Pesticide applicator license requirements in North Dakota

Private applicator

North Dakota’s private applicator certification covers farmers and ranchers applying restricted-use pesticides to land they own, rent, or manage for an employer. Categories include a general certification plus commodity and structural fumigation and vertebrate pest control with fumigants. Each category costs $50. Recertification comes every 3 years, either by exam retake or by approved training credits, per North Dakota Administrative Code 60-03-01-05.1.

Commercial, public, and dealer applicators

Commercial, public, and dealer applicators pay $100 for their first category and $25 for each additional category. Categories mirror the standard national structure: agricultural plant and animal, ornamental and turf, right-of-way, aquatic, structural, public health, and fumigation. NDSU Extension, the land-grant partner, administers the certification exams and training on the department’s behalf.

Renewal and continuing education

Every North Dakota pesticide certification, private or commercial, expires on April 1 following the third anniversary of the certification year, a straight 3-year cycle. Applicators can renew by retaking the exam or by completing approved continuing-education credits before the expiration date.

Reciprocity

NDDA does not publish a standing reciprocity list online. An applicator arriving from another state should contact the Pesticide and Fertilizer Division directly to confirm whether their existing certification is accepted toward a North Dakota credential.

Source

North Dakota State University Extension, Pesticide Certification: Certification Info, administering the North Dakota Department of Agriculture’s pesticide program; renewal cycle cross-checked against N.D. Admin. Code 60-03-01-05.1. Checked 2026-07-30.