Pesticide certification and training categories

Last updated on July 26, 2023

If you apply or dispense pesticides, you need certification and training. 

For every category where you apply and dispense pesticides, you must pass a certification exam.

Choose the category that applies to you. There are separate study materials and exams for each category.

Arrange an exam

Contact Service BC to arrange writing certification exams:

Contact information

For questions about certificate categories:


Apply pesticides from helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft to manage:

  • Mosquitoes
  • Vegetation along rights-of-way
  • Pests associated with agricultural or forestry production

Manage pests of agricultural production. Categories are available for:

  • Field crop and orchard production
  • Greenhouse production
  • Rodent management

These categories are for custom applicators, private growers or farm workers.


Apply pesticides under the supervision of a certified pesticide applicator.

Assist in the safe transport and security of pesticides at worksites.


Manage pests of forestry production, including weed control on forest rangeland. Categories are available for:

  • General forestry management
  • Non-broadcast applications
  • Seed cone orchards
  • Seedling nurseries

Manage pests by using fumigants. Categories are available for:

  • Treating ships, structures and containers
  • The use of carbon dioxide to treat grain or flour

A category for treating soil is under development.


Manage weeds on:

  • Industrial land
  • Rights-of-way
    • Roadsides, power lines, railways and pipelines
  • Oilfield sites
    • Wells and battery
  • Invasive plants and noxious weeds on private or public land

This category is for commercial use. Manage pests of landscaped areas:

  • Gardens
  • Ornamental plants
  • Lawns and turf

Manage mosquitoes and biting flies. Categories are available for:

  • General mosquito and biting fly management
  • Aerial application of granular bacterial pesticides
  • Ground application of bacterial pesticides and growth regulators

Sell pesticides in licensed retail sales outlets.

Separate dispenser categories are available for selling domestic and commercial class pesticides.


This category is for private, non-commercial use only. Apply pesticides on private landscapes:

  • Lawns
  • Flower beds
  • Ornamental trees and plants

Manage pests in, near or on a structure.

A separate category is available for wood preservation.