New online system for pesticide licenses and certification
by ISU Extension and Outreach
May 02, 2020

By Kristine Schaefer–Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

Pesticide applicators can now complete some of their registration and renewal online.

AMES, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship recently announced a new online self-service portal for processing pesticide business licenses and applicator certifications.

“Previously, pesticide licenses and certifications, whether new or renewal applications, were all paper requests mailed to IDALS,” said Kristine Schaefer, program manager for the Pesticide Safety Education Program at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “There was some turnaround time for applicators to receive their certifications or businesses to obtain their licenses.”

The Pesticide Safety Education Program provides Continuing Instruction Course programs that allow pesticide applicators the opportunity to maintain their certification through training. If current on training, applicators renew their certifications with IDALS every three years.

To renew an existing pesticide applicator certification, individuals will use their current certification number to log in to the self-service portal. The portal will match their application and payment to their CIC training or testing history.

The applicator can renew and pay online, and a certification will be sent directly to the applicator.

“This new online system will provide applicators immediate access to their certifications after IDALS processes the application, payment, and training information,” said Schaefer.

Test results

Once in-person testing resumes for new applicators or those who recertify by testing, proctored test locations will use each applicator’s unique certification number to upload their test results to the self-service portal.

The portal will link the user’s testing information to the records stored in the online system. After the application and payment are received, certifications will be processed and sent directly to the applicant electronically.

When logged in to the system, individual pesticide applicators can access their records anytime to view their training or testing history or certification expiration dates.

Public search option

There is also a public search function that allows anyone considering hiring a business or pesticide applicator to verify that the company is licensed or the applicator is certified to work in Iowa.

Additional information regarding pesticide applicator licensing and certification, including new recertification deadlines, is available on the IDALS Pesticide Bureau website or by calling the Pesticide Bureau at 515-281-8591 or email pesticides@iowaagriculture.gov.

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