Welcome to the Department of Pesticide Regulation

PEST CONTROL AIRCRAFT PILOT CERTIFICATE
LICENSING REQUIREMENTS

Do you need this certificate?

Any person who operates aircraft to perform pest control in California must obtain a pest control aircraft pilot certificate (Food and Agricultural Code section 11901).

This certificate also allows you to act as a licensed pest control dealer designated agent, actively supervising all operations at a pest control dealer location.

Basic licensing requirements

Entry level Aircraft Pilot: Apprentice Pilot Certificate Requirements

  • Submit Pest Control Aircraft Pilot Certificate application and appropriate fees.
  • Submit the following documents to the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR).
    • Valid commercial pilot’s certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration.
    • Current appropriate medical certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration.
  • Pass the laws, regulations and basic principles examination and the Apprentice Pilot Certificate examination.

Journeyman Pilot Certificate Requirements

  • Submit Pest Control Aircraft Pilot Certificate application and appropriate fees.
  • Submit Pest Control Aircraft Pilot Statement of Supervision of Apprentice by Journeyman form.
  • Pass Journeyman Pilot Certificate examination.

Examinations

An apprentice pilot certificate is obtained by passing the Laws, Regulations, and Basic Principles examination and the apprentice pilot certificate exam. The journeyman pilot certificate is obtained by passing the journeyman pilot examination. Applicants for a journeyman pilot certificate do not have to retake the Laws, Regulations, and Basic Principles examination.

Study material

You can view a suggested Study Material List to help you prepare for the examinations.

Laws and Regulations that apply to this license, may be viewed at www.cdpr.ca.gov

Once you’ve become certified

Pilots who operate pest control aircraft shall not transfer, mix or load liquid category one or two pesticides containing organophosphates or carbamates unless a closed system is used. Apprentice Pilot certificate holder must conduct pest control activities only under the direct and personal supervision of a person holding a DPR journeyman pilot certificate.

County registration

Before you conduct any work you must register with the county agricultural commissioner’s office in each county in which you intend to perform pest control. Most counties require a fee for registration. Registration is required annually and covers one calendar year.

To register as an apprentice or journeyman pilot certificate holder, the individual who possesses the certificate must present the DPR pest control aircraft pilot certificate to the county agricultural commissioner’s office for processing.

Active military duty

If the holder of a pilot certificate is called to active duty as a member of the armed forces of the United States of America, the holder, upon the termination of such active duty, is entitled to renewal of such certificate in the same category, if he/she does all of the following:

  1. Makes application to the director.
  2. Pays the renewal fee as required by the director.
  3. Demonstrates to the director his ability to conduct pest control operations and his knowledge of the nature and effect of materials that are used in pest control.

Continuing education

Once you have obtained your certificate, you must:

  • Accumulate at least 20 hours of approved continuing education (CE) every two (2) years before certificate renewal. Specifically, the 20 hours of continuing education must include a minimum of 4 hours in the topic of aerial equipment and application techniques and a minimum of 4 hours in the topic of pesticide laws and regulations (3CCR section 6511).
  • Your renewal notice from DPR will include the continuing education hours and general topic areas of approved CE hours required to renew your certificate.
DPR-approved CE courses can be viewed at www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/license/conted.htm.

Licensing, renewal, and other fees

Application fee

If you are applying for an apprentice pilot certificate the application fee is $60.00 (3CCR section 6502).
If you are applying for a journeyman pilot certificate the application fee is $60.00 (3CCR section 6502).

Examination fees

An examination fee of $50.00 is required (3CCR section 6505) for each initial examination and each reexamination (due to rescheduling or failure to pass) that includes the following examinations:

  • Laws, regulations, and basic principles examination
  • Apprentice Pilot Examination
  • Journeyman Pilot Examination

2nd year fee notice

If your examination results indicate you have passed the required examinations to receive a valid certificate, you may receive a 2nd Year Fee Notice. The notice will inform you that you are in the first year of a two-year certificate cycle; an additional 2nd-year fee of $45 will be required in order to issue your certificate. The certificate two-year cycles are as follows:

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

Certificate renewal fee

The certificate renewal fee for the apprentice pilot and the journeyman pilot is $45 per calendar year, to be paid to DPR every two (2) years for a total cost of $90 (3CCR section 6502) for a two-year license. The two-year certificate renewal fee is not prorated if the certificate is renewed late.

Late renewal fee

A late fee of fifty percent (50%) of the total renewal fee will be assessed for each certificate postmarked after December 31 of the expiration year.

Name/address change and duplicate/replacement fees

A fee of $20 is required for name changes, as well as requests for a duplicate or replacement certificate (3CCR section 6508). DPR will not issue a new certificate card when an address change is received unless requested by the certificate holder 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 certificate when submitted on a single application form.

Every person to whom a certificate is issued must notify the Licensing and Certification Office in writing of any name and/or address change.

  • Legal documents certifying the name change and a fee of $20 are required in order to make a name change. A new certificate 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 $20 fee for an address change is only required when the certificate holder requests a new certificate.

The $20 fee is waived when a license is printed to add a pest control category after successfully passing the examination.

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 96 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. Under certain circumstances, the Agency Secretary may order that the applicant receive a reimbursement of filing fees.

Timelines for applications/examinations

DPR schedules examinations beginning with February, in various locations throughout the state. The examination code schedule is located on DPR’s website at www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/license/liccert.htm. Your application must be postmarked by the final filing date in order for us to process your application for the month, location and examination(s) you request.

License duration

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

The most common mistakes and how to avoid them

The most common application errors made are incorrect fees, missing the final examination filing date, failure to submit current medical certificate issued by FAA and/or FAA commercial pilot certificate, and not specifying the examination month and location. You can avoid these errors by reading the application instructions carefully, marking filing dates on a calendar, and mailing your application to DPR on or before the final filing date. If you have questions regarding any information, call for assistance.

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

Call: (916) 445-4026
Email: licensing-pilot@cdpr.ca.gov