The information below is intended to help you identify the appropriate pesticide licensing for your situation. If you have any questions, please reach out to our main office using the Contacts posted at the bottom of the webpage.
Do I need a license?
You need a pesticide license before you:
- Buy, apply, or supervise the use of Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs). Certain exceptions apply*.
- Apply or supervise the application of any pesticide to someone else’s property (private or public land), except when part of very limited landscape maintenance work that meets specific conditions.*
- Apply or supervise the application of any pesticide on a school campus as defined in
ORS 634.700.
- Apply any pesticide by aircraft (e.g., fixed-wing, helicopter, unmanned aircraft systems).
- Apply or supervise the application of any pesticide as a public employee using power-driven application equipment. Note: Beginning January 1, 2026, certain exceptions apply.*
- Apply pesticides for research purposes. Note, in addition to licensing requirements an
Experimental Use Permit may be required.
- Advise others on the use of RUPs.
- Sell or distribute RUPs (license required for each facility).
- Own or operate a business, including a non-profit organization, that advertises pesticide application services or that otherwise engages in the application of any pesticide to someone else’s property.
*See ‘When is a Pesticide License NOT Required’ section for additional information.
No pesticide license is needed when:
- Applying general use pesticides to property owned or leased by you or your employer, except on a school campus as defined in ORS 634.700.
- As a public employee, applying general use pesticides using application equipment that is not power-driven (e.g., hand-pump backpack sprayer), except when applying on a school campus as defined in ORS 634.700.
- As a public employee, applying general use pesticides using power-driven application equipment if all of the following criteria are met:
- The pesticide is not a restricted use pesticide;
- The power-driven application equipment is powered by an electric battery and holds no more than five gallons of pesticide;
- The application is not made on the campus of a school as defined in ORS 634.700;
- The application is not made using aircraft, such as unmanned aircraft systems; and
- The public employee has completed an employer training program that meets specific requirements described in Senate Bill 360 (2025).
- Applying general use pesticides as part of a landscape maintenance service if all of the following criteria are met:
- The use of pesticides is not stated in advertisements or contracts;
- Applications are to small residential lawns or gardens only; no applications can be made to commercial properties;
- No restricted use pesticides are used;
- Fuel or electric-powered sprayers or spreaders are not used; and
- Pesticides are not applied on a school campus as defined in ORS 634.700.
- Using Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs) under the supervision of a licensed Private Applicator if all of the following criteria are met:
- The individual using the RUP is appropriately supervised by a licensed Private Applicator who is their employer or co-worker;
- The pesticide is applied for the purpose of producing agricultural commodities or forest crops;
- The pesticide is applied only to land owned or leased by the individual making the pesticide application or their employer; and
- The pesticide is not applied via aircraft or for research purposes.
- Note: Other requirements of the pesticide label, Worker Protection Standard (WPS), and state law may apply. Please contact the Oregon Department of Agriculture Pesticides Program if you have any questions.
Pesticide license types
Individuals and businesses must be licensed by Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) prior to performing certain pesticide-related activities. The license type that a pesticide applicator needs often depends on their employer. For example, private applicators are employed by farms, or own/lease the farm; commercial applicators are employed by businesses (pesticide operator) that apply pesticides to other's property; and public applicators are employed by federal, state, an Indian tribe, or other governmental bodies. There are also two trainee license types that depend on whether exams have been taken: (1) Apprentice license (Laws and Safety must be passed), and (2) the Immediately Supervised Trainee license (no exam required). More information about specific pesticide license types is listed below.
Additionally, some license types also have license categories, which may limit or specify the type of pesticides that can be used and/or locations where pesticides can be applied.
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Allows you to apply pesticides by aircraft (e.g., fixed-wing, helicopter, unmanned aircraft systems).
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You must meet
additional requirements to qualify for an aerial license, including having a commercial, noncommercial, public or private applicator license.
- If you have a commercial, noncommercial, or public license, pesticide applications may only be made under the categories/subcategories listed on your license.
If you have a commercial pesticide applicator license, you must be employed by a business licensed as a commercial pesticide operator with the appropriate license categories.
Note: Individuals without an aerial pesticide applicator license cannot make pesticide applications using aircraft, even when supervised by a licensed aerial pesticide applicator.
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Exam required — Aerial exam.
Aerial pesticide applicator responsibilities handout
Using drones to apply pesticides in Oregon: What to know about licensing
Uso de drones para aplicar pesticidas en Oregon: Qué necesita sabe sobre las licencias
- Allows you to apply or supervise the application of any pesticide (e.g., general use, restricted use, etc.) onto someone else's property, including the campus of a school as defined on ORS 634.700.
- Allows you to supervise a licensed Pesticide Apprentice or licensed Immediately Supervised Trainee.
Allows you to provide technical advice or recommendations about restricted use pesticides within the specific categories listed on your license.
Pesticide application and supervision of use is limited to the categories/subcategories on your license.
To make or supervise pesticide applications under this license, you must be employed by a licensed commercial pesticide operator.
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Exam required — Laws and safety and at least one category exam. Exception: if you are seeking a commercial pesticide applicator license with the marine fouling organism license category, then only the category exam is required.
Commercial and Public Pesticide Applicator brochure
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Allows a business to engage in the application of pesticides to the property of others, including advertising and bidding on contracts involving pesticide application services.
Pesticide-related activities are limited to the license categories held by both the commercial pesticide operator and the commercial pesticide applicator they employ.
License applicants must provide either a certificate of insurance issued by their insurer or a copy of their insurance policy.
If the business is a type of corporation, such as a limited liability company (LLC), at least one employee must be licensed as a commercial pesticide applicator.
If the business is a sole proprietors or partnerships, then the owner or at least one partner must be licensed as a commercial pesticide applicator.
A commercial pesticide operator can also employ licensed Pesticide Apprentices and Immediately Supervised Trainees who work under the supervision of a licensed commercial pesticide applicator.
This license cannot be issued to a federal, state, or local governmental body, or to an Indian tribe, as described in
ORS 634.116(12).
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Exam required — None.
Commercial Pesticide Operator brochure
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Allows you to apply pesticides while supervised by a licensed commercial, noncommercial, or public pesticide applicator.
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An immediately supervised trainee may only make applications within their supervisor’s license categories.
- The supervising applicator is responsible for training the immediately supervised trainee.
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The supervising applicator must be physically located on-site at all times during the pesticide application, and available at the specific point of pesticide use within five minutes.
- An immediately supervised trainee is not a certified applicator and cannot purchase restricted use pesticides.
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Exam required — None.
Immediately Supervised Trainee brochure
Practicante de Pesticidas Inmediatamente Supervisado
- Allows individuals (except government employees) to use Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs) on land or property that they or their employer owns or leases for a purpose other than the production of an agricultural commodity or forest crop.
- Examples include but not limited to employees of private golf courses, wood treatment facilities, wineries that fumigate wine barrels/corks, businesses not engaged in agricultural productions that treat purchased agricultural commodities for export or processing.
- Allows private school employees or owners to apply any pesticide to their own private school campus, as defined in ORS 634.700.
- Pesticide application and supervision of use is limited to the categories/subcategories on your license.
- Allows you to provide others with technical advice or recommendations about RUPs within the specific categories listed on your license.
- Allows you to supervise a licensed Pesticide Apprentice or Immediately Supervised Trainee.
- Note: The employer of a Noncommercial Pesticide Applicator does not need to be licensed as a Commercial Pesticide Operator. However, if you meet all the conditions described in OAR 603-057-0190, you may utilize a Commercial Pesticide Applicator license with the appropriate license categories in place of a Noncommercial Pesticide Applicator license. In this case, your employer must be licensed as a Commercial Pesticide Operator with the appropriate license categories. This option may be beneficial for those who apply pesticides on both their employer’s property and their customer’s property in the course of their work with a single employer.
- Exam required – Laws and safety and at least one category exam. Please note that for this license type, the agriculture, forest, and school integrated pest management license categories are only available to private school owners and their employees.
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Allows you to apply pesticides while supervised by a licensed commercial, noncommercial, or public pesticide applicator.
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A Pesticide Apprentice may only make applications within their supervisor’s license categories.
The supervising applicator is responsible for training the Pesticide Apprentice trainee.
The supervising applicator does not need to be on-site when the Pesticide Apprentice is making pesticide applications, but the supervising applicator must be reasonably available (e.g., phone or 2-way radio) at all times to the Pesticide Apprentice for any needed consultation or further direction.
- A Pesticide Apprentice is not a certified applicator and cannot purchase restricted use pesticides.
- Exam required — Laws and safety exam.
Pesticide Apprentice brochure
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Allows you to provide technical advice or recommendations about Restricted Use Pesticides.
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The demonstration and research license category is optional and may be added by passing the demonstration and research exam. Once added to your license it allows you to conduct demonstration plots or research trials of pesticides.
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If you have a Pesticide Consultant license, then you qualify to apply for the Private Pesticide Applicator license without passing its examination requirement.
- Note: Pesticide Consultants are not permitted to supervise the use of pesticides by noncertified applicators (i.e., Pesticide Apprentices, Immediately Supervised Trainees, unlicensed individuals).
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Exam required — Consultant exam.
Pesticide Consultant brochure
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Required for each pesticide facility or sales outlet that sells, offers for sale, handles, displays, or distributes Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs).
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Pesticide dealers must prepare and maintain sales and distribution records for all RUPs for a period of three years.
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Exam required — None.
Pesticide Dealer brochure
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Allows you to use or supervise the use of Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs) for the purpose of producing an agricultural commodity or forest crop on land (i.e., farmland, rangeland, forests, greenhouses, nurseries, and orchards) owned or leased by the private applicator or their employer.
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One license covers all agricultural uses of RUPs, however soil fumigation has additional requirements (see Private Pesticide Applicator brochure below).
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Note: No pesticide license is required to apply “general use” pesticides on land own or leased by the applicator or their employer.
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Exam required — Private pesticide applicator exam.
Private Pesticide Applicator brochure
Responsabilidades del Aplicador Privado de Pesticidas
- You must be employed by a federal, state, local governmental body, or an Indian tribe, as described in ORS 634.116(12).
- Allows you to use and supervise the use of Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs).
- Allows you to apply and supervise the application of pesticides applied with power-driven application equipment.
- Allows you to apply and supervise the application of pesticides on the campus of a school (as defined in ORS 634.700).
- Pesticide application and supervision of use is limited to the categories/subcategories on your license.
- Allows you to supervise a licensed Pesticide Apprentice or Immediately Supervised Trainee.
- Allows you to provide others with technical advice or recommendations about RUPs within the specific categories listed on your license.
- Note: Public Applicators may not function as a Commercial Pesticide Applicator, and need to be aware of the limitations stated in ORS 634.112 and ORS 634.116.
- Exam required — Laws and safety and at least one category exam. Exception: If you are seeking a Commercial Pesticide Applicator license with the marine fouling organism license category, then only the category exam is required at this time.
Public Pesticide Applicator brochure
License categories
Licensed Commercial, Noncommercial, and Public Pesticide Applicators and Pesticide Consultants may only apply specific types of pesticides to the sites that are covered by their license categories. License categories are divided into areas of related work. Some license categories are divided into subcategories if there are several areas of work within a single category. The related subcategories will have the same main “category” title. For example, licensed Commercial, Noncommercial, or Public Pesticide applicators who apply herbicides to turf or ornamental planting sites need the Ornamental & Turf: Herbicide license category. More information about pesticide license categories is listed below.
For the use of pesticides in the production of agricultural crops and livestock including Christmas tree plantations and commercial nurseries, or on agricultural lands, grasslands, or non-crop agricultural lands.
Subcategories
- Herbicide: For the use of herbicides in the productions of agricultural crops or on agricultural lands, grasslands, or non-crop agricultural lands.
- Insecticide/fungicide: For the use of insecticides, fungicides or nematicides in the production of agricultural crops or on agricultural lands, grasslands, or non-crop agricultural lands.
- Livestock pest: For the use of pesticides in agricultural areas for the control of livestock pests such as insects, mites, and ticks.
- Soil fumigation: For the use of soil-applied fumigants in the production of agricultural crops or on agricultural lands, grasslands, or non-crop agricultural lands. This category is limited to Commercial and Public Applicator license types.
- Vertebrate pest: For the use of pesticides in agricultural areas to control of vertebrate pests other than livestock predators.
The use of pesticides in treating standing or running water.
The use of pesticides in field research and educational demonstrations. Note: an
Experimental Use Permit (EUP) may also be required.
The use of pesticides on forest lands or in the production of forest crops (does not include Christmas tree plantations or commercial nurseries).
For the use of pesticides in, on, or around food handling establishments, human dwellings, institutions (e.g., schools, hospitals, etc.), industrial establishments (including warehouses and grain elevators), and any other structures or areas utilized for the storing, processing, or manufacturing of products.
Subcategories
- General pest: The use of pesticides, other than fumigants, in or around structures, institutions, and establishments for the protection of stored, processed, and manufactured products or for the protections of public health.
- Moss control: The use of pesticides to control moss or algae on structures.
- Space fumigation: For the use of fumigants in enclosed or confined areas or structures for the control of pests in structures, in stored food or feed, and in other agricultural products.
- Structural: For the use of pesticides, other than fumigants, in, on, or around structures for the control of wood-destroying pests.
- Wood treatment: For the use of pesticides to treat wood products (e.g., lumber, poles, ties) before use of those products in construction, or to field treat utility poles, pilings, bridge supports, cross arms, and similar elements of construction with fumigants or other pesticides.
The use of marine anti-fouling paints or coatings on boats or ships.
For the use of pesticides in the establishment and maintenance of ornamental plantings and turf (excluding Christmas tree plantations, commercial nurseries, sod farms, or forest crops).
Subcategories
- Herbicide: For the use of pesticides in the establishment and maintenance of ornamental plants and turf, including vertebrate pest control.
- Insecticide/fungicide: For the use of insecticides and fungicides in the establishment and maintenance or ornamental plants and turf.
This category is only available to Public Applicators. The use of pesticides for the control of plants designated as
noxious weeds.
The use of pesticides in right-of-way areas, including, but not limited to: city, county, state, and federal roads and highways; railroads and airports; electric utilities (i.e., transformer stations and substations, switching stations, transmission lines and distribution lines, wind farms); pipelines; banks of public bargeways and areas around locks and dams; and bicycle, bridle, snowmobile and other public recreational paths.
It covers the use of pesticides on the campus of a school (defined in ORS 634.700), excluding applications of pesticides:
- Using power-driven equipment;
- To control wood-destroying pests, bed bugs, lice, fleas, ticks, and adult mosquitoes;
- Classified as Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs);
- Formulated as total release foggers (except antimicrobial and insecticidal soap products);
- Not registered by the Oregon Department of Agriculture; and
- To locations not covered by the school's adopted integrated pest management plan.
For the use of pesticides on seed, including, but not limited to, agricultural seed, flower seed, and vegetable seed.
How do I get licensed?
Once you have identified what you need, learn more about how to get a pesticide license.