Wire · Regulatory · SC
South Carolina regulatory updates
Label changes, cancellations, restricted-use changes and rule updates that affect how you work in South Carolina. Every item links to the agency or registrant document it came from. If an item here disagrees with the label in your hand, the label in your hand wins — tell us and we will correct this page.
South Carolina changes
South Carolina's SGAR restriction no longer has an end date
Clemson DPR extended its statewide restriction on second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides indefinitely. The original one-year order began February 1, 2025. The rules stay the same: a dealer licence is needed to sell SGARs, dealers keep sales records, and sales are limited to certified applicators. DPR also plans an industry working group to track SGAR sales and use.
What to doTreat SGAR rules as permanent: keep dealer invoices and supervision records, and budget for alternatives on sensitive coastal accounts.
South Carolina restricts four SGAR baits to certified applicators
From February 1, 2025, Clemson DPR restricts brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difenacoum and difethialone statewide under Regulation 27-1075(B). Sellers need a dealer licence and must keep sales records. Sales are limited to certified applicators. Verifiably trained technicians may apply SGARs commercially under a certified applicator's supervision.
What to doBuy SGARs only from licensed dealers, keep certified-applicator supervision on every SGAR job, and keep technician training records current.
South Carolina amends pesticide licensing, supervision and WDO rules
Clemson DPR amended Regulations 27-1070, 27-1071, 27-1078, 27-1083 and 27-1085, effective June 28, 2024. The current text requires a 7B or 1C licensee on site for all fumigant use and sets supervision distances for RUP work. It requires $100,000 combined single limit liability coverage for Category 7, and 10 CCUs, including 3 in 7B, for fumigation licensees.
What to doCheck fumigation crew schedules, supervision distances, insurance certificates and 7B CCU totals against the amended rule text.
Source: South Carolina State Register Vol. 48, Issue 6 (June 28, 2024), Document No. 5263, final regulations
South Carolina commercial CCU block runs Jan. 2024 to Dec. 2028
South Carolina commercial and non-commercial applicators are in a new five-year recertification block, January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2028. Category 7A (industrial, institutional, structural and health-related) alone needs 12 category-specific CCUs and 20 total. Category 7B (fumigation) alone needs 3 specific and 10 total. Combinations raise the specific count.
What to doSet a CCU plan for each licensee now so 7A holders reach 12 category CCUs and 20 total before December 31, 2028.
Source: Clemson Department of Pesticide Regulation, Recertification page (1/1/2024-12/31/2028 block table)
Federal changes that apply in South Carolina
EPA, USDA and other federal actions apply in every state. Your state can be stricter, never looser.
Spanish labeling due for most toxic non-ag products Dec. 29, 2026
The next PRIA 5 deadline is December 29, 2026 for non-agricultural products in Acute Toxicity Category I, which covers some structural and residential-use products. Spanish versions of key label sections must be on the container or reachable by QR code or link. Non-ag, non-RUP products can instead link to a Spanish safety data sheet.
What to doAsk your distributor which Category I products you use will switch to bilingual labels or Spanish SDS links, and update your crew safety binder.
Source: EPA Pesticide Registration Notice 2025-02 (signed Feb. 26, 2026)
OSHA renews heat emphasis program; building services on target list
OSHA reissued its heat National Emphasis Program effective April 10, 2026 for five years. It targets 55 high-risk industries, including NAICS 5617, services to buildings and dwellings, which takes in exterminating and pest control. Inspectors may run random heat inspections on National Weather Service heat advisory or warning days.
What to doCheck that your heat plan, training records and water-rest-shade practices are on paper and followed, especially on heat advisory days.
Spanish label sections now required on restricted use pesticides
Under PRIA 5, restricted use pesticides and Category I agricultural products released for shipment from December 29, 2025 must carry Spanish translations of key label sections, such as signal word, first aid, PPE and storage, on the container or by QR code or link. Expect bilingual labels on fumigants and other RUPs you buy.
What to doShow Spanish-speaking crews where the translated sections or QR link are on the RUP labels you stock, and include it in safety training.
Source: EPA Pesticide Registration Notice 2025-02 (signed Feb. 26, 2026), bilingual labeling tracking
USDA scraps its federal RUP recordkeeping rule (7 CFR Part 110)
USDA rescinded 7 CFR Part 110, the federal rule on recordkeeping of restricted use pesticides by certified applicators, effective July 11, 2025. USDA said the program had been defunded and closed, and EPA had folded much of the recordkeeping material into applicator training. Your state licence rules still set your RUP and job record duties.
What to doKeep RUP and service records exactly as your state rules require; nothing in your state record duties went away with this federal rescission.
Source: Federal Register 90 FR 20083 (May 12, 2025), final rule, AMS
EPA final Insecticide Strategy targets agricultural uses
EPA finalized its Insecticide Strategy, which sets a standard way to pick endangered species protections for agricultural insecticides as products are registered or reviewed. The final version cut buffer distances from the draft. The document says it addresses agricultural insecticide use, so indoor and structural work is not its focus, but ag-use labels you carry may pick up new limits.
What to doIf your firm also does turf, ornamental or ag-adjacent spraying, check new insecticide labels for runoff and drift limits and any Bulletins Live! Two direction.
Source: EPA Insecticide Strategy (Final), docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2024-0299 (posted Apr. 29, 2025)
EPA finalizes Rodenticide Strategy for endangered species
EPA released its final biological evaluation for 11 rodenticides, which also serves as its Rodenticide Strategy. Expect future label limits that differ by bait station, in-burrow and broadcast use, with location-specific restrictions delivered through Bulletins Live! Two, label language or registration terms. EPA says carcass searches will be used only when other measures are not practical.
What to doMake sure every tech who places rodenticide knows how to look up Bulletins Live! Two, and watch for new labels on the bait products you stock.
OSHA proposes a federal heat illness prevention standard
OSHA proposed a heat injury and illness prevention standard covering indoor and outdoor work. Employers would need a written plan to evaluate and control heat hazards. A public hearing ran June 16 to July 2, 2025, and post-hearing comments closed October 30, 2025. OSHA's Fall 2025 agenda lists a supplemental proposal in December 2026.
What to doPut a written heat plan in place now covering water, rest, shade, acclimatization and attic or crawlspace work; it is good practice and likely to line up with any final rule.
Source: Federal Register 89 FR 70698 (Aug. 30, 2024), proposed rule, RIN 1218-AD39
New sulfuryl fluoride labels for residential tent fumigation
EPA approved new sulfuryl fluoride labels on July 11, 2024 for residential structural fumigation. Labels require posted no-entry signs on tents, site-specific fumigation logs, added registrant stewardship training, longer active and passive aeration times, and drop references to "approved" clearance devices. Old-label stock could be sold or distributed for 12 months after approval.
What to doFumigate only by the new label, retrain crews on the longer aeration steps, and keep a site-specific log for every residential job.
EPA interim decision on phosphine and metal phosphides adds aeration buffers
EPA issued its interim registration review decision for aluminum phosphide, magnesium phosphide and phosphine. Labels add aeration buffer zones sized from lookup tables using measured phosphine levels, updated fumigation management plan language, PPE changes, a pre-application burrow check and buffers near conservation areas for burrow treatments. Registrants had to submit amended labels after the June 2024 notice.
What to doBefore your next phosphide job, read the current product label, rebuild your fumigation management plan around the aeration buffer tables, and plan how you will keep people out of the buffer.
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