Pesticide Broker License

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Licensing Requirements

Do you need this license?

If you are a person or business, whether inside or outside of California, who first sells or distributes pesticides into California, you must possess a pesticide broker license. This licensing requirement applies to those persons or firms who are the "first" to sell or distribute any pesticide into or within California and are not pesticide registrants or pest control dealers.

This license does not authorize the sale of agricultural use or restricted use pesticides to end users.

If you sell an agricultural use pesticide or sell any method or device for the control of agricultural pests, such as biological agents, lures or insect trapping devices, you must be licensed as a pest control dealer business. [Food and Agricultural Code (FAC) section 11407] California's definition of agricultural use includes but is not limited to commercial production of animals or plants, golf courses, parks, cemeteries, roadsides, power line rights-of-way, and nurseries. [FAC section 11408]

Basic licensing requirements

A pesticide broker license is obtained by submitting the application to the Department of Pesticide gulation's Pest Management and Licensing Branch. Branch location also includes a broker's distribution center(s), not individual retail outlets. There are no fees to obtain or renew the pesticide broker license.

Once you've become licensed

You must maintain records of your purchases, first sales, and distributions of pesticides into or within the state for four years at your principle place of business. You must report to the Director the total dollars of sales (including zero sales) and total pounds or gallons of pesticides sold into or within California on a quarterly basis. [FAC section 12406(a)(b)]

California assesses a "mill assessment" fee on all pesticide sales. The first seller is responsible for payment of the mill assessment. This is usually the pesticide registrant. Registrants are responsible for reporting the amount of pesticides they distribute or sell for use in California, and for paying the mill assessment. If the first sale is made not by the registrant but by another party (a pesticide broker or pest control dealer), then they must report and pay the mill assessment. [FAC section 12406(b)]

General information

Timelines for processing applications

DPR has established time periods for processing permit applications, in compliance with Government Code sections 15374-15378. DPR may take up to 100 days to complete the processing of this application. Failure to comply with these time periods may be appealed to the Agency Secretary, California Environmental Protection Agency, P.O. Box 2815, 1001 I Street, Sacramento, California 95814, pursuant to regulations set forth in 3CCR section 301.

License duration

A new license may be issued for a maximum of two years. The license duration is dependent on the date your license was issued and your renewal cycle. Each renewed license is valid for two (2) years unless renewed late.

License renewal

  • The license of businesses with names beginning with A through L expire on December 31 of even-numbered years (i.e., 2004, 2006, 2008, etc.)
  • The license of businesses with names beginning with M through Z expire on December 31 of odd-numbered years (i.e., 2005, 2007, 2009, etc.)

Name/address change/license replacement

  • Every person or business to whom a license is issued must notify the Licensing and Certification Office in writing of any name and/or address change.
    • Legal documents certifying the name change are required in order to make a name change. A new license will be automatically issued for all name changes.
    • The change of name and address requirement form is available on DPR's website at www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/license/lcforms.htm or by calling (916) 445-4038.
  • A fee of $20 is required for name changes, as well as requests for a duplicate or replacement license. DPR will not issue a new license when an address change is received unless requested by the business and accompanied by the $20 fee. A maximum fee of $20 is required for all name and/or address changes or requests for a duplicate or replacement license when submitted on a single application form.

DPR Licensing and certification location

Department of Pesticide Regulation
Pest Management and Licensing Branch
Licensing and Certification Program
1001 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814-2828

Questions

Phone: (916) 445-4030
E-mail: licensing-business@cdpr.ca.gov