Florida has more than 30 different types of pesticide licenses. Sometimes it is confusing to understand what license is needed for a specific pesticide applicator. Here in Florida, to be a certify pesticide applicator in the Green Industry, there are specific licenses depending on what areas and what plants the applicator is going to be working with. There are 4 major licenses that deal with ornamental plants, shrubs, and/or turf. These are the Limited Commercial Landscape Maintenance, Limited Lawn and Ornamental, Pest Control Operator (PCO) Lawn & Ornamental, and Ornamental and Turf. All these licenses fall under the Florida Structural Pest Control Law Chapter 482, except for the Ornamental and Turf license which fall under the Florida Pesticide Law Chapter 487. The purpose of this publication is to help you understand what license is the one you need depending on your work.

 

Chapter 482

Chapter 482, addresses pesticide applications in buildings, structures, or lawns and plant beds associated with a building. Areas in this chapter include contract pest control and pest control held by government employees, or private and commercial property owners or their employees in properties that are not considered for agricultural purposes. It is illegal to apply any pesticide commercially to any lawn, any residential site, or other structural site without a license. Failure to comply with the law could result in fines up to $25,000 plus jail and/or prison time.

 

Limited Commercial Landscape Maintenance (LCLM)

 

Description

The LCLM license, also referred as the Roundup license, is require for commercial landscape personnel that apply pesticides to their customer’s properties. The applicator will be allowed to apply insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides in ornamental beds and shrubs, but turf areas and storm water ponds are off limits with this license. The applicator will only be allowed to use pesticides with signal word “Caution” and aren’t allowed to use “Restricted Use Pesticide” (RUP). The applicators under this license will be limited to using only backpack sprayers (5gal) or handheld compression air “pump-up” sprayers (3gal). Meaning they cannot use powered equipment. The applicators under this license cannot supervise other people. This is an individual license, which means everyone must be license.

Requirements

There are various requirements before applying for this license:

1. Complete a 6 hour FDACS approve training.
2. A passing grade of 75% or more in the category test. (2 hour, 80 question multiple choice test).
3. An exam/license fee of $150.00.

   

4. Proof of bodily injury insurance.

Study Materials

1. “Applying Pesticide Correctly” guidebook.
2. “Limited Commercial Landscape Maintenance” guidebook.
3. “Identification Guide to Common Florida Lawn and Ornamental Weeds” book.
4. The Structural Pest Control Act, Chapter 482, Florida Statutes.
5. Rules of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Chapter 5E-14, Florida Administrative Code.

Renewal

This is an annual license that has a fee of $75.00. To renew your license you can complete 4 Continues Education Units (CEUs) related to plant bed and ornamental education, or you can re-take the test.

 

Limited Lawn or Ornamental (LLO)

 

Description

This license is for employees working for private entities that apply pesticides only in these private properties (example: a fast-food chain employee that applies pesticides in ornamental beds, shrubs and turf in multiples location that are part of the property of the fast-food chain), or government agency employees that make applications to the ornamental beds, shrubs, or turf in these governmental agency’s properties. The license is limited to the employer properties, meaning the applicator will not be allowed to apply pesticides on other people’s properties. The applicator will be allowed to use Restricted Use Pesticides (RUP), insecticides, fungicides and herbicides on ornamental beds, shrubs, and turf. Power equipment is allowed. The applicators under this license cannot supervise other people. This is an individual license, which means everyone must be license.

Requirements

The only requirements to apply for this license are:

1. A passing grade of 75% or more in the category exam test (2 hour, 80 question multiple choice test).
2. Pay exam/license fee of $150.00. (prior to test)

   

Study Materials

1. “Applying Pesticide Correctly” guidebook.
2. “Lawn and Ornamental Pest Management” guidebook.
3. “Identification Guide to Common Florida Lawn and Ornamental Weeds” book.
4. The Structural Pest Control Act, Chapter 482, Florida Statutes.
5. Rules of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Chapter 5E-14, Florida Administrative Code.

Renewal

This is a 4-year license that has a fee of $25.00. To renew your license, you can complete 4 Continues Education Units (CEUs), 2 Core 482, and 2 LLO or you can re-take the test.

 

Pest Control Operator (PCO) Lawn & Ornamental

 

Description

This license is only for commercial contractors who apply pesticides on their costumer’s properties. The Lawn & Ornamental Pest Control Operators (PCO) are allowed to apply Restricted Use Pesticides (RUP), insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides on lawn, ornamental bedding plants and shrubs. They can also utilize powered equipment. These applicators can supervise an unlimited number of non-certified employees that have identification cards.

Requirements

1. You must qualify for this license through experience and/or education.
   1. Through experience you must have completed high school education or equivalent, and 3 years of experience as an ID cardholder under a licensee in the categories you are seeking certification. At least one of these years must be in Florida, and immediately precede your application for examination.
   2. Through education. Visit the Florida Statutes 482.132 Qualifications for examination and certification for better understanding.
2. Get a passing grade of 75% or more in the category test (4 hour, 200 question multiple choice test). This test has a non-refundable fee of $300.00.

   

Study materials

3. “Applying Pesticide Correctly” guidebook.
4. “Lawn and Ornamental Pest Management” guidebook.
5. “Identification Guide to Common Florida Lawn and Ornamental Weeds” book.
6. The Structural Pest Control Act, Chapter 482, Florida Statutes.
7. Rules of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Chapter 5E-14, Florida Administrative Code.
8. Management Practices for Protection of Water Resources in Florida.

Renewal

This is a 1-year license that expires every year on June 1^st and has a renewal fee of $150.00. To renew your license, you can complete 4 Continues Education Units (CEUs), 2 Core 482 and 2 L&O or you can re-take the test.

 

Chapter 487

Chapter 487, also known as the Florida Pesticide Law, administers and services the use, purchase, and supervision of Restricted Use Pesticides (RUP). All applicators who apply RUP to agricultural areas, industrial areas, and any other outdoor areas not associated with structures or public health pest control must be license. The categories that do not fall under Chapter 388 and 482 are under Chapter 487.

 

Ornamental and Turf

 

Description

This is a public or commercial license that is required for applicators that use Restricted Use Pesticides (RUP) and perform maintenance of ornamental trees, shrubs, and plants, or sod and turfgrass growing in or on cemeteries, golf courses, parks, or athletic fields. It is not allowed to use this license for the application of pesticides on ornamental plants or lawns around structures. If the applicator wants to use RUP fumigants in these sites, they will be required to have the “Soil and Greenhouse Fumigation” license. With this license, supervision of up to 15 applicators is allowed. Supervisor must be immediately available by voice, phone, or radio.

Requirements

The only requirement to apply for this license are:

1. To have a passing grade of 70% or more on both the category test and the General Standard Core test. (2 hour, 50 question multiple choice tests, with no fee).
2. Once both exams are passed: for a public license the fee is $100.00 and for a commercial license the fee is $250.00

Study materials

1. “Applying Pesticide Correctly” guidebook.
2. “Ornamental and Turfgrass Pest Management” guidebook.

Renewal

This is a 4-year license, and to renew it you will need to complete 4 Core 487 Continuous Education Units

(CEUs) 4 Core and 12 Ornamental and Turf CEUs, or you can re-take the test.

 

Final Regards

It is important before you decide to schedule an examination to understand what license category is the one you will be needing. If you still have some questions always communicate with your local UF/IFAS office to get clarification on what license you will be needing or visit our website http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/polk/. You can also communicate directly to me at my email lrodriguezrosado@ufl.edu, or phone number: 863-519-1049. Also, you can access the Ask-IFAS publication “FINDING THE CORRECT PESTICIDE APPLICATOR LICENSE IN FLORIDA”, which is intended to guide you to the proper license you will need utilizing a Q&A. Hopefully this publication will help you understand what license you need for your work in the Florida Green Industry.

University of Florida is an equal opportunity institution