Do you need a license?
The State of New Hampshire Pesticide Licensing Requirements pertain to 1) anyone using Restricted-Use pesticides, 2) anyone applying any Restricted or General-Use pesticides (any pesticide) in the course of employment, and 3) it is important to note that a person using a General-Use pesticide on his or her own property is exempt.*
*You do not need a license if you are using a General-Use pesticide on your own property, as long as you do NOT sell the commodities on which you are using the pesticides.
What type of license do you need (private vs commercial; general-use vs restricted-use; pesticide dealer)?
You can get certified as either a private or commercial applicator, or a pesticide dealer. A Private applicator is one who purchases and/or uses or supervises the use of a Restricted-Use pesticide on their own property or anyone else's property for the purpose of producing an agricultural commodity as long as they do it without direct compensation for their services. You must pass an exam to obtain a Restricted-Use permit. For example, farmers or growers applying Restricted-Use pesticides on their own property or anyone else's property for the purpose of producing an agricultural commodity as long as they do it without direct compensation for their services. See Private Pesticide Applicator Licensing (Permitting) for more information.
A Private Applicator General-Use permit is needed when the only materials that will be applied to the crops are General-Use products (materials that are sold over the counter to any individual) and you do not employ workers who will be involved in the production of these crops. No exam is needed, but an annual use report required.
A Private Applicator Restricted-Use permit is needed if you employ workers who will be involved in the production of these crops, you are subject to the Federal Worker Protection Standards and must have a Restricted-Use permit and provide training to your workers, regardless of whether General-Use or Restricted-Use products are applied. You must pass an exam to obtain a Restricted-Use permit and an annual use report required.
A Commercial applicator "for hire" is any individual applying pesticides on a commercial basis, on the property of another. This license is required regardless of whether the applicator gets paid for the service and regardless of whether the pesticide would be classified as General-Use, including over the counter homeowner type pesticides, or Restricted-Use pesticides. For example, this includes applicators who work for a government agency like a township, city, school district, park district etc., and applicators who apply to other public sites. See Commercial Applicator Licensing (For Hire) for more information.
A “Supervisory Registration Certificate - General Use” means a certificate issued to a commercial applicator for hire, engaged in commercial application of general-use pesticides, under Category B, C1, F2, F8, G1, and/or G2, where said person is responsible for deciding whether or not pesticides are to be employed, how they are to be used, and the methods of application and precautions to be taken in the use of such pesticides. See Supervisory Registration Certificate-General Use for more information.
A "Commercial applicator “not for hire” means those commercial applicators who apply pesticides to their own premises, that of their immediate employers or when performing duties required of them by a governmental subdivision, and any other commercial applicator other than a "commercial applicator for hire", including but not limited to golf course personnel, state, federal and municipal employees." See Commercial Applicator Licensing (Not for Hire) for more information.
A pesticide dealer is any person representing himself, a firm, corporation or dealership who is engaged in the business of distributing, selling, offering, or holding for sale Restricted-Use pesticides or Prohibited Limited-Use pesticides.
If you are unsure of what license you need, please contact the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food, Division of Pesticide Control at 603-271-3694.
