Keeping Up With Your Pesticide Licensing And Certification
Figure 1. Example of a commercial - non/commercial license/certification card.
DR. LEE TOWNSEND
LEXINGTON, KY.
Two important numbers and expiration dates appear on the white pesticide card issued by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) to commercial and non-commercial applicators. Take a minute to check; it is time well spent.
License Renewal
Your license number (Lic. No.) is near the left edge of the card; it is followed by the expiration date (Expires 12/31). The license is valid for 1 year and expires on December 31 of the year listed on the card. See Figure 1 for an example of a license/certification card.
If your certification is valid, just return the license renewal form to the KDA, along with any appropriate fees. If your license expired December 31, 2015, you have until March 1, 2016 to renew it without penalty. If you miss the March 1 date, you still have until the end of May to renew by paying the fee plus a 25 percent penalty. If the license is not renewed by June 1, you lose it and your certification. This means taking the licensing/certification examination.
Maintaining Your Certification
Also on this card (Figure 1), just to the right of the license information, is your certification number (Cert. No.) and its expiration date (Expires 12/31). Your certification is valid for 3 years and expires on December 31 of the third year. You can maintain your certification by earning 12 continuing education units (CEUs; 9 general and 3 category specific units) before your certification expires.
Check on the status of your CEU credits by visiting the following website and searching under your name or certification number: http://www.kyagr.com/consumer/pesticide-ceu-search.aspx . Call the KDA toll free at (866) 289-0001 if you have questions. ∆
DR. LEE TOWNSEND: Extension Entomologist, University of Kentucky