The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) licenses pesticide applicators who use restricted-use and state-limited-use pesticides and regulated herbicides.



 Definitions

Commercial applicator: operates a business or is employed by a business that applies restricted-use or state-limited-use pesticides to the property of another person for hire or compensation.

Noncommercial applicator: is required to be licensed, but does not qualify as a commercial applicator.

Noncommercial political subdivision (NCPS): an applicator employed by a political subdivision of the state of Texas or a federal agency operating in Texas.

Application Process: 

Once your application and fee is submitted, it will be processed by TDA staff in the order received.  Staff availability and workload impact the processing time. Once processed, you will be issued an Eligibility Letter so that you may schedule the required exams.

Applications may be submitted by one of the following options:

eApply (Online Application)
CLICK HERE to access the new online eApply site.  Please have credit/debit card or electronic check ready for fee payment.


Paper Form Application
CLICK HERE to download the PA-401 Application Form for a Commercial Applicator’s license.  Fee payment must be submitted with a check or money order made out to “Texas Department of Agriculture.”


CLICK HERE to download the PA-400N Application form for Non-Commercial/Non-Commercial Political license.  Fee payment must be submitted with a check or money order made out to “Texas Department of Agriculture.”

Applicator Business

A pesticide applicator business is a person who applies a state-limited-use or restricted-use pesticide or regulated herbicide to the land of another for compensation and who is a licensed commercial applicator; or employs at least one licensed commercial applicator.

An applicator business is a registration, not a license. However, the business must be registered with TDA and provide proof of liability financial responsibility in the amount of $100,000 property damage and $100,000 bodily injury per occurrence or a general aggregate at a minimum of $200,000 for each occurrence. Businesses must submit a Pesticide Applicator Business Registration form to TDA.

Each motor vehicle used by any applicator business that makes applications in the subcategory landscape maintenance of the lawn and ornamental pest control license use category, category 3(A) will prominently affix an applicator business vehicle identification decal issued and provided by the department on each motor vehicle used by an employee of the applicator business. Decals can be picked up at any TDA regional office.

NEW LICENSING AND CONVENIENCE TESTING PROCEDURES!

The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) has contracted with PSI Services (PSI) to administer exams for agricultural pesticide applicator licensing. This is the same vendor that administers exams for structural pest control licensing. PSI has been providing credentialing and testing services to state and federal agencies, private sector businesses and professional associations for over 65 years. 

PSI will provide both excellent quality exam opportunities and a convenient schedule for pesticide applicators to test in 22 locations across the state. The schedule will provide more testing opportunities than previously offered. By outsourcing testing to a third-party vendor, the Department’s resources may be used in a more consistent and efficient manner.  

You are required to take and pass the General Standards and at least one category exam to be issued a license.  The aerial certification (category 9) does not count as a category.




Complete step-by-step procedures to obtain a commercial, noncommercial or noncommercial political subdivision pesticide applicator license.

Adding a Category to An Existing License



If an applicator has a current license with the Department, they may go directly to the PSI website and either create a new account using their TDA account number or use their existing PSI account to log on and choose the category they want to add to their license. Commercial and Noncommercial applicators will pay $64.00 for each category exam they take. If the exam is failed, the cost for each retest is $64.

TDA Pesticide Applicator Categories (click this link for description of categories):

1. Agricultural Pest Control
   
   A. Field Crop Pest Control
   
   B. Fruit, Nut and Vegetable Pest Control
   
   C.Pasture and Rangeland
   
   D. Vertebrate Pest Control
   
   E. Farm Commodity Pest Control
   
   F. Animal Health
   
   G. Citrus Pest Control
   
   H. Livestock Protection Collar
   
   I.  M-44
2. Forest Pest Control
3. Lawn and Ornamental Pest Control
   
   A. Landscape Maintenance
   
   B. Nursery Plant Production
4. Seed Treatments
5. Vegetation Management
6. Aquatic Pest Control
7. Demonstration and Research
8. Regulatory Pest Control
9. Aerial Application

Recertification Requirements

Licensed commercial, noncommercial and NCPS applicators are required to recertify every year by obtaining five continuing education credits; with one credit each from two of the following categories: laws and regulations, integrated pest management or drift minimization.



Change of Information

The Texas Administrative Code (rule 7.20) requires all licensees to notify the department within 30 days of any change in the information provided as part of the application for a license. Licensees must submit a change of information form that is signed. You can scan the signed form and email it to license.inquiry@TexasAgriculture.gov, faxed to 800-909-8534 or mail it to Texas Department of Agriculture, Licensing Division, P.O. Box 12847, Austin, TX 78711. This will ensure you receive licensing information from TDA.

Record Keeping

Commercial, noncommercial and NCPS applicators shall maintain records of all pesticide applications for a period of two years.

Information Required:

1. Date and time of application
2. Person for whom application was made
3. Location of land
4. Product name
5. EPA registration number
6. Rate of product per unit
7. Total volume applied per unit
8. Pest treated
9. Site treated
10. Total acres or volume of acre treated (e.g. acre, square feet, number of head)
11. Wind direction and velocity and air temperature
12. FAA "N" number of aerial equipment; ID number of other application equipment
13. Applicator name and license number and/or person making the application

Spray permit number for regulated herbicides applied in a regulated county

Pesticide Applicator Recordkeeping Form   (a word version is also available on the forms page)