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Aerial Pesticide Applicator Licensing Guide

Who needs an Aerial Pesticide Applicator (APA) license? 

Anyone who applies any pesticide by aircraft (e.g., fixed-wing, helicopter, unmanned aircraft systems, UAV, drones) in Oregon must have an Aerial Pesticide Applicator license. 

How do I obtain an APA license? 

1. To obtain an Aerial Pesticide Applicator license you must:

Be licensed as either a Commercial Pesticide Applicator, Public Pesticide Applicator, Noncommercial Pesticide Applicator, or Private Pesticide Applicator; 

2. Pass the Oregon Aerial Applicator’s exam;

  • Alternatively, if you are already licensed as an aerial applicator in another state, then you can apply for a reciprocal aerial license. Please allow additional time for review and processing of reciprocal license applications.

3. Have a valid FAA pilot certificate for the type of aircraft you will use to apply pesticides. Additional documentation may be required to confirm that your pilot certificate is valid or is appropriate for the type of aircraft (see below); and

  • If a medical certificate is required by FAA, then complete the attestation on the license application form (see step 5 below). Your medical certificate must be valid through the entire Oregon license period, which is an annual license that expires at the end of each calendar year.
  • Submit any applicable FAA exemption document (e.g., “certificate of authorization or waiver,” “44807” exemption) if you are seeking to pilot multiple unmanned aircraft simultaneously or to utilize unmanned aircraft that are 55 pounds or greater. 
  • Please submit your pilot certificate (front and back) and supplemental documentation with your license application form (see step 5 below).

 
NOTE: Additional FAA requirements may apply, such as the need for an Agricultural Aircraft Operator’s Certificate (Part 137) or a Public Aircraft Operator Certificate of Authorization/Waiver. It is important to ensure that you meet all FAA requirements before you start accumulating flight experience or submit your license application for an Oregon Aerial Pesticide Applicator license. To obtain the appropriate FAA license and credentials or for more information about federal requirements, go to https://www.faa.gov/pilots.

4. Complete and appropriately document 50 hours of qualifying flight experience (BEFORE you submit your license application);

  • For your flight experience to count, you must already be appropriately licensed as a pesticide applicator at the time the flight occurs.
  • Important: If you are not licensed as an aerial applicator in Oregon, you are not authorized to apply pesticides using aircraft (e.g., fixed-wing, helicopter, unmanned aircraft systems, UAV, drones). Therefore you cannot gain experience by making pesticide applications aerially in Oregon, even if supervised by a licensed Aerial Pesticide Applicator.
  • Check Flight Experience Requirements to find out what flight experience counts toward the 50-hours requirement. 

5. Submit a completed Aerial Pesticide Applicator license application form, with applicable supporting documents and the license fee.

  • Please do not submit your license application until you have met all of the requirements (steps 1-4).
  • Please submit to the secure fax or mailing address listed on the license application form.

How do I maintain an APA license? 

After passing the aerial exam, you are certified for a period of up to five years. You can renew your APA license in each calendar year of your certification period. To maintain your license beyond your current certification period, you will need to recertify by either earning 10 aerial credits during your certification period through attending ODA-accredited continuing education events or retaking and passing the aerial exam. 

You must also maintain either your Commercial Pesticide Applicator (CPA), Noncommercial Pesticide Applicator (NPA), Public Pesticide Applicator (PPA), or Private Applicator (PAL) license to qualify to renew your APA license. A summary of credit requirements and limitations for each license type are summarized below.
  • APAs must earn 10 aerial credits during their certification period, and have no annual accumulation limit.
  • CPAs, NPAs, and PPAs need 40 credits of any type during their certification period, and can only earn a maximum of 15 credits per calendar year.
  • PALs must earn 4 core credits and 12 credits of any type during their certification period, and can only earn a maximum of 8 credits per calendar year.

Please be aware that the 10 aerial credits can count toward the 40 credits required for licensed CPAs, NPAs, and PPAs, but do not count toward the 16 credits required for licensed PALs. When you attend an ODA-accredited continuing education event, credits are awarded to each qualifying1 license independently. An aerial credit earned can be simultaneously awarded to both a qualifying APA and CPA/NPA/PPA license (one credit awarded to each license). However, an aerial credit can only be awarded to either an APA license or a PAL license (but not both). By default, aerial credits are applied to an APA license first. Once 10 aerial credits have been accumulated, any additional credits will be awarded to the PAL.

1Note: whether credits can be awarded to a specific license will depend on factors such as the number of credits already earned in a calendar year and credit type.

 
There are a limited number of ODA-accredited continuing education events offering aerial credits, so don’t wait until late in your certification period to fulfill your license requirements. To search ODA-accredited continuing education events, go to https://oda.direct/PestRecertClasses. If you do not earn enough credits, you must retake and pass exams to renew your license(s) after your current certification period.

Are there other requirements or limitations applicable to aerial applicators?  

  • For the time period when Commercial Pesticide Operators (CPOs) are engaged in the application of pesticides by aircraft, the CPOs must also supply evidence of the issuance of a public liability policy of insurance that identifies the specific aircraft to which it applies. 
  • A licensed Commercial Pesticide Applicator (including those who are also licensed as an Aerial Pesticide Applicator) cannot make pesticide applications under their license unless they are employed by a licensed CPO.
  • A licensed Aerial Pesticide Applicator who is applying pesticides as a Public Pesticide Applicator (PPA) is limited to make aerial applications only to lands they are authorized to apply pesticides to from the ground. 
  • Most pesticide labels do not reference unmanned aircraft (i.e., UAV, drones) directly, making label interpretation complex. If you have questions about whether a pesticide label permits application using unmanned aircraft, please contact the ODA Pesticide Program (see contact information below). We are happy to provide assistance and help create regulatory certainty for Oregon applicators and businesses.
  • Failing to follow the requirements of obtaining and maintaining licensing may result in violations of ORS 634 and can result in monetary penalties up to $10,000 per violation. 

Using drones to apply pesticides in Oregon: what to know about licensing 

It is a violation of Oregon law to apply any pesticide by aircraft (including remotely piloted aircraft, unmanned aircraft system, UAV, drones, etc.) unless you are appropriately licensed as an Aerial Pesticide Applicator. This means that someone without an Aerial Pesticide Applicator license (including all other licensed pesticide applicators) cannot make a pesticide application via aircraft in Oregon, even if supervised by a licensed Aerial Pesticide Applicator.   

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