Individuals who apply General Use Pesticides (GUPs) or Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs) for hire and receive payment to do so must be licensed and certified under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticides Act (FIFRA) and the Wyoming Environmental Pesticide Control Act of 1973. FIFRA requires that applicators be continually re-certified. Education programs are conducted by the University of Wyoming Extension. Licensing is conferred by the Wyoming Department of Agriculture (WDA), which enforces FIFRA and the state act in Wyoming.
A Commercial Pesticide Applicator is a person eighteen (18) years of age or older who applies or supervises the application of any pesticide by other individuals, on property other than their own, for contract or hire. Commercial applicators are certified in one or more categories and may use pesticides only in the category(s) for which they are certified.
Licensing
An annual commercial education program is designed for NEW applicators. This is a 3-day course with education on pesticide labels and terminology, pesticide and farm worker safety, pesticide laws and regulations, pesticide toxicity, groundwater quality, pesticide formulations, plant pathology, weed science, entomology, small animal control, and calibration. The course uses instructors from the University of Wyoming and other entities. This course is held in January in Casper, WY. See the home page of this website for registration details.
Training and Re-certification Fees
A registration fee is charged for the initial commercial applicator training session and for the commercial applicator recertification training session.
Application Fees
The commercial license application fee is $25 and is due upon passing required examinations and application for a commercial license.
Recertification
Commercial licenses are only valid for the balance of the year in which the license was obtained plus 24 months and expire on January 31st.
- attend 24 hours of pesticide related courses (CEUs must be approved by the WDA), or
- participate in workshop online credits obtained during the time in which the license is valid, or
- re-take the exams for the categories in which you want to be recertified.
These credit hours must be validated with an agenda and proof of attendance. The WDA determines if the coursework applies toward recertification. All online credit MUST be pre-approved by WDA staff – call (307) 777-7321.
WDA Approved on-line programs/courses (all valid as of 12/2023):
- https://www.ceuschool.org/state/wyoming
- https://pestschool.com/trainingIn the PestSchool link, be sure to select “Wyoming” in the dropdown menus tab to find the valid courses.
- https://www.farmprogress.com/farm-business/ceu-courses
- https://pested.com/product-category/online-courses/wyoming-online-courses/
- https://www.certifiedtraininginstitute.com/pesticide/wyoming/
- https://allstarce.com/courses-offered/?s=&profession=u42722&state=WY&post_type=product
- https://onlinepestcontrolcourses.com/wyoming-pest-control-ceu-courses/
- Product specific training is now required for all applicators who apply RUP formulations of dicamba. WDA is offering two (2) CEUs for anyone who completes the dicamba course.
- The training is hosted on eXtension Campus website. You must register with eXtension Campus before you can sign-up for the course. Training is free. For instructions and access to the training use this link to UNL’s website
There is a $25 application renewal fee due when application for recertification is submitted.
Reciprocal Licensing
Please contact Erin Christiansen erin.christiansen@wyo.gov at the WDA (307) 777-7321, if you would like to pursue a reciprocal license.
Other Useful Links.
- Direct Supervision and other items as defined in 2013 legislative session.