Academy · CEU requirements · NY
New York pest control CEU requirements
How many CEUs does New York require for pest control licence renewal?
It depends which licence you hold — New York sets a different obligation for each tier, and they are not even measured the same way. Certified Commercial Pesticide Applicator owe the category credit total every 3 years (12 for 7a), or pass a recertification exam; Certified Commercial Pesticide Technician owe no recertification credits — renew and pay $450 every 3 years; Commercial Pesticide Apprentice owe not certified; applies only after required training and under supervision. There is no single pooled number, which is the most common reason somebody arrives at renewal short.
Key factIssuing agency: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) — Bureau of Pesticides Management
Reviewed by LTK editorial team
- Requirement
- Set per licence tier — see the table below
- Cycle length
- 36 months
- Deadline
- Due on the expiration date on your applicator ID card; DEC asks for the application 4-6 weeks before. Course credits are now reported to DEC by the sponsor and take two to three weeks to post. If application, credits and fee are not in within 90 days after the due date, SIX additional penalty credits are required. A certification expired more than 2 years cannot be renewed.
- Accepted formats
- DEC-approved in-person courses and webinars, DEC-approved distance learning courses, Recertification examination instead of credits
- Agency
- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) — Bureau of Pesticides Management
- Agency site
- https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/pesticides/pesticide-applicator-technician-certification
- Application fee
- $450
- Exam structure
- Core exam (50 multiple-choice questions, closed book) plus a category exam (50 questions, open book), 90 minutes each. Core pass: 35 of 50 correct AND at least 7 of the label comprehension questions. Exam fee $100 per category exam. Register through DEC (nForm). Eligibility first: Commercial Technician — DEC-approved 30-hour training course in the category within 5 years, or a relevant associate degree, or 2 years verifiable apprentice experience; Commercial Applicator — 3 years verifiable full-time experience as a Commercial Apprentice in the category (or 3 years as a certified private applicator), all within the last five years.
What each licence tier owes
| Licence tier | Requirement | Detail that catches people out |
|---|---|---|
| Certified Commercial Pesticide Applicator | The category credit total every 3 years (12 for 7A), or pass a recertification exam | At least 25% of each category total must be specific to that category; the other 75% can be category or core in any mix. The same in-person course cannot be repeated within 12 months, and a distance-learning course counts once per cycle. Commercial applicators may earn all credits in one calendar year. |
| Certified Commercial Pesticide Technician | No recertification credits — renew and pay $450 every 3 years | DEC renewal instructions: recertification credits are "not required for technicians". |
| Commercial Pesticide Apprentice | Not certified; applies only after required training and under supervision | — |
Due on the expiration date on your applicator ID card; DEC asks for the application 4-6 weeks before. Course credits are now reported to DEC by the sponsor and take two to three weeks to post. If application, credits and fee are not in within 90 days after the due date, SIX additional penalty credits are required. A certification expired more than 2 years cannot be renewed.
Sources
- https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/pesticides/pesticide-applicator-technician-certification
- https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/pesticides/pesticide-applicator-technician-certification/how-to-become-a-certified-commercial-pesticide-applicator-or-technician
- https://dec.ny.gov/regulatory/find-permit-or-license/certification-categories-and-credit-requirements
- https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/pesticides/pesticide-applicator-technician-certification/certified-commercial-pesticide-applicator-recertification
- https://dec.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2023-12/apptechinfo_0.pdf
- https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/pesticides/pesticide-applicator-technician-certification/applying-for-reciprocal-pesticide-certification
- https://psep.cce.cornell.edu/applicators/recertification
Common questions
- How many CEUs does New York require for pest control licence renewal?
- Certified Commercial Pesticide Applicator: The category credit total every 3 years (12 for 7A), or pass a recertification exam. Certified Commercial Pesticide Technician: No recertification credits — renew and pay $450 every 3 years. Commercial Pesticide Apprentice: Not certified; applies only after required training and under supervision.
- Who issues pest control licences in New York?
- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) — Bureau of Pesticides Management
- Do online courses count toward New York CEU requirements?
- Accepted formats: DEC-approved in-person courses and webinars, DEC-approved distance learning courses, Recertification examination instead of credits.
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