CONVENIENCE TESTING FOR STRUCTURAL PESTICIDE APPLICATORS

The Texas Department of Agriculture has contracted with PSI Services to conduct examinations for structural pesticide applicators.  This convenient testing opportunity allows those who qualify for a license to use online and phone registration for scheduling exams.

Twenty-two examination sites are located in Texas with each facility being staffed by employees who will monitor the exams and provide final, on-site scores upon completion. Exam fees have been reduced from $75 to $64 each. The increase in available exam locations is in response to growing interest and demand.

STRUCTURAL PEST CONTROL LICENSES APPLICATION PROCESS

Significant procedural changes have been made for obtaining a structural pest control license. Applicants must now be pre-qualified by TDA prior to registering to take examinations with PSI. 

●  Applicants for Technician License must complete an Application for Apprentice Registration & Technician License and pay license fees.

ELIGIBILTY AND EXAMINATION FOR TECHNICIAN LICENSE:

An applicant may only sit for the Technician examination when they have completed  the approved twenty hours of classroom training in the general standard subjects outlined in Rule 7.132(i)(1) and the forty hours of on-the-job-training and eight hours classroom training in each license category in which the apprentice is to provide pest control services outlined in Rule 7.132(i)(2) and completed a minimum six (6) hour technician training course approved by the department.   

Applicants will not be eligible to take the Technician examination until proof of completion of the minimum six (6) hour technician training course is submitted to TDA

● Licensed Technician needing to add a category:

 ADDING A CATEGORY BY EXAMINATION FOR TECHNICIAN LICENSE (effective January 1, 2024):
To add a category by taking an additional Technician examination in a new category, the Technician must complete forty (40) hours of on-the-job-training and eight (8) hours classroom training outlined in Rule 7.133(c). 

● Applicants for Certified Applicator License must complete an Application for Certified Applicator License and pay license fees. 

ELIGIBILITY AND EXAMINATION FOR CERTIFIED APPLICATOR LICENSE:

Applicants for Commercial Certified Applicator must meet one of the following requirements to be eligible to take Certified Applicator Exams:

·  Have at least 12 months of verifiable pest control experience out of the past 24 months and have possessed a SPCS technician license for at least 6 months; or

·  Have a degree in the biological sciences from an accredited college or university (acceptable degrees include Agronomy; Entomology; Animal Science; Landscape Architecture; Forestry; Agricultural Science; Biology; Chemistry; Environmental Science; Horticulture); or

·  Have proof of previous employment or experience in the industry or technical field experience of at least 12 months out of the past 24 months from a previous occupation; or

·  Have previously held a Certified Applicator license; or

·  Have held a Noncommercial Certified Applicator license with TDA for at least 24 months.

For Noncommercial and Noncommercial Political Certified Applicator licenses only:

 ·  Must have taken a department approved, minimum six (6) hour noncommercial/technician training course.

● All applicable license fees and documents such as official transcripts, training certificates and signed/notarized statements or letters from the appropriate licensing entity must be submitted to TDA’s licensing department in Austin.

● After all documents are received by TDA, applicants will receive an Examination Eligibility Letter  and may then contact PSI to register, make payment and schedule examinations. PSI will provide additional information upon successful registration.

Examination Site Locations in Texas:

Abilene, Amarillo, Arlington, Austin (2), Corpus Christi, Dallas (2), El Paso, Fort Worth, Harlingen, Houston (4), Lubbock, McAllen, Midland, San Antonio (2), Tyler, Waco.

PSI also has examination centers in many other regions across the United States. Upon special request to PSI, applicants may qualify to take examinations at these locations.

For updated information and to obtain a Structural Pest Control Examination Candidate Information Bulletin containing important information about computer-based examinations, visit www.psiexams.com/

Click here to download this information in pdf format

Inclement Weather Closure for Exams

TDA’s exam vendor PSI Services is the best resource to determine which facilities are open or closed due to inclement weather. Please check their website at https://www.psionline.com/openings/ to determine operating status of PSI facilities.