Pesticide dispenser certificate
Last updated on March 21, 2024Get certified to sell pesticides in licensed retail outlets.
There are separate categories for selling domestic and commercial class pesticides.
Dispenser – Domestic Pesticides:
- For people employed by a licenced vendor to sell domestic class pesticides.
- Employers needing people with this certificate are usually retail sales outlets where pesticides are sold to non-professional home and garden users or hobby farmers
Dispenser – Commercial Pesticides:
- For people employed by a licenced vendor to sell commercial and restricted class pesticides. Domestic class pesticides may also be sold with this certificate
- Employers needing people with this certificate are primarily sales outlets that sell pesticides to farmers or other professional, commercial applicators
Graphic overview of the process to get your certificate
What study materials do I need?
The study materials are different for each category. Older editions of the study materials are not recommended.
Dispenser – Domestic Pesticides certificate study material is:
- Handbook for Dispensers of Domestic Pesticides in British Columbia (2016)
Dispenser – Commercial Pesticides certificate study materials are:
- Handbook for Pesticide Applicators and Dispensers (2005)
- Pesticide Dispenser Certification for Commercial Pesticides (2007)
- Study Notes on the B.C. Crop Production Guides (2008)
- The Rules Have Changed – A Guide For Pesticide Vendors and Dispensers (PDF, 353KB)
Which exam should I write?
Get the study materials listed above for the category you wish to get.
- If you will mostly be selling domestic class pesticides, arrange to write the three-hour Dispenser - Domestic exam
- If you mostly will be selling commercial and restricted class pesticides, arrange to write the three-hour Dispenser - Commercial exam
To arrange writing the exam, contact Service BC.
The cost to write the exam is $90.
Your exam mark will determine the term of your certificate:
- 5 year (75% and above)
- 1 year (60% - 74%)
How do I recertify?
Option 1) Recertify by exam
- Dispenser – Domestic Pesticides certificates can recertify by writing the Dispenser - Domestic exam
- Dispenser – Commercial Pesticides certificates can recertify by writing the Dispenser – Commercial exam
- The cost to write the exam is $90.
Option 2) Recertify by CECs
- If you held a five-year certificate, you have the option of recertifying by collecting continuing education credits (CECs)
- To be recertified using this process, you must get 20 CECs over five years
- The cost to recertify by CECs is $25
- Recertification credits for Dispenser – Domestic Pesticides and Dispenser – Commercial Pesticides certificates are managed by the following private industry associations:
Western Canada Turfgrass Association
- Jerry Rousseau
- Email: exec.director@wctaturf.com
BC Golf Superintendents Association
- Ginny Tromp
- Phone: (250) 749-6703
- Email: admin@bcgsa.com