Pesticide Applicator Licensing Requirements

Licensing Requirements

The Pest Control Products (Saskatchewan) Act and Regulations, 2015 state in part that:

• No individual shall apply or use pesticides without holding a valid pesticide applicator licence.
• An individual may do all or any of the following without holding a pesticide applicator licence:
  • use or apply pesticides on land he or she owns or rents;
  • use or apply pesticides as part of his or her duties as an employee of a farm operation or a research or pesticide development organization;
  • without charge, provide a service involving the use or application of pesticides on neighbouring land or premises in the ordinary exchange of labour and services among farmers;
  • use or apply pesticides under the direct supervision (within auditory hailing distance) of a licensed pesticide applicator acting within the terms of that licence; or
  • use or apply disinfectants, swimming pool bactericides, cleansers, deodorizers, laundry additives, soaps or sanitizers, bactericides used in cutting oils and fuels, algicides used in industrial cooling systems or wood preservatives.
• An applicant for a licence must be 18 years of age or older.
• A licence is issued to the person named on the application form and is not transferable.
• Every holder of a pesticide applicator licence shall keep records of each operation involving pesticide use or application.
• A licensed applicator "directly supervising" a pesticide application operation is responsible for the acts and negligence of those persons he or she is supervising. Persons being supervised must be within auditory and visual hailing distance.

How to obtain a licence

• To obtain a licence, the applicant must successfully complete a recognized course and complete Pesticide Applicator Licence Application Form. The annual fee for a five year licence must accompany the application for a licence, or licence renewal. A five year licence is available for new applicators or upon renewal of training only.
• Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture will recognize valid pesticide applicator courses (taken within the last five years) offered by approved out-of-province training institutions in other provinces for equivalent licence categories.
• Qualified out-of-province applicants must enclose, with their licence application or licence renewal, a photocopy of approved certificate of training and a photocopy of a valid licence from the issuing province.
• Out-of province applicants applying to the province for a pesticide applicator licence for the first time are required to write the Saskatchewan regulation exam before a licence will be issued.

Licence renewal forms are mailed to the licensed applicator prior to licence expiry.

Licence applications must be sent to:

Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture
Crops and Irrigation Branch
Room 125 - 3085 Albert Street
Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 0B1

Or by email to:
PL@gov.sk.ca
requesting to pay by credit card

For further information, call 306-787-4662

Training Requirements

• An applicant for a pesticide applicator licence must pass a pesticide applicator training course to be eligible to obtain a licence.
• An applicant for a licence renewal shall pass a re-certification exam every five years or qualify for re-certification by accumulating continuing education credits (CEC), at present, any holders of Aerial, Greenhouse, Industrial, Rat Control and Structural licence categories can re-certify through CECs.
• Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture and the Saskatchewan Polytechnic have agreed that all pesticide applicator examinations must be written under the supervision of Saskatchewan Polytechnic personnel at any Saskatchewan Polytechnic campus, or Regional College.

How to apply for training

• Applicants will register for the desired licence course(s) using an Application for Admission form, available from Saskatchewan Polytechnic. The appropriate material is packaged as an independent study course and sent to the registered student. Examinations are sent directly to the Saskatchewan Polytechnic campus or Regional College indicated by the student on the Saskatchewan Polytechnic application form.
• Applicants may complete the course at home at their own pace, or attend a training course offered by Saskatchewan Polytechnic.
• Provided a minimum of 10 persons register as a group, classroom courses can be arranged through Saskatchewan Polytechnic at almost any location in the province for most categories of licences.
• Examinations are closed book format, reference materials can be brought to the examination. Three (3) hours will be the maximum time allowed to complete any one licence category examination.

To obtain a training course or more information regarding pesticide applicator training, continuing education credits or regulation exam information, contact: