Academy · CEU requirements · VA
Virginia pest control CEU requirements
How many CEUs does Virginia require for pest control licence renewal?
It depends which licence you hold — Virginia sets a different obligation for each tier, and they are not even measured the same way. Certified commercial applicator owe attend one board-approved, category-specific recertification course every two years for each category held, or re-examine; Registered technician owe same biennial course requirement — attend a commercial course approved for the category of work done. There is no single pooled number, which is the most common reason somebody arrives at renewal short.
Key factIssuing agency: Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) — Office of Pesticide Services
Reviewed by LTK editorial team
- Requirement
- Set per licence tier — see the table below
- Cycle length
- 24 months
- Deadline
- Commercial certificates expire 30 June in either an odd or even year, shown on the card. Take the course by then and renewal is automatic. A 60-day grace period runs to 29 August, but you may NOT apply pesticides while expired; after 29 August the only route back is re-examination.
- Accepted formats
- Board-approved recertification courses (live, with VDACS legal update), Re-examination in core and categories ($25)
- Agency
- Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) — Office of Pesticide Services
- Application fee
- $25
- Exam structure
- Core exam plus a category exam per category (5B antifoulant paints is category-only). Qualify first: one year as a Virginia registered technician, or one year of pesticide-related education, training or experience. Apply to OPS with the $25 fee, receive a Notice of Authorization, and sit within 90 days — at a DMV Customer Service Centre touch-screen, by appointment with a VDACS Pesticide Investigator, or remotely via Everblue (extra Everblue fee). Any fail needs a new application and fee. For-hire applicators must work for a firm with a Virginia Pesticide Business Licence.
What each licence tier owes
| Licence tier | Requirement | Detail that catches people out |
|---|---|---|
| Certified commercial applicator | Attend one board-approved, category-specific recertification course every two years for EACH category held, or re-examine | There is no credit-hour count — OPS expects a course to run four to eight hours and to include the VDACS legal update. Courses can bank up to four years of credit (2VAC5-685-130(D)). |
| Registered technician | Same biennial course requirement — attend a commercial course approved for the category of work done | Initial: 20 hours on-the-job under a certified commercial applicator plus 20 hours of board-approved training, and the exam within 90 days of hire or transfer. |
Commercial certificates expire 30 June in either an odd or even year, shown on the card. Take the course by then and renewal is automatic. A 60-day grace period runs to 29 August, but you may NOT apply pesticides while expired; after 29 August the only route back is re-examination.
Sources
- https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title2/agency5/chapter685/section70/
- https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title2/agency5/chapter685/section130/
- https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title2/agency5/chapter685/section30/
- https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title2/agency5/chapter685/section50/
- https://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/pdf/catdescription.pdf
- https://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/pdf/cominstructions.pdf
- https://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/pesticide-applicator-training.shtml
- https://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/pdf/recipcalapp.pdf
Common questions
- How many CEUs does Virginia require for pest control licence renewal?
- Certified commercial applicator: Attend one board-approved, category-specific recertification course every two years for EACH category held, or re-examine. Registered technician: Same biennial course requirement — attend a commercial course approved for the category of work done.
- Who issues pest control licences in Virginia?
- Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) — Office of Pesticide Services
- Do online courses count toward Virginia CEU requirements?
- Accepted formats: Board-approved recertification courses (live, with VDACS legal update), Re-examination in core and categories ($25).
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