Academy · Licensing · NJ
New Jersey pest control licence requirements
How do you get a pest control licence in New Jersey?
New Jersey applicator licences are issued by New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) — Pesticide Control Program. 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
- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) — Pesticide Control Program
- Exam structure
- Commercial applicator: CORE certification exam plus one or more category exams. Before the CORE exam you must complete a DEP-approved basic pesticide training course; before a category exam you must document 40 hours of on-the-job training on the NJDEP Category Training Verification Form. All exams are online through Rutgers Office of Continuing Professional Education (PACER, pacer.rutgers.edu), closed book, remotely proctored; passing score is 75%. Commercial operators (technicians) are licensed but not certified — no certification exam, but they need the same DEP-approved core training course plus 40 hours on-the-job training. Category 13 (IPM in Schools) is required on top of the relevant category for school work.
- Application fee
- $80
- Cycle length
- 12 months
- Agreements
- N.J.A.C. 7:30-6.13: NJ recognises certification from a state with a substantially equivalent program and a cooperative agreement with NJ. The applicant must pass a New Jersey-specific laws test, pay exam fees, and have no violation history in their home state., Confirm the current list of recognised states with NJDEP.
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 |
|---|---|
| 3A | Ornamental |
| 3B | Turf |
| 6B | Right of Way |
| 7A | General and household pest control |
| 7B | Termites and other wood destroying pests |
| 7C | Fumigation pest control |
| 7D | Food manufacturing and processing |
| 7E | Wood preserving pest control |
| 7F | Antifoulants |
| 8A | General |
| 8B | Mosquito control |
| 13 | IPM in Schools |
