A pesticide is defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Federal Insecticide Rodenticide and Fungicide Act (FIFRA) is: “Any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest”.
Some UDAF Pesticide Program employees like the definition of: “If it is a word that ends in C-I-D-E it is a pesticide”. Pesticides include: Insecticide, Herbicide, Fungicide, Rodenticide, and many more. Generally, if it kills, controls, or repels something, it is a pesticide.
So everybody is a pesticide applicator? Yes, most people use pesticides in their everyday life. If you look at the products you use and see an EPA Reg. number on the label – it is a pesticide. Some pesticides we use are not labeled, or registered with the EPA – these are actually still pesticides. All pesticides need to be used safely and according to manufacturers instructions and good common sense. NOT ALL PESTICIDES REQUIRE YOU TO HAVE A LICENSE, in fact – very few do.
In the Pesticide Program, one thing we do is enforcement of pesticide law. Any registered Pesticide, even those used in the home, have a label and “Directions for Use” on the label. The label is approved by the EPA. The first sentence on the label under “Directions for Use” is always; “It is a violation of federal law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling.” The UDAF Pesticide Program administers this law (FIFRA and the Utah Pesticide Control Act) in Utah. Any use of a pesticide is subject to these laws regardless if the person applying them is licensed or not.
Commercial Pesticide Business Licensing
If your company applies pesticides on the lands of another, for hire, then you must have a commercial pesticide business license, in addition to applicator license(s). Landscapers, some construction, lawn-care businesses, pest control, and similar concerns that use any type of pesticide must have this license. Click here to license or renew.
Commercial Pesticide Applicators License Information
Any person who uses any (not only Restricted Use) pesticide for hire or compensation. If you use a pesticide for your business, are paid by somebody to use pesticide, or are part of a pesticide business you likely need this type of license. Landscapers, some construction, lawn-care businesses and similar concerns that use any type of pesticide must have this license. Click here to license or renew.
Non-Commercial Pesticide Applicators License Information
Any person working as an individual or an employee of a firm, entity, or government agency who uses or demonstrates the use of any restricted-use pesticide and who does not qualify as a private or commercial applicator. Schools, land management government agencies, city, and county employees are examples. Some Non-Commercial Pesticide Applicator employers require their employees to be licensed to apply any pesticide. Some insurance companies require employees of their insured to be licensed to apply any pesticide. Click here to license or renew.
Private Pesticide Applicators License Information
Any person or his employer who uses or supervises the use of any restricted-use pesticide for the purpose of producing any agricultural commodity on property owned or rented by him or his employer. Additionally, it is a significant benefit to any agricultural producer that uses a pesticide to have their license to help address the Worker Protection Standards (WPS). UDAF would recommend that anybody working on an establishment that produces and agricultural plant, and uses any pesticides, should obtain a license where they are able to. Click here to license or renew.
Not Sure Which License You Need?
We know that understanding the proper license to select can be tricky, here are a series of questions that will help you decide not only what type of license to get but if you need one at all.
YES or NO - Are you going to be primarily treating your own property and/or land?
IF YES - Are you wanting to use any Restricted Use Pesticides on your property/land? If so, if you have a desire to use a Restricted Use Pesticide on your own property then you will most likely need to acquire a Private Pesticide Applicator License. If not, you are just wanting to use general use pesticides on your own property, you do NOT need a license at all. However, we do recommend that if you want to treat your property more than 4-5 times a year that you learn as much as you can to ensure your safety when applying pesticides in and around your home.
IF NO - Are you going to be primarily treating property owned by the company/city/state you work for? If so, are primarily treating land or property with pesticides that is owned by the company you are employed by, you most likely need a Non-Commercial Pesticide Applicator License. If not, are you going to be primarily treating property owned by another and they are paying you for the service? If you have been hired by a Commercial Pesticide Business and are being asked to treat the property and/or land owned by another for monetary value, you most likely need a Commercial Pesticide Applicator License. Or, if you are simply looking at learning more about pesticides in general, please go to our Public Pesticide Information to learn more about pesticides in the public.
