Pesticide Applicator Certification / Recertification
For questions regarding pesticide applicator certification/recertification, you may contact:
Phone: (808) 973-9402
E-mail: [email protected]
There are two types of certifications that are available in the state which are further sub-divided into different categories.
Private Certifications: Pesticide applications on property owned or rented by themselves or their employer, or on the property of another person with whom they trade services.
Commercial Certifications: Pesticide applications on any property or for any purpose other than that listed for private applicators.
Descriptions of each available category can be found here: https://hdoa.inforps.hi.gov/pesticideseducation/public/resources/docs/Categories_(Pvt_and_Comm).pdf
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EXAMINATION SIGN UP
Scheduling an exam can be done through our Pesticides Education Portal at: https://hdoa.inforps.hi.gov/PesticidesEducation/#/homepage
Instructions on signing up for exams can be found at: https://dab.hawaii.gov/pi/files/2024/10/Navigating-the-Pesticides-Education-Portal.pdf
Contact your district pesticide branch office for any questions. Pesticides branch office contacts can be found here (https://dab.hawaii.gov/pi/pest/pesticide-branch-contacts/).
All commercial categories require passing the Core exam first.
Private categories do not have the core requirement. But private category 1 is a prerequisite for private categories 2 & 3.
Examination fees are as follows:
$50.00 per examination.
If you are taking the Core exam along with a category exam, we will waive the fee for your Core exam. Standalone Core exams will still cost $50.00 per attempt. Additional category exams beyond the first will require an additional $50.00 exam fee.
- Core alone = $50.00
- Category alone = $50.00
- Core + Category = $50.00
- Core + Category + Category = $100.00
- Category + Category = $100.00
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CERTIFICATION CARDS & REPLACEMENT CARDS
New certifications and certification renewals cost $100.00. Duplicate/replacement certifications and name changes cost $50.00. A check or money order made out to Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB) can be mailed to:
Pesticides Branch, 1428 South King St, Honolulu, HI 96814.
To schedule an appointment to drop off payment and/or pick up cards in person, please contact your local Education Specialist:
Oahu: 808-973-9402
Hawaii Island: 808-974-4149
Maui: 808-873-3078
Kauai: 808-241-7140
https://dab.hawaii.gov/pi/pest/pesticide-branch-contacts/
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RENEWAL & RECERTIFICATION
RUP certifications are valid for a period of 5 years. You can renew your certification in two ways:
- Retake and pass the certification exam for the same category(s)
- Accumulate the prescribed number of hours of Continued Education Training (CET) approved for the certified categories
Details on the number of Continued Education Units (CEUs) required for each category can be found here:
Typically, one hour of course content is equal to one CEU.
A listing of all approved courses can be found on the education portal. If you have any questions or would like to sign up for a class, please contact the class sponsor.
https://hdoa.inforps.hi.gov/PesticidesEducation/#/upcomingcourses-lookup
IMPORTANT: Applicators are responsible for keeping a record of classes (class numbers) they attend. You cannot receive credit for the same course multiple times. Credit from ONLINE courses will only count towards 75% of each applicable category’s credit hour requirement rounded down. For example: Commercial category 5 needs 25 credits to renew so only 18 of those credits can come from quizzes and online courses. Webinars will count as in-person courses for in-person credits.
Listings are provided for information only. Applicants should confirm applicable certification categories and CET credit information with the sponsor at the time of sign-up.
Checking your credit history: Log into the Pesticides Education Portal to find out how many recertification credits are currently on file with the pesticides branch. Another alternative is to call your local DAB Education contact which is found under Pesticide Branch Contacts.
https://dab.hawaii.gov/pi/pest/pesticide-branch-contacts/
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CET QUIZZES
Certified applicators may also earn CET credits by passing open book quizzes which test an applicator’s comprehension. Quizzes are based either on newsletters produced by DAB, CTAHR extension service staff, or online resources like webinars, extension publications, and articles from trusted sources like The National Pesticide Information Center or another government agency like the EPA. Quizzes can be taken at home, but if you’d like to take a quiz in person you can do so by scheduling an appointment (808-973-9401). Credit from quizzes and online courses will only count towards seventy-five percent of each applicable category’s credit hour requirement rounded down until December 31, 2025. For example: Commercial category 5 needs 25 credits to renew so only 18 of those credits can come from quizzes and online courses. Webinars will count as in-person courses for in-person credits.
You can find a list of active quizzes and their reference material below. Be sure to only take quizzes which are approved for your category. You get three chances to take each quiz and to pass, you must score over 90%. Finished quizzes can be submitted to [email protected].
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LIST OF QUIZZES
| REFERENCE MATERIAL | QUIZ # | CATEGORY |
| Structural Pest Control Workshop | Quiz 5171 | 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e, and 10. |
| Pesticide Labels Workshop | Quiz 5144 | All except Private 2 and 3, and Commercial 11 |
| Pesticide Application Preparation and Best Practices Workshop | Quiz 5116 | All except Private 2 and 3, and Commercial 11 |
| Pesticide Laws and Regulatory Framework Workshop Video | Quiz 4989 | All except Private 2 and 3, and Commercial 11 |
| Q4 2024 Newsletter | Quiz 4819 | Pvt 1, Com 1a, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7a-f, 8, 9, 10 |
| Q1 2025 Newsletter | Quiz 4848 | All Except Pvt 2, 3 and Com 11 |
| Q2 2025 – Understanding Subterranean Termites Expiration date: 5/1/2027 |
Quiz 4922 | 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 8 and 10 |
| Q2 2025 – Plant Diseases & Abiotic Disorders Expiration date: 5/1/2027 |
Quiz 4923 | All Except Pvt 2,3 and Com 7a-f, 11 |
| Q3 2025 Newsletter | Quiz 5018 | All except Pvt 2,3 & Commercial 11 |
| HIOSH Compliance for Commercial Use of Pesticides Workshop Video | Quiz 5035 | All except Pvt 2,3 & Commercial 11 |
