Private Applicator Training for Farmers, Ranchers, and Growers
Private applicators are individuals who use restricted use pesticides to produce agricultural commodities on property owned or rented by them or their employer. Example: farmers/growers. Restricted use pesticides are not labeled for home gardens. Therefore, a pesticide license is not required, nor available, for home gardeners.
Who qualifies as a private applicator?
- You must be involved in the commercial production of agricultural commodities on your own farm or the farm of your employer to qualify.
- Home gardeners do not qualify for a private applicator license.
- All of the extension service training for certification or recertification of private applicators costs $20 per person. The license fee is a separate fee that must be paid to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture Plant Industries Division, Pesticide Section.
First-Timer Training (Initial Certification) for Private Applicators
For those that have never had a license or have let their license lapse for more than 5 years.
There are three options for obtaining first-timer training:
Option 1 - Attend in-person training
Attend a training conducted by county extension personnel. Contact your county agent for training opportunities.
See list of upcoming training on our event calendar (NOTE if you do not see your county listed, call your agent to confirm if a class is available. Not all training sessions are listed on the calendar).
- Please be aware that many of our county meetings have been cancelled because of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) situation. If your county's meeting has been cancelled, you still have the option of online training to obtain your license. This option will be available until the virus crisis has passed.
Option 2 - Watch training video at county office
Contact your county agent to schedule a time to watch the course training video on location at your county office.
Option 3 - Get certified online
Complete the Private Pesticide Applicator Online Certification. This option takes
the place of the face-to-face certification trainings mentioned in Option 1.
- The online training gives a full 5-year certification just like the face-to-face training.
- Please be aware that after you have completed the online training you MUST obtain and fill out a license application form DP-25 and send it along with the required license fee, to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture (formally known as the Arkansas State Plant Board). The DP-25 form can be downloaded by clicking on the Download DP-25 License Form button below.
How to get recertified
Most private applicators that want to maintain a license must be retrained (recertified) every 5 years.
There are two options for private applicator recertification:
Option 1 - In person
Attend a training conducted by county extension personnel.
Contact your county agent for the next upcoming class.
If your county's meeting has been cancelled, you still have the option of online training to obtain your license. See below.
Option 2 - Online
Take and complete Private Pesticide Applicator Online Certification. This option takes the place of the face-to-face recertification trainings mentioned
in Option 1.
- The online training gives a full 5-year certification just like the face-to-face training.
If you have questions, comments, complaints, etc. about the pesticide licensing procedure, please call the Director of the Pesticide Division or the Assistant Director in charge of Certification and Training at the Arkansas State Plant Board (501-225-1598).