certification for the first time or after 2 years of expiration must pass both the core exam and one category exam. To be eligible to take the certification exams applicants must be at least 17 years old and satisfy one of the following requirements:

1. Successfully complete a DEC-approved 30-hour training course in the intended category of certification, within the last 5 years before applying to take the exams.
2. Possess an associate’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university which covered the topics listed in Section 325.18, and related categories in Sections 325.16 or 325.17.
3. Have one year of full-time experience within the last 3 years in the use of pesticides in the category or categories that the individual is seeking certification.
4. Have one year of verifiable experience as a Certified Commercial Pesticide Applicator in a corresponding commercial category, within the last 5 years before applying to take the exams.

Upcoming courses for eligibility can be found using the NYSPAD information portal. To find DEC-approved 30-hour eligibility courses in the portal, choose your intended category, select course type “eligibility”. You can narrow the search by region or county. To see online course options, choose “Yes” for Distance Learning.

2. Register for the Exam

Once an applicant has satisfied the eligibility requirements, they may register for an exam. Advance registration is required. DEC offers exams through multiple formats.

1. Online Testing

• Take pesticide certification exams at home using your personal computer.
• Suitable for applicants who prefer flexibility and convenience without needing to travel.
• Internet connection and a quiet, private testing space are required.
• A secure, browser-based platform will be used, and your exam session will be monitored by a remote proctor through your computer’s camera and microphone.

2. Test Center Exams

• Computer-based exams offered at approved testing centers across New York State. Approved testing center locations can be viewed on the provided map.
• Exams will be supervised by a live, in-person proctor.
• Ideal for candidates who may not have access to reliable internet or home computer with a microphone and camera.

3.  Paper Exams

• Paper exams will continue to be provided at the DEC regional offices on a limited basis.

Register for a pesticide certification exam using DEC’s online form tool, nForm. This link will take you directly to the application after you log in. New users will need to register with an email address and a password to use the nForm system. Any previous users of nForm through the NY.gov system can use the email address used for their NY.gov account and then create a password by using the “Forgot Password” option. The nForm online tool requires the use of Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Firefox browsers. The online forms should be submitted on a computer or laptop as nForm is not optimized for mobile devices.

Applicants who are unable to take their exam online or at a test center may take a paper-based exam at a DEC regional office.  Open exam sessions available at DEC regional offices can be found in the NYSPAD information portal. To register for a paper-based exam use nForm. If you are unable to register online, you may submit a paper exam registration (PDF) directly to the DEC region where you wish to test.

When applicants register for an exam session they will be asked to provide course certificates, transcripts or verifiable experience letters, depending on the eligibility criteria met. Payment will also be required at the time of registration. The fee for the core and one category/subcategory exam taken at the same session is $100. For applicants registering to take a category exam only, the fee for each category/subcategory exam is $100. Exam registration fees are non-refundable.

DEC retains the right to verify eligibility and experience by references and degrees, transcripts, etc. There will be no refund of the exam fee if a problem with the eligibility documentation is discovered at a later date.

For questions about exam eligibility and registration, contact the DEC regional office (PDF) for your county of residence. 

Please Note: All applicants must have a photo on file with the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Pesticide Applicator/Technician ID cards are produced by NYSDMV using the photograph they have on file. Applicants who do not have a current NYS driver’s license or non-driver ID card must go to a NYSDMV office and have their photo taken (at no cost). They should bring the Request for Photo Image (PDF) form and the required 2 proofs of identification with them to DMV. The DMV office will provide a receipt with a 9-digit DMV number. Applicants should NOT request a driver's license or non-driver ID. Doing so could cause their existing state ID card to be cancelled.

3. Prepare for the Exam

Training                                                                                                               

It is recommended that applicants read and study the core and appropriate category manuals to prepare for the exams. Training manuals can be ordered through the Cornell University Bookstore.

About the Exam                                                                                                                 

The core exam is 50 multiple choice questions, closed book and based on the core manual and the Department’s pesticide laws and regulations. Of the 50 questions, there are 10 pertaining to the pesticide label. To pass the core exam, 35 out of the 50 questions must be answered correctly and at least 7 of the label comprehension questions must also be answered correctly.

Category/subcategory exams are 50 multiple choice questions, open book (manual allowed for in-person, paper exam only, computer-based exams include allowed reference material in the exam itself), and are based on the Category/subcategory manual, the Department’s pesticide laws and regulations, and, for certain categories, the WPS How-to-Comply manual. 

Applicants are allowed 90 minutes to complete each exam. The allotted time begins at the conclusion of the instructions.

4. After Taking the Exam

Applicants will be notified by email of their exam scores.

Exam results are not given over the phone.

After passing an exam, applicants must pay the certification fee. When an applicant passes the exam(s) necessary to become certified, recertified, or to add another category/subcategory, they will receive an invoice in the mail specifying the certification fee due. The invoice will contain details about how to make payment online. Applicants also have the option to return the bottom portion of the invoice with a check or money order. The certification fee must be paid within 6 months of taking an exam. An applicant who does not pay the certification fee within 6 months, must retake the exam.

The certification fee for Private Applicators who are the primary applicator for a farm or agricultural business is $25. The certification fee for a Private Applicator who is a secondary applicator for the same farm or agricultural business is $5. To take advantage of this reduced fee, secondary applicators must provide the name and certification ID number of the Primary Applicator when they register for the exam. 

Once the certification fee is received and processed, the certification ID card will be mailed to the applicant. This may take 2 – 4 weeks from the time the fee is paid. If the ID card has not been received within 4 weeks of making payment, the applicant must submit a request to have a new card printed. The online card request form and a printable PDF can be found on the Pesticides Forms Page. An applicator may only start applying pesticides if they physically possess a certification ID card.

Please Note: If an applicant fails the core exam twice, they must complete an additional 8 credit hours of training prior to retaking the exam. If an applicant fails a category or subcategory exam 3 times in succession, they must retake both the core and category exams. An applicant who passes a core exam must also pass a category exam within 6 months. Failure to do so will require the applicant to retake the core exam.