Academy · Licensing · MN
Minnesota pest control licence requirements
How do you get a pest control licence in Minnesota?
Minnesota applicator licences are issued by Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) — Pesticide & Fertilizer Management Division. Requirements are set per category rather than as a single general licence, so the exam you sit and the hours you carry depend on which categories you intend to work. Details below are published only once verified against the agency.
Reviewed by LTK editorial team
- Issuing agency
- Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) — Pesticide & Fertilizer Management Division
- Exam structure
- Every applicant passes the Core exam (Category A) plus at least one other exam — for structural work, the SPCA Journeyman or Master exam. Closed book, 70% to pass, mostly multiple choice, in English or Spanish, at MDA partner testing locations; up to three attempts per licensure period. Application fees must be paid before testing. Master requires at least two years as a licensed Journeyman. Journeymen must be employed by a licensed structural company with a Master.
- Application fee
- $55
- Cycle length
- 12 months
- Agreements
- MDA has reciprocal agreements with North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming — for residents of those states, where comparable categories exist., Reciprocal licensees who move to Minnesota must complete a Minnesota recertification workshop before renewing, or take the Minnesota exams.
Reciprocity is the most commonly misunderstood part of moving states. We publish only agreements confirmed by the agency, never inferred ones.
Licence categories
| Code | Category |
|---|---|
| A | Core |
| SPCA | Structural Master |
| SPCA | Structural Journeyman |
| SPCA | Fumigant Endorsement |
| E | Turf & Ornamentals |
| I | Anti-Microbial |
| J | Forestry, Rights-of-Way, and Natural Areas |
| L | Mosquito, Black Fly, Tick Pest Control |
| N | Non-soil Fumigation |
| P | Vertebrate Pest Control |
| Q | Wood Preservatives |
| R | Sewer Root Control |