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Enforcement Authority

Back to Pesticide Use Enforcement

The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) oversees a multi-tiered enforcement program. The U.S. Environment Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) enacts laws covering minimum pesticide requirements that are enforced at the State and local (county) levels through cooperative agreements. Over the years, the California Legislature has passed more stringent laws covering pesticide registration, licensing, the sale and use of pesticides, and worker protection.

DPR has primary responsibility to enforce pesticide laws and regulations in California. The Enforcement Branch oversees compliance with pesticide use requirements, has overall responsibility for pesticide incident investigations, administers the nation’s largest state monitoring program for analyzing domestic and imported produce for pesticide residues, and ensures compliance with pesticide product registration and labeling requirements.

County Agricultural Commissioners (CACs) enforce federal and state pesticide laws and regulations at the local level. CACs issue site-specific local permits for the use of restricted materials, conduct on-site application inspections, administer full pesticide use reporting, conduct worker safety inspections, and investigate pesticide incidents.

• Cooperative agreement between the U.S. EPA, DPR, and the California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association (CACASA). (2005)
• Enforcing Pesticide Laws (PDF, 120 kb) (Exceprt from Regulating Pesticides, A Guide to Pesticide Regulation in California, Chapter 7) (2001)
• Environmental Impact Report Functional Equivalency (PDF, 40 kb) contains an overview of the California Environmental Quality Act and functional equivalency. (Excerpt from the Pesticide Use Enforcement Program Standards Compendium, Volume 3, Restricted Materials and Permitting )
• Laws and regulations
  • California laws (opens in new window)
  • California regulations
  • FIFRA (Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act) is the primary federal law governing pesticide use. (opens in new window)
• Preemption: Federal, State and Local Jurisdiction Over Pesticide Use (PDF, 45 kb)
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (opens in new window)

Related links

• Structural Pest Control Board (opens in new window)
  • California laws (Business and Professions Code, Division 3) (opens in new window)
  • California regulations (Title 16) (opens in new window)
• Vector control, Division of Communicable Disease Control, Department of Health Services (DHS) (opens in new window)
  • Memorandum of understanding (PDF, 254 kb) between DHS, DPR, and CACASA on the protection of human health from the adverse effects of pesticides.

For content questions, contact:
Roy Rutz
1001 I Street, PO Box 4015
Sacramento, California 95814-4015
Email: rrutz@cdpr.ca.gov