Academy · Licensing · WI
Wisconsin pest control licence requirements
How do you get a pest control licence in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin applicator licences are issued by Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) — Bureau of Agrichemical 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
- Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) — Bureau of Agrichemical Management
- Exam structure
- Buy UW PAT training materials first (you need the PAT number to test). One written, closed-book exam per category, 70 percent to pass (ATCP 29.26(7)). Three routes: free paper test at a DATCP proctored site, Pearson VUE computer test ($45 convenience fee) at technical colleges or online, or a UW PAT training session followed by the exam. Retakes: 24 hours after a first fail, 30 days after later fails; four fails in a category in six months means a six-month wait.
- Application fee
- $40
- Cycle length
- 12 months
- Agreements
- DATCP issues reciprocal certification without a Wisconsin exam if you are a resident of the certifying state, passed a closed-book exam there with 70% or better within five years, and carry no restrictions. Reciprocal licence $115 a year (DATCP: $600 over five years). Check the per-state list on the DATCP Reciprocal page.
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 |
|---|---|
| 3.0 | Turf & Landscape |
| 5.0 | Aquatic & Mosquito |
| 6.0 | Right of Way & Natural Areas |
| 7.1 | Structural Pest Control |
| 7.2 | Space & Commodity Fumigation |
| 7.3 | Termite Control |
| 7.4 | Wood Preservation |
| 7.5 | Sewer Line Root Control |
