Pesticide licence in British Columbia: categories, exam and renewal
What the British Columbia government says about the pesticide applicator certificate, the Landscape category, the CA$90 exam, one-year and five-year certificates, recertification by credits and the reciprocity exam for other provinces.
Checked against the sources at the bottom of this page on October 8, 2026. Rules, fees and pay change: the source has the last word.
This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. The sources are three pages of the Government of British Columbia on pesticide certification and training, which the province runs under its Integrated Pest Management Act. The parent page, pesticide licences by country, has the national background.
At a glance
| Item | What the province says |
|---|---|
| Agency | Government of British Columbia, Pesticides and Pest Management, with exams booked through Service BC |
| Certificate | Pesticide Applicator Certificate, by category |
| Category for trees and turf | Landscape: gardens, ornamental plants, lawns and turf, for commercial use |
| Exam | Open book, CA$90, non-refundable, 1 to 3 hours depending on category |
| Validity | One year or 5 years, set by the final exam mark |
| Recertification | By exam, or by 20 continuing education credits over a 5-year certificate for CA$25 |
| Helpers | Assistant Applicator training, free online, renewed annually |
Who needs a certificate
The province's certification and training page says a Pesticide Applicator Certificate is required to buy or use restricted class pesticides, to use a pesticide whose label limits use to a certificate holder, and to use pesticides for authorization holders such as a licence, confirmation or permit holder. Assistant Applicator training is required for anyone assisting a certified applicator with application, transport, storage and security of pesticides. A Residential Applicator Certificate is a separate, non-commercial certificate for residents treating their own lawns, flower beds, ornamental trees and plants. The page says certification may also be required to meet WorkSafeBC standards, and that additional authorizations may be needed for business, industry or public programs.
The category for trees and turf
The page on certification and training categories describes Landscape as the commercial category for managing pests of landscaped areas: gardens, ornamental plants, and lawns and turf. Each category has its own study materials and exam, and an applicator must pass an exam for every category in which they apply. Other categories include Forestry, Industrial Vegetation and Noxious Weed (roadsides, power lines, railways and pipelines), Structural, Mosquito, Aerial and Agriculture.
Study materials and exam
Study materials are ordered for each category and cost varies. Preparation is by self-study or a course from an independent trainer. Exams are arranged through Service BC, through an independent trainer's course or through a private invigilator, and the province says the exam costs CA$90 and is non-refundable, with trainers or invigilators possibly charging extra. All exams are open book. Candidates bring the study materials they ordered, a non-programmable calculator and government photo ID, and phones are not allowed. Time allowed is between 1 and 3 hours depending on category, and marking normally takes about 3 weeks. The final mark decides how long the certificate stays valid.
The Assistant Applicator course and exam are free and online and the page says they take about four hours. A passing result generates a record of completion, which must be renewed annually by repeating the training and exam.
Recertification
The province's page on pesticide recertification says applicator certificates are valid for one or 5 years and can be renewed by writing the exam again at CA$90. Holders of a 5-year certificate can instead collect 20 continuing education credits over the certificate's life, where one credit is one hour of ministry-approved training, with at least 3 credits each in pest management, application technology and human health or pesticide safety. Industry associations manage and track the credits. The cost to recertify by credits is CA$25. The page lists associations that cover the Landscape category, including a golf superintendents association and an integrated and environmental plant management association.
Insurance and business rules
The pages read set no insurance or bond rule for the individual certificate. Authorizations such as a licence for a pest control business are mentioned as separate and are not detailed on these pages.
Reciprocity
The province says certificates from other Canadian provinces are not valid in British Columbia. It offers reciprocity for certain categories, among them Landscape, Forestry, Industrial Vegetation and Noxious Weed, Aerial, Mosquito and Structural. A person holding a valid 5-year certificate from another province in one of those categories can write a one hour exam on the Integrated Pest Management Act and Regulation. A score of at least 75% gives a British Columbia certificate for the equivalent category, valid until 5 years from the date the out of province certificate was issued.