Pesticide Exam Study Manuals

PLEASE NOTE: If you are planning to take the MA applicator's license exam, you will have to purchase the 3rd edition of the Core Manual and 2014 Massachusetts Core Supplement. You will also need to obtain the Massachusetts Pesticide Control Act (2015) and Massachusetts Pesticide Regulations (2016)

Please order your pesticide exam study manuals via our Extension Bookstore.  Some of these publications as also available as a free download: see below.

Online

Credit card purchases are accepted through the UMass Extension bookstore.

State Pesticide Exam Study Manuals
on Extension Sales Portal

Description of Pesticide Licenses

Applicators License

This exam prepares you for general pesticide applications on property other than your own. It does not permit you to apply RESTRICTED USE PESTICIDES unless under the direct supervision of a commercial certified applicator or private certified applicator.

Purchase the Core Manual, MA Core Supplement, MA Pesticide Control Act, and MA Pesticide Regulations

You can download free copies of the Massachusetts Regulations https://www.mass.gov/law-library/333-cmr

and Massachusetts Control Act https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXIX/Chapter132B

Private Certification

These exams prepare you for applying restricted use pesticides on your own property. (This license is usually obtained by farmers.)

Purchase the Core Manual, MA Core Supplement, MA Pesticide Control Act, MA Pesticide Regulations, EPA Worker Protection Standard (WPS) How To Comply Manuals, and one Private Category Manual (Livestock/Dairy, Cranberry, Tree Fruit, Small Fruit, Nursery, or Greenhouse)

You can download free copies of the Massachusetts Regulations https://www.mass.gov/law-library/333-cmr

and Massachusetts Control Act https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXIX/Chapter132B

and EPA Worker Protection Standard (WPS) How to Comply   https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety/pesticide-worker-protection-standard-how-comply-manual

Dealers License

This exam is intended for individuals that will be selling restricted use pesticides.

Purchase the Core Manual, MA Core Supplement, MA Pesticide Control Act, MA Pesticide Regulations, and Dealer's License Packet.

You can download free copies of the Massachusetts Regulations https://www.mass.gov/law-library/333-cmr

and Massachusetts Control Act https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXIX/Chapter132B

Commercial Certification

These exams prepare you for RESTRICTED USE PESTICIDE applications on property other than your own. Note: You usually need to have held an applicators license for two years before you are eligible to sit for this/these exam(s).

Purchase the Core Manual, MA Core Supplement, MA Pesticide Control Act, MA Pesticide Regulations, and one a Commerical Category Manual (i.e. Termite or Turf).  The descriptions of the Commercial Certification Category are found in Section 10 of the Mass Pesticide Regulations (333 CMR 10.00)

You can download free copies of the Massachusetts Regulations https://www.mass.gov/law-library/333-cmr

and Massachusetts Control Act https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXIX/Chapter132B