The Ohio Department of Agriculture Division of Plant Health is now offering class credit options for pesticide recertification. 

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.

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.

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.
• Nonpublic, inhouse training for employees, and customer presentations promoting products will not be approved.
• Have a verification of attendance for their program.
• If a Sponsor’s program gets approved by ODA, it may be audited at any time.

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