Academy · Licensing · NY
New York pest control licence requirements
How do you get a pest control licence in New York?
New York applicator licences are issued by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) — Bureau of Pesticides Management. 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 York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) — Bureau of Pesticides Management
- 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.
- Application fee
- $450
- Cycle length
- 36 months
- Agreements
- NYSDEC reciprocity for initial certification only, with: Connecticut, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. You must reside in, and hold active certification from, that home state; prior NY certification disqualifies. Some states carry extra conditions (PA two years verifiable experience; IN one year). Bureau of Pesticides Management: 518-402-8748.
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 | Ornamentals, Shade Trees & Turf |
| 3B | Turf |
| 3C | Interior Plant Maintenance |
| 6A | Right-of-Way Vegetation Control |
| 7A | Structural & Rodent Control |
| 7B | Fumigation |
| 7C | Termite |
| 7D | Lumber & Wood Products |
| 7F | Food Processing |
| 7G | Cooling Towers, Pulp & Paper Process |
| 8 | Public Health Pest Control |
