Inspection, Compliance
& Remediation

Pesticide Applicators and Dealers

The South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) is the lead agency administering the pesticide certification program required by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Under the authority of South Dakota state law (38-21), administrative rules (12:56), and FIFRA, the DANR trains, certifies, and licenses pesticide applicators, and licenses pesticide dealers.

 

Drone Applicator Requirements

If you apply pesticides for hire, or you are a government employee that applies pesticides while performing your work duties, you must have a commercial pesticide applicator license.

You are considered a commercial applicator if you:

  • Engage in the business of applying pesticides to the lands of another;
  • Advertise as being in the business of applying pesticides to the lands of another at any time;
  • Apply pesticides while in the performance of duties as a governmental employee; or
  • Otherwise act as a commercial applicator.

Commercial applicator certification and licensure is valid for two years and must be recertified and renewed by the last day of February in the year of expiration. The SDDANR maintains a searchable database of commercial applicators.

Certification

Commercial applicators must initially pass commercial certification exams to become eligible for a commercial applicator license. Click here for a list of sites around the state where you can make an appointment to take these certification exams.

Every tester must take the commercial category G - General (core) certification exam PLUS any other commercial certification exams that pertain to the type of pesticide applications that they will be making. Click here to view the list of South Dakota commercial certification categories.

A useful resource for applicators seeking commercial certification is the National Pesticide Applicator Certification Core Manual.

Re-certification

Re-certification of commercial categories is required every two years. To re-certify, there are several IN-PERSON commercial re-certification classes, as well as an ONLINE commercial re-certification course, offered annually. To register for a re-certification class or course, click here. Additionally, there are some classes offered outside of South Dakota that have been approved for re-certification of South Dakota commercial certification categories. Click here to see the list of out-of-state options currently approved.

Licensure

To be eligible to purchase a commercial pesticide applicator license you must first obtain, and then maintain, current commercial certification categories. You can then apply and pay for a commercial pesticide applicator license. A fee of $35 is charged for a commercial pesticide applicator license. Renewal of a commercial pesticide applicator license is required every two years.

To pay for a license online, click here.

To pay for a license by mailing a check you MUST include a completed South Dakota Commercial Pesticide Applicator and Dealer License Application.


Private applicator certification is required before an agricultural producer can purchase or use a restricted use pesticide. Also, any producer who has the potential of producing more than $1,000 of an agricultural commodity must be certified to use any pesticide.

There is no fee for private applicator certification, which is valid for three years.

Private applicator certification can be obtained or renewed by completing any ONE of the following options:

  1. Starting Dec. 9th, 2024, register (for free) to join a 2025 Private Applicator Training (PAT) Zoom Meeting being held once per month in Dec, Jan, Feb, March, & April of 2025. Register through SDSU Extension Events. (Search the event list by entering the keyword 'private'.)
    OR

  2. Starting Dec. 9th, 2024, register (for free) to complete the 2025 Private Applicator Online Course which will be open 24/7 until October 31, 2025. Register through SDSU Extension Events. (Search the event list by entering the keyword 'private'.)
    OR

  3. Set up an appointment with an SDSU Extension Testing Location to take the Private Pesticide Applicator Exam (which is no longer openly available online). A passing score is 70%.

The Dept of Agriculture & Natural Resources (DANR) maintains a searchable database of private applicators .


If you are a non-South Dakota commercial applicator looking to do business in South Dakota, please see our guide to apply for reciprocity.

If you are an out-of-state applicator that has South Dakota commercial certification categories that need to be recertified, there are some events offered outside of South Dakota that have been approved for South Dakota recertification credits. Click here to see the list of approved out-of-state classes.


The DANR licenses pesticide dealers who do business in South Dakota. Commercial dealers must pass a certification exam to become eligible for a license. To apply for a dealer license, please complete the South Dakota Commercial Pesticide Applicator and Dealer License Application. A fee of $75 is charged for a pesticide dealer license. Commercial dealers must initially pass a certification exam to become eligible for a license.

Dealers are required to maintain records of sales of restricted use pesticides (RUPs). The below forms may be used to maintain such records:

While a certified applicator must apply a RUP, it is permissible for someone who is not a certified applicator to purchase or pick up a RUP with written permission from the certified applicator. Click here, for an example of an acceptable form of written permission. Such written permission must be filed by the dealer as part of the required RUP record.