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Applicator Certification Categories

01 - Ag Plant Pest Control

  • RUP pesticide applications to protect cropland, commercial fruit, nut or vegetable farms, grasslands and pastures, and non-crop agricultural land.
  • Use of pesticides in irrigation water for the production of agricultural commodities (chemigation) is in this category. In addition, a chemigation application license would be required from the NRD/DEQ certification program.
  • Includes the use of herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, miticides, and nematocides.
  • Does not include vertebrate pests.

01A - Soil Fumigation

  • Use of RUP fumigants for control of soil-borne insects or diseases. This is a sub-category of Ag Plant Pest, and both categories must be possessed to allow use of soil fumigants.

02 - Ag Animal Pest Control

  • Use of RUP pesticides on agricultural animals, or in the places where they are confined, to protect the animals. Includes, but is not limited to cattle, pigs, sheep, dairy cattle, horses, goats, poultry, and other agriculturally beneficial animals.
  • Use of pesticides to control flies and other insects in feed yards and pens.
  • Does not include predators such as coyotes.

03 - Forest Pest Control

  • RUP pesticide applications to protect forests, forest seed production areas, and forest nurseries.
  • This category does not include protection of ornamental trees, but does include larger tracts of trees which may or may not necessarily be considered marketable lumber or (such as wildlife sanctuaries).
  • Does not include vertebrate pests.

04 - Ornamental and Turf Pest Control

  • GUP and RUP pesticides used for the protection of ornamental trees, flowers, shrubs, and turf, including in and around structures, greenhouses, plant nurseries, golf courses, athletic fields, parks, public and private grounds, and turf farms.
  • Pesticide injections of, or applications to trees planted for ornamental purposes.
  • The use of herbicides and soil sterilants along paths and roads inside of parks and other public or private ornamental grounds. Use of these pesticides on roadside rights-of-way located outside of parks are covered by Category 07.
  • This category does not include applications to aquatic areas for plant or vertebrate pest control. (See Category 05)
  • This category does not cover the use of pesticides in lawns and ornamental areas to control structural pests such as termites and carpenter ants. (See Category 08)
  • A commercial license is needed for all “for hire” applications of any RUP or GUP in this category.

05 - Aquatic Pest Control

  • RUP pesticide applications to standing or running water for the control of plant, insect, or animal pests. Typical application sites are; irrigation canals, farm ponds, recreational or golf course lakes and streams, and impounded fish breeding ponds.
  • The use of piscicides (fish control) in lakes and ponds located in public or private domain.
  • This category does not include applications involved in health related pest control such as mosquito abatement. (See Category 09)

05S - Sewer Root Control

  • The use of RUP pesticides in sewer lines and treatment plants for the control of plant roots, but not public health vectors such as flies or rodents. (See Category 09)

06 - Seed Treatment

  • Use of RUP pesticides to protect seeds. This category includes treatment of seeds prior to packaging for shipment, but not planter-box seed treatments added at the time of planting. Use of planter-box seed treatments are generally covered by the applicator's private certification.

07 - Right-of-Way Pest Control

  • Use of RUP herbicides to control weeds in areas where vegetation management is important. These areas include; roadsides, railroad sidings, pipelines, fence lines, structural perimeters, power lines, irrigation roads, and other similar types of domain.

08 - Structural and Health-Related Pest Control (residential or commercial)

  • Use of GUP and RUP pesticides to protect structures from insects and vertebrate pests (such as insects, spiders, rats, and mice). This category includes applications in homes, restaurants, schools, offices, warehouses, grain elevators, and certain exterior areas adjacent to these structures.
  • Pesticide applications on or in lawns or trees, for the control of structure-infesting pests.
  • The use of pesticides to control insects and rodents which may be vectors for disease only to the extent the applications are not for community-wide pest vector control.
  • The control of grain insect pests by means other than fumigation.
  • This category includes the control of birds and other vertebrate pests infesting man-made structures such as buildings, bridges, and culverts.
  • This category does not include the fumigation of any structure. (See Category 11)
  • A commercial license is needed for all “for hire” applications of any RUP or GUP in this category

08W - Wood Destroying Organisms

  • Use of GUP or RUP pesticides to protect structures from wood-destroying organisms (such as termites, carpenter ants, and mold).
  • Does not include the use of fumigants.

09 - Public Health Pest Control

  • Use of RUP pesticides to control disease vectors such as mosquitoes, rodents, and flies.
  • The control of vectors of disease which may be present in or on medical and veterinary instruments, hospitals, nursing homes, swimming pools, food processing areas, and cooling towers.
  • Insect control in public landfills or other public areas where disease vectors threaten community-wide public health.
  • Includes anyone applying RUPs or GUPs to control outdoor vectors of disease on behalf of villages, towns, cities, or other political subdivisions of the state.

10 - Wood Preservation

  • Use of RUP pesticides for the preservation of wood or wood products. This category covers pressure and non-pressure methods of wood treatment other than for pests covered under structural pest control (See Category 08).
  • Types of wood products treated for preservation may include; utility poles, fence posts, guardrail posts, railroad ties, millwork, and other manufactured or processed wood products which require protection from weather caused pest-related deterioration.

11 - Fumigation

  • Use of solid or gaseous RUP pesticides to fumigate buildings, chambers, vaults, tents, vehicles, or vessels. The application can be for protection of food from insect, vertebrate, or disease pests.
  • The fumigation of materials inside of structures, tents, vaults, vehicles, or vessels for the control of wood infesting or imported pests.
  • Does not include the use of liquid insecticides or rodenticides in grain storage facilities.

12 - Aerial Pest Control

  • Use of RUP pesticides applied by aircraft to control pests affecting agricultural or right-of-way areas.
  • This category is a combination of Ag Plant Pest and Right-of-Way Pest, but specific to aerial application.
  • This category does not allow for the ground application of pesticides in the above-named categories.
  • Must hold valid FAA license.

14 - Wildlife Damage Control

  • Use of restricted-use or general-use pesticides to control vertebrate pests which are invading sites other than a man-made structure. (See Category 08)
  • Sites would include rangeland, pastures, crop areas, orchards, plant nurseries, lawns, parks, right-of-ways, irrigation canals, feedlots, landfills, and airport runways.
  • This category includes, but is not limited to, the control of prairie dogs, coyotes, pocket gophers, ground squirrels, moles, native mice and rats, muskrats, and nuisance birds.
  • Does not include trapping or hunting which is regulated by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

Demonstration and Research Subcategory

  • Use of RUP pesticides for research or demonstration purposes.
  • Research application of experimental or restricted pesticides to any site, or the demonstration of such pesticides.
  • Individuals required to be certified in this category are primarily university and industry employees or commercial applicators conducting field research of experimental or other registered pesticides, in which the research may require use of the products contrary to label directions.

Regulatory Subcategory

  • The use of RUP pesticides by government employees to conduct eradication or suppression control programs of regulated pests such as imported animals or insects.