Industrial vegetation and noxious weed pesticide applicator certificate

Last updated on July 26, 2023

Get certified to apply pesticides to:

  • Manage weeds on industrial land, rights-of-way (roadsides, power lines, railways and pipelines)
  • Oilfield sites (wells and battery)
  • Control invasive plants and noxious weeds on private or public land

Pilots wishing to apply pesticides by aircraft for these purposes must get an Aerial applicator certificate.


 

Graphic overview of the process to get your certificate

Flowchart showing the pesticide certification process

 

What study materials do I need?

The study materials for the industrial vegetation & noxious weed pesticide applicator certificate are:

  • Canadian Pesticide Education Program Applicator Core Manual British Columbia Edition (2011)
  • Supplementary Information for Industrial Vegetation and Noxious Weed Control Pesticide Applicator Certification (2011)

Older editions of the study materials are not recommended.


Required reading for reciprocity exams (for out of province certificate holders wishing to work in B.C.):

 

Which exam should I write?

Option 1) Write the Industrial Vegetation exam

  • Get the study materials listed above
  • Arrange to write the three-hour Industrial Vegetation exam by contacting Service BC
  • The cost to write the exam is $90
  • Your exam mark will determine the term of your certificate:
    • 5 year (75% and above)
    • 1 year (60% - 74%)

Option 2) Reciprocity for out-of-province certificates

  • You have a valid five-year pesticide applicator certificate in a similar category from another Canadian province
  • Read the required reading for reciprocity exams listed above
  • Arrange to write the one-hour IPM Act and Regulation – Industrial Veg./Noxious Weed exam by contacting Service BC
  • The cost to write the exam is $90
  • You must receive at least 75% on the IPM Act and Regulation exam to be issued a B.C. industrial vegetation & noxious weed pesticide applicator certificate. Your B.C. certificate will be valid for five years from the date the out-of-province pesticide applicator certificate was issued
 

How do I recertify?

Option 1) Recertify by exam

  • Industrial Vegetation and Noxious Weed pesticide applicator certificates can recertify by writing the Industrial Vegetation exam
  • The cost to write the exam is $90

Option 2) Recertify by CECs

  • If you held a five-year certificate, you have the option of recertifying by collecting continuing education credits (CECs)
  • To be recertified using this process, you must get 20 CECs over five years
  • The cost to recertify by CECs is $25
  • Recertification credits for Industrial Vegetation and Noxious Weed pesticide applicator certificates are managed by the following private industry associations:

Integrated and Environmental Plant Management Association of Western Canada

Integrated Vegetation Management Association of B.C.