Commercial Applicator Licensing

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 sixteen (16) 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

The annual commercial education program is designed for NEW applicators.  However, individuals seeking re-certification credits can also attend (24 CEUs are available).  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.  Exams are administered at the end of the educational program. The course uses instructors from the University of Wyoming, EPA, Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, and WDA. 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 application for a commercial license. There is no application fee for government employees.

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.

1. attend 24 hours of pesticide related courses (CEUs must be approved by the WDA), or
2. participate in workshop online credits obtained during the time in which the license is valid, or
3. 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.

Approved on-line programs/courses:

• The University of Wyoming online courses are TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE for CEUs:
  • Core Manual (12 hours)
  • 906 – Rights of Way Vegetation management (6 hours)
• Washington State University  (multiple CEUs are available)
• Bedbug Control Program $19.99 for three 30-minute modules (0.5 CEU per module).
• Visit StopSchoolPests.com and register for free to take nine different online IPM courses for school custodians and other school employees.  Wyoming Department of Agriculture will award one (1) CEU per completed course.  It provides a certificate as proof of training after taking a short quiz.
• 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. There is no application fee for government employees.

Please contact staff at the WDA (307) 777-7321, if you have questions.

Reciprocal Licensing

• Mandatory: Letter of verification from the respective state department of agriculture FROM THE STATE IN WHICH YOU RESIDE. The letter should state that you are a licensed applicator in good standing with their agency and the categories in which you are licensed in.

• WDA Pesticide Applicator Application
• Power of Attorney Form Note, this form must be notarized
• Any other forms, notices or information you may need

• $25 Application Fee (Government employees are exempt from the application fee)
• A legible copy (front and back) of your currently held pesticide applicators license from the state in which you reside.

Please contact staff at the WDA (307) 777-7321, if you have any questions.

Other Useful Links.

• Direct Supervision and other items as defined in 2013 legislative session.