Commercial applicators are divided into categories. An applicator must be certified in each category he/she will be applying pesticides under.
Category 1A- Agricultural Weed Control
Definition - Includes certified applicators using pesticides to control plant pests in the production of agricultural crops, including, but not limited to, feed and/or small grains, corn, soybeans, forage, grasslands, and pasture.
Training manual - ISU publication CS-9, Agricultural Weed Management
Category 1B - Agricultural Insect Control
Definition - Includes certified applicators using pesticides to control insect pests in the production of agricultural crops, including, but not limited to, feed and/or small grains, corn, soybeans, forage, grasslands, and pasture.
Training manual - ISU publication CS-10, Agricultural Insect Control
Category 1C - Agricultural Crop Disease Control
Definition - Includes certified applicators using pesticides to control plant diseases in the production of agricultural crops, including, but not limited to, feed and/or small grains, corn, soybeans, forage, grasslands, and pasture.
Training manual - ISU publication CS-11, Agricultural Crop Disease Management
Category 1D - Fruit and Vegetable Pest Control
Definition - Includes certified applicators using pesticides to control plant, insect, or disease pests in the production of food for human consumption including, but not limited to, vegetables, small fruits, tree fruits, and nuts.
Training manual - ISU publication CS-12, Fruit and Vegetable Pest Control
Category 1E - Animal Pest Control
Definition - Includes certified applicators using pesticides directly on animals, in the production of an agricultural commodity including, but not limited to, beef cattle, dairy cattle, swine, sheep, horses, goats, poultry, or any other livestock, or areas or places on or in which animals are confined. Veterinarians are included in Category 1E when applying restricted use pesticides; engaging in the business of applying general use or restricted use pesticides for hire amounting to a principle or regular occupation; or if publicly claiming to be a pesticide applicator.
Training manual - ISU publication CS-13, Animal Pest Control
Category 2 - Forest Pest Control
Definition - Includes certified applicators using pesticides in forests, forest nurseries, and forest seed production areas.
Training manual - ISU publication CS-14, Forest Pest Control
Category 3G - Greenhouse Pest Control
Definition - Includes certified applicators using pesticides to control pests in the maintenance and/or production of ornamental trees, shrubs, flowers, turf, and other ornamental plants in a greenhouse or other enclosed, climate-controlled environment.
Training manual - ISU publication CS-15B, Greenhouse Pest Management
Category 3O - Ornamental Pest Control
Definition - Includes certified applicators using pesticides to control pests in the maintenance and production of ornamental trees, shrubs, flowers, and other ornamental plants, except turf, in areas other than a greenhouse or other enclosed, climate-controlled environment.
Training manual - ISU publication CS-15A, Ornamental and Turfgrass Pest Management
Category 3OT - Ornamental and Turf Pest Control
Definition - Includes certified applicators using pesticides to control pests in the maintenance and production of ornamental trees, shrubs, flowers, and turf grass including in and around structures (except greenhouses), plant nurseries, golf courses, athletic fields, public or private grounds, turf farms, or similar areas.
Training manual - ISU publication CS-15A, Ornamental and Turfgrass Pest Management
Category 3T - Turf Pest Control
Definition - Includes certified applicators using pesticides to control pests only in the maintenance and production of turf grasses including in and around structures (except greenhouses or other enclosed, climate-controlled environments), plant nurseries, golf courses, athletic fields, public or private grounds, turf farms, or similar areas.
Training manual - ISU publication CS-15A, Ornamental and Turfgrass Pest Management
Category 4 - Seed Treatment
Definition - Includes certified applicators applying pesticides to seed.
Training manual - ISU publication CS-16, Seed Treatment
Category 5 - Aquatic Pest Control
Definition - Includes certified applicators applying pesticides to standing or running water to control aquatic pests, excluding applicators engaged in public health related activities. Category 5 also includes certified applicators who apply restricted use pesticides for the control of tree roots and similar woody-type hindrances in sewer lines.
Training manual - ISU publication CS-17, Aquatic Pest Control
Category 6 - Right-of-Way
Definition - Includes certified applicators using pesticides in the maintenance of public roads, electric power lines, pipelines, railroad rights-of-way, industrial site weed control, fence lines, structural perimeters, or other similar areas to control unwanted vegetation.
Training manual - ISU publication CS-18, Right-of-Way
Category 7A - General & Household Pest Management
Definition - Includes certified applicators using pesticides, except fumigants, for general and household pest control in human dwellings including indoor areas normally frequented or inhabited by humans, such as, but not limited to: schools, hospitals, institutions, dining facilities, food dispensing and food handling establishments, food manufacturers and processors, industrial establishments, warehouses, and any other structures and adjacent areas, public or private. Category 7A also covers the protection of stored, processed, or manufactured products from insects and similar organisms, pest birds, or vertebrate pests.
Training manual - ISU publication CS-19, General and Household Pest Management
Category 7B - Termite Control
Definition - Includes certified applicators using pesticides, except fumigants, to control wood- destroying insects, including, but not limited to, termites. Category 7B also includes persons who conduct wood-destroying insect inspections for the purpose of issuing a wood-destroying insect report for real estate transactions, real estate refinance transactions, or for the treatment for control or prevention of wood-destroying insect infestations.
Training manual - ISU publication CS-20, Termite Control
Category 7C - Fumigation
Definition - Includes certified applicators using pesticides, in a gaseous form that are classified as fumigants, to control: stored commodity pests including, but not limited to, insects and similar organisms, pest birds, and vertebrate pests in, on, or around areas where grain, food, or feed is stored, processed, manufactured, or produced and within enclosed airtight spaces including, but not limited to: tents, vaults, stacks, storage structures, semi-truck trailers, railroad cars, vessels, storage structures, greenhouses, dwellings, and other containment or structures included in labeled approved sites for the use of gaseous fumigation products for the protection of stored, processed, or manufactured products. Category 7C also includes certified applicators applying gaseous pesticides to a building or other structure for the control of general household pests or wood-destroying insects and also requires certification in the applicable Category 7A or Category 7B, respectively.
Training manual - ISU publication CS-27, Fumigation
Category 7D - Community Insect Management
Definition - Includes certified applicators using pesticides to control flies or mosquitoes in a community or public health program. Public applicators who apply pesticides to control pests in a public health program are required to be certified in Category 8.
Training manual - ISU publication CS-22, Community Insect Management
Category 7E - Wood Preservatives
Definition - Includes certified applicators using wood preserving pesticides to control or protect against wood-destroying organisms including insects, fungi, and marine borers, and including ground line pole treatment, waterproofing millwork, cutoffs, or supplemental field treatment; and making application by pressure or non-pressure dips or sprays, or by thermal or pressure treatment.
Training manual - ISU publication CS-28, Wood Preservatives
Category 7F - Antifouling Paints
Definition - Includes certified applicators using tributyltin (TBT) paints for the purpose of inhibiting the growth of aquatic plant and animal organisms, including but not limited to slime film, algae, barnacles, and tube worms, on submerged marine structures and on the hulls of boats and ships.
Training manual - ISU publication CS-29, Antifouling Paints
Category 8 - Public Health Pest Control
Definition - Includes certified applicators using pesticides in any designated public health program for the management and control of insects and similar organisms, rodents, and birds or any other designated pest, vertebrate or invertebrate, that may have medical and/or public health importance. Category 8 also includes certified applicators using or supervising the use of restricted use pesticides in swimming pools and related facilities; cooling water systems used to transfer or dissipate heat; and applicators using restricted use pesticides to disinfect or sterilize medical/veterinary equipment, food/beverage/drug processing equipment, and the environmental services of such places as hospitals/nursing homes, food processing areas, and similar environments.
Training manual - ISU publication CS-23, Public Health Pest Control
Category 10 - Demonstration and Research
Definition - Includes individuals who demonstrate to the public the proper use and techniques of application, or who research the use of pesticides and in doing so use or supervise the use of pesticides. Individuals certified in Category 10 also are required to be certified in another category that is specific to the particular type of pesticide being employed for the particular project.
Training manual - ISU publication CS-25, Demonstration and Research
Category 11 - Aerial Application
Definition - Includes certified applicators who use any aircraft to apply pesticides to control plants, insects, or similar organisms, or plant diseases in the production of agricultural commodities, and/or food for human consumption to include, but not limited to, vegetables, small fruits, tree fruits and nuts, feed, and/or small grains, corn, soybeans, forage, grasslands, and pasture. An aerial applicator, applying pesticides to agricultural land, can operate in Iowa only in cooperation with an “aerial applicator consultant.” An aerial applicator consultant coordinates the commercial application of pesticides by aerial applicators. The consultant must be a resident of Iowa; hold a certification in Category 11, Aerial Application; and either a valid commercial applicator license or pesticide dealer license. An applicator certified in Category 11 also may apply pesticides by non-aerial methods as described in Categories 1A, 1B and 1C. However, an individual certified in Category 1A, 1B, and/or 1C may not apply pesticides by aircraft until certified in Category 11. An applicator certified in Category 11 may not apply any pesticide for any use other than agricultural plant purposes until the additional certification category is added for the specific use beyond agricultural plant pest control.
Training manual - ISU publication CS-26, Aerial Application
Category H - Certified Handlers
Definition - Includes certified commercial handlers who handle any pesticide in other than unopened containers for the purposes of preparing, mixing, or loading pesticides for application by another person, repackaging bulk pesticides, or disposing of pesticide-related wastes from these activities. A certified handler is required to operate under the direct supervision of a licensed commercial applicator, noncommercial applicator, public applicator, or pesticide dealer and may not apply any restricted use pesticide nor commercially apply any other pesticide. A certified applicator need not be certified as a Handler.
Training manual - ISU publication IC 500, Certified Handler Manual
What do I study for the exam?
Commercial, Noncommercial, and Public Applicators--To become certified as a commercial pesticide applicator, a person must pass both a 50 question, closed-book exam over the Iowa Core Manual, and a 35 question exam specific to the categories for which he or she needs to be certified to do the job. All manuals are available from the Extension Distribution Center.
Certified Handlers--To become certified as a certified handler, a person must pass a 50 question, closed-book exam over the Certified Handlers Manual.
Where can I take the exam?
Pesticide applicator certification exams are available at many community colleges throughout Iowa. More information on dates and locations can be found on the Applicator Licensing & Certification page of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship website.
How do I get certified?
Passing the exams alone does not make someone certified. Once the exam(s) are passed, a person needs to request certification from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. They can do this by mailing the application or by applying online through the Iowa Department of Agriculture Pesticide Bureau Self-Service Portal for License and Certification. Pesticide applicators are not certified until they receive a certification card from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, or have the ability to print their card from the Self-Service Portal.
What fees do I need to pay?
An annual license fee is required for each licensed company location.
Each individual commercial pesticide applicator must pay a fee for a three-year certification. For any questions about examinations or fees, please contact the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship-Pesticide Bureau, at 515-281-8591.
To renew your certification you must pass an exam every three years or attend an approved Commercial Continuing Instruction Course (C-CIC) between January 1 and December 31 each year your certification card covers, including the year you passed the exam (if your certification is issued prior to October 1).
Renewal by Exam
Renew by passing exams, [covering the Iowa Core manual and appropriate category manual(s)] every 3 years. Locations of exams for commercial renewal can be found at https://iowaagriculture.gov/pesticide-bureau/applicator-licensing-certif.... If an applicator fails an exam, the exam may be retaken, but only once per day. Successful passing of the exams and the submission of the appropriate fee to Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship-Pesticide Bureau completes the renewal-by-exam process. The submission of fee can be done through the mail or online through the Pesticide Bureau Self-Service Portal for License and Certification.
Categories 1D (Fruit and Vegetable Pest Control); 1E (Animal Pest Control), 7E (Wood Preservatives), and Category 10 (Demonstration and Research) are by renewal by TEST ONLY.
Renewal by Continuing Instruction Course (CIC)
Commercial CICs are offered on a calendar-year basis. You must attend a C-CIC every year for each category you have certification.
C-CICs are presented in the following formats: live programs, live-streamed programs, and prerecorded blu-ray discs. The following programs are available as statewide video programs with fixed presentation dates: Commercial Ag Weed, Insect and Plant Disease Pest Control; Ornamental & Turf Pest Control; Forest, Aquatic, and Right-of-Way Pest Control; Fumigation; Seed Treatment; Certified Handlers; and Pest Control Operators.
Applicators needing Aerial Application , Community Insect Management and Public Health Pest Control; and Greenhouse and Ornamental Pest Control renewal need to contact their local extension office to arrange a time to watch these C-CIC programs.
If C-CICs are missed in one or more years of their three-year cycle, the applicator is required to take the exam(s) to renew his or her certification. C-CICs cannot be “made up” if an applicator forgets to attend in a given year, nor can an applicator attend two C-CICs in one year to cover future years’ requirements.
Multiple Category Commercial Pesticide Recertification
Applicators who are certified in more than one category may renew by examination for some categories and by attending a C-CIC for others. Applicators who choose to maintain their certification by attending an Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship-Pesticide Bureau approved C-CIC must attend a program during each year their certification card covers, including the year they passed the exam (if certification occurs prior to October 1).
Fees for Attending a Commercial Pesticide Applicator Continuing Instructional Course (C-CIC)
There is a $45 fee for attending a C-CIC for all categories except Pest Control Operators. The fee for the Pest Control Operators C-CIC is $70. If you register less than seven days before the C-CIC scheduled date there could be a $10 late registration fee, please check with your local extension office for their policy.