Commercial Applicators

Commercial, Noncommercial & Public Utility Applicator Licensing

Any person in the business of applying pesticides must obtain an applicator's license from the department. To obtain a license, a person must pass examinations, complete an application form and pay a licensing fee. See the licensing main page for definitions of specific license types. Commercial, non-commercial, special utility and government applicators also must pass exam questions related to pest categories in which they work.

Liability

Commercial applicators, except wood product treatment and seed treatment classifications, must meet financial liability requirements. These liability requirements may only be met through liability insurance. A commercial pesticide applicator must show proof of financial responsibility before a license is issued. Once a record of financial responsibility is on file, the license holder must affirm coverage on renewals and provide physical proof of current insurance upon request. The pesticide business must continue to meet or exceed the liability requirements of Montana law and rule for off-target chemical damage during all periods in which pesticide application will occur. License holders without current liability insurance are noncompliant. See Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) 4.10.101 through 4.10.104 for additional clarification pertaining to requirements and exemptions.

The MDA financial responsibility form may be found under Pesticide Files & Related Links for those needing a form to provide proof of financial responsibility

Minimum Liability Limits:

An aerial applicator must carry minimum liability insurance of $50,000. All other applicators must carry minimum liability insurance of $30,000. The financial responsibility must be maintained in full force and be effective during each entire licensing period.

Applicator licenses expire each December 31 and must be renewed annually before pesticides are applied.

More information on initial licensing, study materials and pest categories is available in the instructions for pesticide dealer and applicator licensing (PDF format).

Required Records

Applicators must maintain all application records for a period of two years and provide them to the Montana Department of Agriculture upon request. These records must contain the following:

name of the applicator and/or operator;
name of the ditch, canal, or area treated and county where located;
application point(s) and areas of ditch, canal or other surface waters treated;
company name, trade name, and the EPA registration number or formulation of the herbicide(s) used;
date of application and amount and rate of herbicide used;
weeds controlled; and
type of equipment used and method of application.

If no restricted or general use pesticides are used during the time period, that information must also be documented.

A sample recordkeeping form is available for use in the Pesticide Files & Related Links.

How to Obtain a License

Pass a core exam and category-specific sections for general and restricted-use products with an 80% or better score.
Meet liability insurance requirements. (Commercial Applicators.)
Complete an application form.
Pay applicable license fees of $85 plus any fees for operators.

Fees

$85.00 per year
$25.00 per operator (first 2 operators)
$10.00 per operator (additional operators)

Core Certification

Core certification is required for all pesticide applicators and dealers wishing to become licensed in the state of Montana. This is accomplished by learning how to handle pesticides correctly and how to protect yourself, others, and the environment from pesticide misuse. Study materials titled " National Pesticide Applicator Certification Core Manual" and " Montana State Laws and Regulations Pertaining to the Use of Pesticides" are available from the department or can be found under Pesticide Files & Related Links .

These classification categories determine additional test questions that may be required:

(21) Aerial - Applicators who apply pesticides by aircraft.

(30) Agricultural Plant Pest Control - Plant classification includes any applicator using or supervising the use of pesticides in the production of agricultural crops, including but not limited to small grains, feed grains, soybeans and forage, vegetables, small fruits, tree fruits and nuts, as well as on grasslands and non-crop agricultural lands.

(31) Agricultural Animal Pest Control - Animal classification includes any applicator using or supervising the use of pesticides on animals including but not limited to beef cattle, dairy cattle, swine, sheep, horses, goats, poultry and livestock, and to places on or in which animals are confined. Doctors of veterinary medicine engaged in the business of applying restricted use pesticides for hire, publicly holding themselves out as pesticide applicators, or engaged in a large scale use of restricted pesticide are included in this classification and must be certified-licensed.

(32) Agricultural Vertebrate Pest Control - Vertebrate classification includes any applicator using or supervising the use of pesticides in the management of vertebrate animals normally wild or feral, including certain predators, rodents, and birds, which may adversely affect human health, property, or are a nuisance to people.

(33) Forest Pest Control classification includes any applicator using or supervising the use of pesticides in forests, forest nurseries, and forest seed-producing areas. Forest Pest Control study manual is available at the link below.

(34) Ornamental and Turf Pest Control classification includes any applicator using or supervising the use of pesticides to control pests in the maintenance and production of ornamental trees, shrubs, flowers, and turf.

(35) Seed Treatment and Elevator Pest Control classification includes any applicator using or supervising the use of pesticides onto seeds, the use of fumigants in seed storage areas or on or in seeds and the use of pesticides in or aground the elevator seed storage facilities.

(36) Aquatic Pest Control classification includes any applicator using or supervising the use of pesticides purposefully applied to standing or running water, excluding applicators engaged in the Public Health Pest Control category.

(37) Right-of-Way, Rangeland, Pasture, and Noncrop Pest Control classification includes any applicator using or supervising the use of pesticides to manage weeds or other vegetation in the maintenance of public roads, electric power lines, pipelines, railway rights-of-way, or other similar areas, as well as grassland and pastures that are not harvested for forage, and on noncrop areas.

(38) Public Health Pest Control classification includes state, federal, or other governmental employees or contracted commercial applicators using or supervising the use of pesticides in public health programs for the management and control of pests having medical and public health importance. The jurisdictional health officer, state veterinarian, their duly authorized representatives, and governmental research personnel are exempt from licensing when applying general use pesticides to experimental areas.

(39) Demonstration and Research – This classification includes: a) Individuals who demonstrate to the public the proper use of pesticides and pesticide application techniques or supervise such demonstrations or make or approve recommendations on pesticide product use and/or selection (Persons licensed as Dealers are exempt from this classification); b) Individuals conducting field research with pesticides and in doing so, use or supervise the use of pesticides.

(40) Industrial, Institutional, Structural, and Health Related Pest Control classification includes any applicator using or supervising the use of pesticides in, on, or around food handling and manufacturing establishments, human dwellings, institutions, such as schools and hospitals, industrial establishments including warehouses, and any other structures and adjacent areas, public or private, and for the protection of stored, process, or manufactured products.

(41) Wood Product Pest Control classification includes any applicator using or supervising the use of pesticides for pole framing, silling applications, some home and farm uses, brush on treatments, sapstain control, and uses in non-pressure treatment plants for the protection of wood products.

(43) Sodium Cyanide (M-44) classification includes any applicator using M-44 cyanide capsules to control certain wild canids: coyotes, red fox, gray fox and wild dogs that depredate livestock and poultry. Special training and a field exam is required after passing the written exam.

(44) Special Utility classification includes any applicator using or supervising the use of pesticides for pole wraps, utility right-of-way, or similar uses.

(45) School IPM Pest Control classification includes applicators using or supervising the use of pesticides in the school environment, including but not limited to school yards, buildings, playing fields, and other property under the jurisdiction of the school districts.

(46) Piscicide – Applicators using or supervising the use of pesticides purposefully applied to waters to eliminate fish species as a fishery management tool.

(56) Other – Applicators using or supervising the use of pesticides in environments that are not included in any other classification: Sewer Treatment, Biocides, and Animal Contraceptives

Commercial Applicators