Pesticide licence in Hawaii: categories, exam and renewal

This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. The source is the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, Plant Industry Division, Pesticides Branch, which certifies applicators under chapter 4-66 of the Hawaii Administrative Rules. The parent page, pesticide licences by country, has the national background.

At a glance

Item	What the department says
Agency	Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, Plant Industry Division, Pesticides Branch
Certificate for work for hire	Commercial certification, valid five years; the pages describe certification for restricted use pesticides
Category for trees and turf	Commercial category 3, Ornamental and Turf Pest Control: pests of ornamental trees, shrubs, flowers and turf
Exam	Core exam first, then the category exam; US$50 per examination, with the core fee waived when taken with a category; written, 70% to pass
Certification fee	US$100 for a new certification or a renewal
Recertification	Five years; retake the exam or complete 30 hours of approved training for category 3
Insurance or bond	Not stated on the pages read
Reciprocity	Not stated on the pages read

What is certified

The department's applicator certification page says there are two types, private and commercial, each split into categories. Commercial certification covers pesticide applications on any property or for any purpose other than the private uses, which are agricultural uses on property owned or rented by the applicator or employer. The department's category descriptions and the renewal page speak of restricted use pesticides throughout, so this page reports Hawaii certification as the restricted use route. The pages read do not say whether general use tree and turf work needs a separate license. Structural categories are marked for licensed pest control operators only.

The category that covers trees and turf

The department's list of commercial categories defines category 3, Ornamental and Turf Pest Control, as persons using or supervising restricted use pesticides to control pests of ornamental trees, shrubs, flowers and turf. Category 2, Forest Pest Control, covers forests, forest nurseries and forest seed producing areas, and category 6 covers rights-of-way. Category 11, chemigation, needs category 1a, 2, 3 or 10 at the same time.

Exam

The page says every commercial category requires passing the Core exam first, and exams are booked through the department's online Pesticides Education Portal. Each examination is US$50. When the Core and one category are taken together, the Core fee is waived, so Core plus one category is US$50 and Core plus two categories is US$100. A standalone Core exam is US$50 each attempt. Under rule 4-66-60 the applicant must be at least eighteen, show government photo ID and pass a written exam with 70% or better. A failed exam can be retaken no sooner than fourteen calendar days later, and a passed Core exam is valid for six months for taking category exams.

Certification fee

New certifications and renewals cost US$100, paid by check or money order to the department. A replacement card or name change is US$50.

Recertification

The page says certifications are valid for five years. They renew either by retaking and passing the exam for the same categories or by collecting the required hours of approved continuing education. The department's recertification procedures sheet lists 30 hours for commercial category 3. It says renewal may be made no earlier than three months before and no later than 30 days after expiry. One hour of course content is typically one credit, a class counts once, and applicators keep their own record of classes. The web page says online course credit counts toward 75% of each category's requirement, rounded down, while the sheet, dated February 13, 2019, says half rounded up; the web page is the newer statement. Credits can also come from open-book quizzes on the department's quarterly pesticide newsletter.

Fitness requirement

Rule 4-66-57 asks applicants to have a history of honesty, truthfulness, financial integrity and fair dealing, judged from department records and public records.