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Landscape pesticide applicator certificate

Last updated on July 26, 2023

Get certified to apply pesticides to manage:

  • Insects, diseases and weeds in landscaped areas
    • Including gardens, ornamental plantings, lawns and turf

Landscapers who grow their own ornamentals only need to be certified in the Landscape category. 

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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 landscape pesticide applicator certificate are:

  • Canadian Pesticide Education Program Applicator Core Manual British Columbia Edition (2011)
  • Landscape Applicator Certification Manual (2017)

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.):

Additional Resources

The Home & Garden Pest Management Guide for British Columbia is a useful resource but is not part of the study materials required to write the landscape pesticide applicator certificate exam.

 

Which exam should I write?

Option 1) Write the Landscape exam

  • Get the study materials listed above
  • Arrange to write the three-hour Landscape 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 – Landscape/Structural 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. landscape 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

  • Landscape pesticide applicator certificates can recertify by writing the Landscape 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 Landscape pesticide applicator certificates are managed by the following private industry associations:

Integrated and Environmental Plant Management Association of Western Canada

Western Canada Turfgrass Association

  • Jerry Rousseau
  • Email: exec.director@wctaturf.com
  • This association also collects CECs on behalf of the BC Landscape and Nursery Association

BC Golf Superintendents Association

 

Order certificate study materials online from Crown Publications: 

Contact an independent trainer for certification courses or find an approved invigilator:

Contact Service BC to arrange writing certification exams: