General Information

The division’s Pesticide Regulation Program regulates the use and distribution of pesticides in Ohio. This section issues licenses to pesticide applicators and serves as the registrar for pesticide companies. Through routine inspections, staff members enforce the state laws and rules that govern these activities. In addition to these responsibilities, staff members conduct inspections for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in accordance with a cooperative agreement to ensure compliance with the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. The section licenses over 25,000 pesticide applicators and more than 15,000 pesticide products.

What are Pesticides?

A pesticide is any substance or mixture of substances intended for:

• Preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest; or
• Used as a plant regulator, defoliant, or desiccant

"Pesticide" is a general term that includes, but is not limited to, all herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, disinfectants, and insect repellents.

General and Restricted-use Products

Pesticides are classified as either:

• restricted use pesticides (RUPs); or
• general use (unclassified) pesticides

RUPs are not available for purchase or use by the general public. RUPs have the potential to cause unreasonable adverse effects to the environment and injury to applicators or bystanders without added restrictions. In Ohio, the sale and use of RUPs are limited to licensed Private or Commercial Pesticide Applicators, or someone under the direct supervision of a licensed applicator.

Online Tools

Applicator License Renewal

Online license payment is for existing licenses only. New or expired licenses (outside of the 180-day grace period) will need to submit a new license application form and payment by mail.

Company License Renewal

Online license payment is for existing licenses only. New licenses will need to submit the application form and payment by mail.

Recertification

License Verification

Exams

Registered Pesticide Products

Ohio Specialty Crop Registry by Fieldwatch Inc

The Ohio FieldWatch Registries are voluntary crop & apiary mapping programs managed and operated by the non-profit company FieldWatch Inc. The stewardship tools allows for improved communication and collaboration between producers of specialty crops and pesticide applicators using a technology platform where producers can map their sites and provide contact information to pesticide applicators through an online mapping system.

Announcements

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

If you are wanting to apply pesticides by UAV (drone), ODA has published this helpful factsheet to answer common questions.

Certification and Training Plan

The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has finalized new federal standards for those who apply and handle restricted-use pesticides. Ohio is currently developing a new certification and training plan (C&T Plan) to meet the new rule requirements. ODA’s existing C&T Plan remains in effect until USEPA approves the proposed plan modifications, or until those plans expire on November 4, 2023, whichever is earlier.

See this page for more information

Worker Protection Standard (WPS)

On November 2015, the USEPA revised the WPS regulation strengthened elements of the existing rule to better protect workers and handlers from occupational exposure to pesticides and reduce the numbers of potentially preventable pesticide incidents and illnesses. Most of these revised WPS standards became effective in January 2018. WPS requires commercial pesticide handler employers to provide specific information and protections to workers, handlers when WPS-labeled pesticide products are used on agricultural establishments in the production of agricultural plants.    
 
Who is Included in WPS

Individuals who:

• mixing, loading or apply agricultural pesticides
• clean or repair pesticide agricultural equipment
• assist with the application of pesticides 

For more WPS information and training materials, visit the Pesticide Educational Resources Collaborative (PERC) website: http://pesticideresources.org/

You may also contact our Enforcement section at 614-728-6987, option 2

WDI rules

On January 1, 2020 an updated NPMA-33 form for reporting Wood Destroying Insect inspections became available, replacing all previous versions. The NPMA-33 form is a document protected by copyright, and must be purchased from an authorized distributor.

Dicamba rules

Dicamba Label Modifications

Dicamba Training Opportunities

Commercial Applicators

• owns or operates a pesticide business
• or who applies either general or restricted use pesticides to the property of another without direct supervision
• or applies restricted use pesticides to the property of his/her employer
• or applies either general or restricted use pesticides to Federal, State or Local public property.

The Commercial Applicator license is valid for one year and expires on September 30.

• License application
• Exam study materials
• Recertification class schedule

More information for Commercial Applicators

Private Applicators

• Any individual who uses or directly supervises the use of any restricted use pesticide for purposes of producing any agricultural commodity on property owned or rented by him or his employer.

The Private Applicator license is valid for three years and expires on March 31.

• License application
• Exam study materials
• Recertification class schedule

More information for Private Applicators

Trained Servicepersons

• Apply pesticides.
• Assist with pesticide applications.
• Clean, repair, or maintain pesticide application equipment —such as boom sprayers, backpack sprayers, or hoppers —that may contain pesticide residues.
• Mix, load, or transfer pesticides into application equipment.
• Dispose of pesticides or materials with pesticides in them, such as containers.
• Act as a flagger.

To act as a trained serviceperson, before the employee's first occupational exposure to pesticides, he or she must either:

• Read the "Safety Training Guide for Trained Servicepersons" manual; or
• Complete an employer sponsored training program which provides training equivalent to that provided in the manual.

• A Spanish language pdf version of the Trained Serviceperson Manual is also available here

An employer must be able to verify that the serviceperson training has been given and that it has conformed to the criteria established by ODA. Documentation needs to be kept in their personnel file while with the company and for three years after termination of employment.

Supervision Requirements

• Supervisor must have an Ohio Commercial Applicator License.
• Licensed supervisor must demonstrate instruction and control over trained serviceperson.
• Licensed applicator must be within 25 miles or available within 2 hours when a pesticide application is being made by the trained serviceperson.
• Licensed applicators providing supervision must be employed by the same company or agency as the trained serviceperson

Businesses

There are three types of business that are licensed by the Pesticide Program:

• pesticide application and WDI inspection businesses;
• pesticide application solicitors; and
• dealers who sell restricted-use pesticide products.

Pesticide Business & Business Locations

• A Pesticide Business is a business that applies pesticides to the property of another for hire, or solicits and takes orders to apply pesticides, or conducts diagnostic inspections for WDI in a contemplated real estate transaction. Proof of insurance is required for this license. Note: even if a WDI inspection business does not apply pesticides, it is still considered a Pesticide Business.

• A Business Location is any additional location or branch operating in Ohio with the same name of a Pesticide Business that operates in Ohio. Proof of insurance is required for this license.

• The license application can be found on the Forms page.

Read about Pesticide Business & Locations

Pesticide Solicitation

• A pesticide solicitation business license is required for a solicitation company that contracts with a licensed pesticide business in Ohio to perform applications. This license type is prohibited from making pesticide applications. There is no insurance requirement for solicitation businesses, but they must be licensed annually, from October 1 through September 30. The license application can be found on the Forms page.

• Please note: Soliciting to do a WDI Inspection is not a Pesticide Business Activity, and does not need a Pesticide Business License nor a Solicitation License. However, the company that is actually conducting the WDI inspection must have a Pesticide Business License

Restricted Product Dealer

• A person or facility who distributes Restricted Use Pesticides (RUP) or pesticides whose use are further restricted by the director to the ultimate user or to a commercial applicator who is employed by the pesticide dealer. A license is required for each location or outlet within the state from which the person distributes pesticides. The license application can be found on the Forms page.

• Yearly reporting of sales is required; reports of restricted use sales for the period July 1 to June 30 are due by July 31 of each year.

Product Registration

Any pesticide product (including general use, restricted use, and minimum risk) that is distributed within the State of Ohio must first be registered with our office. The product registration period in Ohio runs from July 1 through June 30, with registrations expiring annually.

• The Ohio Application for Registration of New Pesticides can be found on the Forms page.
• List of all pesticide products currently registered in Ohio.
• List of Restricted Use products currently registered in Ohio.
• Request a Certificate of Freesale

New Product (Section 3) Registrations

After US EPA has registered a pesticide product, it must also be registered in Ohio before it is legal to distribute. Separate registrations are required for each product name and alternate brand name that will be distributed in Ohio. The brand names to be registered in Ohio must be exactly the same as the brand name registered by US EPA and the same as on the product labeling.

Minimum Risk Pesticides (Section 25b)

Under Section 25(b) of FIFRA, products which meet several conditions may be exempt from EPA registration. However, these minimum risk products are required to be registered with the State of Ohio. These can be registered using the same Ohio Application for Registration of New Pesticides form as for EPA-registered products. The product label must list all active ingredients by name and percentage, and all inert ingredients must be listed by name (percentage is optional).

More information about Product Registrations

Recert Sponsors

All programs must be preapproved and have assigned codes. ODA will not approve and assign credits after a program has been completed. The program sponsor must complete the required paperwork/applications in order to be approved. Application forms can be found on our Forms page. Additionally, the program sponsor must submit bios of all speakers, and a program agenda including times, topics, and speakers. Program requests must be submitted 30 days prior to the program.

Eligible Sponsor Affiliations: governmental and non-governmental agency, professional association, accredited school, grower group and other deemed appropriate.

Guidelines for Time

• 1/2 hour of credit will be given for 30 minutes of time
• 1 hour of credit will be given for 60 minutes of time

Programs which are non-public, in-house training for employees, or customer presentations promoting products will not be approved. Examples of topics that will not be approved: fertilization, irrigation, pruning and aerating unless these topics are presented from a standpoint of requiring less use of pesticides, as an element of IPM or promotion of healthy, pest resistant plants. Management issues such as OSHA and other compliance programs will not be approved.

In-Person Events

For full details on in-person program requirements, see the In-Person Recert Program instruction document.

In-Person Sponsor Requirements

• New sponsors must complete and submit the Application for Recertification Sponsors (one time only).
• Sponsors must complete and submit the In-Person Pesticide Recertification Credit Application for every program.
• Sponsors must demonstrate how program meets criteria.
• Sponsors must show affiliation.
• Achieving program sponsor status does not guarantee approval for programs. Approved programs may be audited at any time by ODA staff.

In-Person Program Format Requirements:

• Programs must have in-person attendance. Hybrid programs will not be approved.
• Programs must be open to the public.
• Programs must have a registration process.
• Programs must have an agenda (description of subjects).
• Programs must show how agenda items fits the core or category topics.
• Programs must have a contact person (name, physical address and phone). Please provide a physical location for the contact person; ODA cannot mail paperwork to a PO Box.
• Programs must have speaker information (bios).
• Programs must have location information (name, address).
• Program fees for recertification programs must be the same for everyone attending.
• What will not be approved: non-public, in-house training for employees, and customer presentations promoting products.

Recertification Forms (Failure to follow these instructions may result in ODA denying future requests)

• ODA will only accept Ohio Recertification Forms for credit.
• The original forms (white copy) must be returned via mail to ODA by the sponsor within 2 weeks of the program completion.
• DO NOT email or submit photocopies of the forms.
• The forms are to be proctored.
• Never leave the forms unattended.
• Sponsors are to give the attendees the forms, class ID, class date, and the credit codes from paperwork provided.
• Sponsors are NOT to complete forms on behalf of attendees.

Live Online Events

For full details on live online program requirements, see the Online Recert Program instruction document.

Online Sponsor Requirements

• Complete and submit the Pesticide Online Recertification Program Credit Application for every program.
  • PLEASE NOTE: Online trainings must be LIVE virtual classes. Pre-recorded video presentations are not permitted.
• Utilize the ODA Recert Credit Template (provided after program approval) for recert data submission back to ODA.
• Demonstrate how program meets criteria.
• Show affiliation.
• Have a verification of attendance for their program.
• Return the ODA Recert Credit Template to ODA within 2 weeks of program completion.

Online Training Program Format Requirements

• Programs must have a registration process.
• Follow the verification of attendance policy recorded on the application submitted to ODA.
• Possess the ability to collect required applicator recert data.
• Be open to the public.
• Develop an agenda.
• Demonstrate how agenda items fit the core or category topics.
• Submit a contact person (name, physical address, and phone). 
• Supply a valid email address for ODA.
• Provide speaker information to ODA.
• Describe recert topics in detail as to how they meet the requested recert category.
• Program fees for recertification programs must be consistent for all attending.
• Have a verification of attendance for their program.
• If a Sponsor’s program gets approved by ODA, it may be audited at any time.
• What will not be approved: non-public, inhouse training for employees, and customer presentations promoting products will not be approved.

ODA Recert Credit Template Failure to follow these instructions may result in ODA denying future requests

• ODA will provide the sponsor with a sponsor letter, an ODA Recert Credit Template and a recert program credit code sheet after their program has been approved via email.
• The following must be collected from each attendee at the conclusion of the program for the attendee to receive credit: class ID, session date, recertification session codes, applicator license numbers, first and last name, mailing address, phone, email, and the last four social security digits.
• Credit codes must be provided throughout the program and not at the beginning of the program.
• ODA will only accept online recert program data submitted correctly into the ODA-supplied Recert Credit Template. 
  • Please submit completed templates to: AGRPestRecert@agri.ohio.gov
• ODA Recert Credit Templates that are filled out incorrectly will not receive recert credits.

Verification of Attendance Ideas

• Video or Camera Utilization, Polling, Response Features, Chat Boxes, or other mechanisms based-off ODA approval

Enforcement & Complaints

All pesticide products distributed in Ohio are registered annually and reviewed for proper label use directions. Program inspectors regularly visit restricted pesticide dealers in Ohio to assure proper distribution. In addition, businesses that manufacture or repackage pesticides are inspected for FIFRA compliance and pesticide businesses and applicators are regularly inspected to verify proper licensing, record keeping, training and pesticide use.

Pesticide program inspectors also investigate citizen complaints involving human health, environmental damage, crop injury, personal property damage, wildlife and domestic animal poisonings, and public and private water contamination. If you suspect damage caused by pesticide misuse, please contact our office at 614-728-6987.

More information

File a complaint online