Academy · CEU requirements · TX
Texas pest control CEU requirements
How many CEUs does Texas require for pest control licence renewal?
It depends which licence you hold — Texas sets a different obligation for each tier, and they are not even measured the same way. Apprentice owe 20 hours general standards + 8 hours classroom and 40 hours on-the-job per category; Technician owe 8 hours verifiable training in general standards each calendar year; Certified Applicator owe 2 ceus general training + 1 ceu in each category certified. There is no single pooled number, which is the most common reason somebody arrives at renewal short.
Key factIssuing agency: Texas Department of Agriculture — Structural Pest Control Service (SPCS)
Reviewed by LTK editorial team
- Requirement
- Set per licence tier — see the table below
- Cycle length
- 12 months
- Deadline
- CEUs are counted on the calendar year (1 Jan – 31 Dec) and apply to the FOLLOWING year's renewal. Licences expire annually, tied to the expiration of the business licence they sit under — not to the individual's own anniversary.
- Accepted formats
- SPCS-approved classroom courses, Self-study or internet — certified applicators may use these only every other year, On-the-job or hands-on — technicians only, capped at 2 of the 8 required hours
- Agency
- Texas Department of Agriculture — Structural Pest Control Service (SPCS)
- Agency site
- https://texasagriculture.gov/Regulatory-Programs/Pesticides/Structural-Pest-Control-Service
- Application fee
- $125
- Exam structure
- Technician: one category exam per category trained, $64 each, taken after an SPCS-approved Technician Training Course. Certified Applicator: the General Standards exam plus at least one category exam. Both require 70% to pass.
What each licence tier owes
| Licence tier | Requirement | Detail that catches people out |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice | 20 hours general standards + 8 hours classroom and 40 hours on-the-job per category | Initial training, not recertification. The 20 general hours must include at least 2 hours in each of ten named subjects. Apprentice card runs 12 months from date of hire. |
| Technician | 8 hours verifiable training in general standards each calendar year | Not called CEUs. Up to 2 of the 8 may be on-the-job or hands-on. Internet or video counts if the certified applicator certifies it is appropriate. An SPCS-approved CEU course counts hour for hour. No course repeats for credit in the same year. Records kept on the Verifiable Training Record form for 2 years after employment ends. |
| Certified Applicator | 2 CEUs general training + 1 CEU in each category certified | At least 1 of the 2 general units must be federal and state laws, pesticide safety, environmental protection or IPM. No CEUs needed in the first year the licence is issued. Self-study or internet courses only every other year. No repeats within a recertification year. |
CEUs are counted on the calendar year (1 Jan – 31 Dec) and apply to the FOLLOWING year's renewal. Licences expire annually, tied to the expiration of the business licence they sit under — not to the individual's own anniversary.
Sources
- https://texasagriculture.gov/Regulatory-Programs/Pesticides/Structural-Pest-Control-Service/Structural-Pest-Control-Licensing
- https://texasagriculture.gov/Regulatory-Programs/Pesticides/Structural-Pest-Control-Service/Structural-Pest-Control-Licensing/SPCS-Technician-and-Apprentice-Licensing
- https://texasagriculture.gov/Regulatory-Programs/Pesticides/Structural-Pest-Control-Service/Structural-Pest-Control-Licensing/SPCS-Certified-Applicator-Licensing
Common questions
- How many CEUs does Texas require for pest control licence renewal?
- Apprentice: 20 hours general standards + 8 hours classroom and 40 hours on-the-job per category. Technician: 8 hours verifiable training in general standards each calendar year. Certified Applicator: 2 CEUs general training + 1 CEU in each category certified.
- Who issues pest control licences in Texas?
- Texas Department of Agriculture — Structural Pest Control Service (SPCS)
- Do online courses count toward Texas CEU requirements?
- Accepted formats: SPCS-approved classroom courses, Self-study or internet — certified applicators may use these only every other year, On-the-job or hands-on — technicians only, capped at 2 of the 8 required hours.
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