Extension is expanding its online education and resources to adapt to COVID-19 restrictions.
Commercial, noncommercial pesticide applicators
Workshop update
We are working with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to develop remote training opportunities for Fall 2020. Please check this page for updates or send your email address to jhendrix@umn.edu to receive an email update. Type "Email Notification Request" in the subject line.
The full list of opportunities should be posted by September 1, 2020.
Recertification workshops
We offer educational and recertification workshops for those who apply pesticides on their employer's or customer's land or sites. 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
There are no upcoming workshops at this time.
- 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
There are no upcoming workshops at this time.
- 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
There are no upcoming workshops at this time.
- 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
There are no upcoming workshops at this time.
- 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
There are no upcoming workshops at this time.
- 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
There are no upcoming workshops at this time.
- 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
There are no upcoming workshops at this time.
- Audience: Noncommercial pesticide applications to food processing areas (not for-hire).
- Recertification: Required every 2 years.
Category M upcoming workshops
There are no upcoming workshops at this time.
- 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
There are no upcoming workshops at this time.
- 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
There are no upcoming workshops at this time.
- 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
There are no upcoming workshops at this time.
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 obtain an initial license. Learn more about exams from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
Ensure you have the most current manuals for each category exam. Using an out-of-date manual may affect your ability to pass the exam.
Recent new commercial, noncommercial or structural manuals
- Category J: Natural Areas, Forestry and Rights-of-Way - 2nd edition November 2016 - start sale November 14, 2016
- Category P: Vertebrate Pests - 2nd Edition November 2016 - start sale November 14, 2016
- Category C: Agricultural Field Crops - March 2016 edition - start sale June 1, 2016
- Category F: Aquatics - 1st edition, March 2016 - start sale June 1, 2016
- Category A: Core - National Pesticide Applicator Core Manual, 2nd edition, 2014 - start sale in MN 2015.
- Category E: Turf and Ornamentals - 4th edition, June 2014
- Stored Grain and Fumigation - January 2013 (commercial, noncommercial, structural and private applicators)
- Soil Fumigation - December 2012 (commercial, noncommercial and private applicators)
- Category A: Core Minnesota Supplement (commercial, noncommercial and structural) - December 2012
The Category A: Core exam is based on two manuals
- (A-1) The National Pesticide Applicator Certification Core Manual - new edition fall 2014
- (A-2) Minnesota Supplement - 2nd edition green cover December 2012
Purchase printed manuals
Printed 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 credit card.
- Call 612-301-3989 to place your order with check.
- Download an order form to mail your order.
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).