HOW TO OBTAIN An AG LICENSE
Target Specialty Products (TSP) offers prep classes for Agricultural (AG) Licenses. Please visit our Events Calendar for a list of upcoming prep courses. The prep course provide study material and a very knowledgeable trainer who can answer questions about what to expect and guidance on how to prepare for the exam.
These are the licenses covered in this section:
PCA- Pest Control Adviser
QAL- Qualified Applicator License
QAC- Qualified Applicator Certificate
Follow these steps in preparation for the license exams:
1. To obtain your PCA, QAL or QAC license you must first visit the
Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) website.
2. Print out an exam schedule
3. Navigate to the forms link where you will find a registration packet, print this also and complete.
4. Mail the registration along with your form of payment to DPR, and they will notify you by mail of your test date, location and time.
5. Once you receive your test date, visit our Events Calendar for a prep course being offered near you.
6. Once you have taken your exam, you will be notified by mail if you passed or not. To become licensed you must pass the laws and regulations portion plus one other category.
If you are not able to attend a prep course, or if one is not being offered near you, TSP sells prep course study materials. We strongly encourage attending the prep course when possible as we have trainers who are very knowledgeable and will help you understand the study material.
For more information on this section or to find out how to purchase prep course study material please contact:
Jennifer Gonzalez
Training & Continuing Education Specialist
Phone: 562-802-2238 ext 1218
Email: Jennifer.Gonzalez@target-specialty.com
You must possess one of the following AG licenses if you do any of the following mentioned below:
You must possess a PCA license if you do any of the following:
· Offer a recommendation on any agricultural use products
· Act as an authority on any agricultural use products
· Solicit services or sales for any agricultural use products
You must possess a QAL if you do any of the following:
· Supervise the use of a restricted use pesticide or any other pesticide
· Supervise the use of certain substances, methods, or devices to control pests for a licensed pest control business
· This can only be done in the categories in which you have been licensed.
You must possess a QAC if you do any of the following:
· Use or supervise the use of federally restricted use pesticides or state restricted materials
· Are in the business of maintenance gardening, and perform pest control that is incidental to such a business.
PRIVATE APPLICATOR LICENSE
Private applicators use or supervise the use of restricted pesticides. County agricultural commissioners are responsible for examining and certifying private applicators
Below you will find a link to the Laws governing the private applicator certification:
Food and Agricultural Code
Each county has an agricultural commissioner that will give instructions on how to apply, maintain and renew a private applicator license. The link below is to all the AG Commissioner's offices in the various counties in California. Please choose which county you will be working in and call the commissioner for instructions on how to obtain your license. Each county may have different instructions or qualifications. Please call for more information.
AG Commissioner's Offices in California
HOW TO OBTAIN A STRUCTURAL LICENSE
Target Specialty Products (TSP) only offers Structural License prep courses to existing customers and their employees and are scheduled on a case by case basis by request. If you are an existing TSP customer and interested in scheduling a prep course, please contact your local branch which can be found on our Contact Us page.
Follow these steps in preparation for the license exams:
1. To obtain your license, you must first visit the Structural Pest Control Board (SPCB) website for an application packet and exam schedule.
2. You must also be fingerprinted. It is reccommended that you do this before you take the exam, however the SPCB must receive your fingerprinting results prior to issuing the license.
3. Complete the registration packet and mail along with payment to the SPCB.
4. Once you have taken your exam, you will be notified by mail if you passed or not, or to your employer if you are taking the applicators license exam.
Information on LiveScan fingerprinting and suggested study materials are available on the SPCB website.
License Definitions:
The Three Branches of Structural Pest Control
· Branch 1 - The practice relating to the control of household and wood-destroying pests or organisms by fumigation with poisonous or lethal gases.
· Branch 2 - The practice relating to the control of household pests excluding fumigation with poisonous or lethal gases.
· Branch 3 - The practice relating to the control of wood-destroying pests or organisms by the use of insecticides or structural repairs and corrections, excluding fumigation with poisonous or lethal gases.
There are also different license types
1. Applicators License:
· A structural pest control Applicator is any individual who is licensed by the board to apply a pesticide, rodenticide, or allied chemicals or substances for the purpose of eliminating, exterminating, controlling, or preventing infestation or infections of pests or organisms included in Branch 2 or Branch 3 on behalf of a registered company. A structural pest control Applicator shall not contract for pest control work or perform pest control work in his or her own behalf.
· The Applicator license is the Board's entry level license. Many will begin working in the industry as an Applicator, although it is not required to hold an Applicator license before becoming a Field Representative.
· An Applicator is licensed in Branch 2 and Branch 3 and can only perform work while working for a registered structural pest control company
2. Field Representative License:
· A structural pest control Field Representative is any individual who is licensed by the board to secure structural pest control work, identify infestations or infections, make inspections, submit bids for or otherwise contract, in behalf of a registered company. A pest control Field Representative shall not contract for pest control work or perform pest control work in his or her own behalf.
· A Field Representative can be licensed in Branch 1, Branch 2, and/or Branch 3 and can only perform work while working for a registered structural pest control company.
3. Operator License:
· A structural pest control Operator is any individual who is licensed by the board to secure structural pest control work, identify infestations or infections, make inspections, submit bids for or otherwise contract, on behalf of a registered company. A pest control Operator shall not contract for pest control work or perform pest control work on his or her own behalf.
· An Operator performs the same duties of a Field Representative except that an Operator can own and operate their own company or act as a qualifying manager for another owner.
· An Operator can be licensed in Branch 1, Branch 2, and/or Branch 3.
