Extension is expanding its online education and resources to adapt to COVID-19 restrictions.
Commercial, noncommercial pesticide applicators
All spring 2021 workshops are now closed. Please check back later this summer for fall opportunities.
Sign up for e-communications from the Pesticide Safety and Environmental Education program for workshop updates, applicator licensing information, registration deadlines and other pesticide safety news and event information.
Recertification categories
We offer education and recertification workshops for commercial and noncommercial pesticide applicators. Find workshops in the categories you are licensed in.
- Audience: Commercial and noncommercial pesticide applications using an aircraft.
- Workshops: Include credit for Category A (core).
- License renewal: Required every year.
- Recertification: Required every year.
Category B upcoming workshops
There are no upcoming workshops at this time.
- Audience: Commercial and noncommercial pesticide applicators applying herbicides, fungicides and/or insecticides to agricultural crops.
- Workshops: Include credit for Category A (core).
- License renewal: Required every year.
- Recertification: Required every 3 years.
Category C upcoming workshops
- Audience: Pesticides to non-agricultural areas or for ornamental propagation including lawns, parks, athletic fields, golf courses, nurseries, greenhouses. Note that fertilizer applications are licensed separately.
- Workshops: Include credit for Category A (core).
- License renewal: Required every year.
- Recertification: Required every 2 years.
Category E upcoming workshops
- Audience: Commercial and noncommercial applications to surface water or areas where water is present to control aquatic organism, plants.
- Workshops: Include credit for Category A (core).
- License renewal: Required every year.
- Recertification: Required every 2 years.
Category F upcoming workshops
- Audience: Commercial and noncommercial applications of insecticides and fungicides to seed.
- Workshops: Include credit for Category A (core).
- License renewal: Required every year.
- Recertification: Required every 3 years.
Category H upcoming workshops
- Audience: Commercial and noncommercial applications to HVAC ventilation systems, cooling towers and for indoor mold mitigation & remediation.
- Workshops: Include credit for Category A (core).
- License renewal: Required every year.
- Recertification: Required every 2 years.
Category I upcoming workshops
- Audience: Commercial and noncommercial applications to forestry (forested areas and forest plantations), rights-of-way (including roads, utilities, and ditch banks), and natural areas (prairie restoration, buckthorn removal).
- Workshops: Include credit for Category A (core).
- License renewal: Required every year.
- Recertification: Required every 2 years.
Category J upcoming workshops
- Audience: Commercial and noncommercial applications for mosquito, black fly and tick control.
- Workshops: Include credit for Category A (core).
- License renewal: Required every year.
- Recertification: Required every 2 years.
Category L upcoming workshops
- Audience: Noncommercial pesticide applications to food processing areas (not for-hire).
- Recertification: Required every 2 years.
Category M upcoming workshops
This category will be offered as an online course as part of 2021 Minnesota Structural Pest Management workshops, March 8 through June 1, 2021. See the Structural Pest Management page for information on how to register.
- Audience: Commercial and noncommercial application of fumigants and other pesticides to stored grain, processed grain, other commodities and facilities (fumigation endorsement for structural applicator or private pesticide certification).
- Recertification: Required every 2 years.
Category N upcoming workshops
This category will be offered as an online course as part of the 2021 Minnesota Structural Pest Management workshops, March 8 through June 1, 2021. See the Structural Pest Management page for information on how to register.
- Audience: Commercial and noncommercial applications for soil fumigation.
- Workshops: Include credit for Category A (core).
- License renewal: Required every year.
- Recertification: Required every 2 years.
Category O upcoming workshops
- Audience: Commercial and noncommercial applications for vertebrate pest control, including repellents.
- Workshops: Most Category P workshops are held in conjunction with A and E (Turf & Ornamentals) workshops.
- License renewal: Required every year.
- Recertification: Required every 2 years.
Category P upcoming workshops
Certification resources
To check your certification status, go to the MDA licensing search page.
Learn more about pesticide applicator workshop and retesting recertification requirements from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), including license types, certification categories, deadlines and fees.
Certification exams are one of the requirements to get an initial license. Learn more about exams from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
Make sure you have the current manual for each category exam. Using an out-of-date manual may affect your ability to pass the exam.
New releases and editions
- Category L: Mosquito, Black fly, and Tick Pest Control, 2nd edition, July 2020
- Category M: Food Processing Pest Management and Category S: Structural Pest Control Applicator (SPCA), January 2020
- Category SPCA: Structural Pest Control Applicator For Master & Journeyman Applicators, January 2020
Category A: Core exam is based on two manuals
- (A-1) National Pesticide Applicator Core Manual, 2nd edition, 2014
- (A-2) Core Minnesota Supplement, 2nd edition (green cover), December 2012 (commercial, noncommercial and structural)
Most recent editions of commercial, noncommercial or structural manuals
- Category C: Agricultural Field Crops, March 2016
- Category E: Turf and Ornamentals, 4th edition, June 2014
- Category F: Aquatics, March 2016
- Category J: Natural Areas, Forestry and Rights-of-Way, 2nd edition, November 2016
- Category N: Stored Grain and Fumigation, January 2013 (commercial, noncommercial, structural and private applicators)
- Category O: Soil Fumigation, December 2012 (commercial, noncommercial and private applicators)
- Category P: Vertebrate Pests, 2nd edition, November 2016
Purchase printed manuals
Study manuals are available at University of Minnesota Bookstores.
- To purchase in store, please call ahead to the Coffman Memorial Union Bookstore or St. Paul Student Center Bookstore to be sure the study manuals you want are in stock.
- Order online with a credit card.
- Call 612-301-3989 to place your order and pay by check.
- Download an order form to mail your order.
Contact us
Contact
Commercial/noncommercial pesticide program
Jolene C. Hendrix, Extension educator and program manager
jhendrix@umn.edu
763-767-3842
Structural, stored grain and fumigation, and food processing certification
Stephen Kells, co-coordinator and Extension entomologist
kells002@umn.edu
612-625-4798
Workshop registration assistance
Mary Ferguson, operations manager
m-ferg@umn.edu
763-767-3841
Minnesota licensing
Contact the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, 651-201-6615 or pesticide.licensing@state.mn.us (email is preferred).