Pesticide licence in Maine: categories, exam and renewal
What the Maine Board of Pesticides Control says about the Commercial Applicator license at two levels, Master and Operator, categories 3A Outdoor Ornamentals and 3B Turf, US$10 exams, US$105 for three years, 6 or 9 credit hours and the insurance affidavit.
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 source is the Maine Board of Pesticides Control, part of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, which licenses applicators and distributors. The parent page, pesticide licences by country, has the national background.
At a glance
| Item | What the board says |
|---|---|
| Agency | Maine Board of Pesticides Control, Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry |
| Licence for work for hire | Commercial Applicator license, Master or Operator level, US$105, three years, renewable December 31 |
| Categories for trees and turf | 3A Outdoor Ornamentals, 3B Turf, 3C Indoor Ornamentals; sidewalk, patio and driveway weed control needs 6B General Vegetation Management |
| Exam | Core exam plus at least one category exam, US$10 each; Master adds a regulations exam at US$10 and an oral exam at US$40 |
| Recertification | Master: 9 hours over three years. Operator: 6 hours over three years. One credit is one hour of training |
| Company license | Firm license US$300 for three years, with proof of insurance and a Commercial Master applicator |
| Insurance or bond | Liability insurance in the amount set by board regulations, shown by an affidavit; the amount is not on the pages read |
Who needs a commercial licence
The board's licensing and certification page says a commercial license is required for using any pesticide as a paid service, naming lawn and landscape care and tree and shrub care as examples. It is also required for any restricted or limited use pesticide outside agricultural production, for use on sites open to the public such as golf courses and campgrounds, in licensed food or eating establishments, and by government employees as part of their jobs. Certification comes first and licensing second: a person is licensed once the exams are passed, the fees paid and, where needed, the insurance requirement met.
Master and Operator
Maine splits the commercial license in two. The Operator license is the minimum for technicians working under a licensed Master, and it is valid only if the employing company has at least one licensed Master. The Master license is required for one person in each company, organization, branch office or agency, generally the owner, supervisor or manager who makes the major pest control decisions and sets training and work practices. The page says commercial licenses are company affiliated: a license is voided when the person leaves the company where it was issued, and the employer is asked to notify the board. A firm license, US$300 for three years, is needed for custom applicator companies other than sole proprietors with no employees.
Categories for trees and turf
The category list on the same page names 3A Outdoor Ornamentals, 3B Turf and 3C Indoor Ornamentals, next to 2 Forest Pest Management, 6A Right of Way Vegetation Management and 6B General Vegetation Management. The page spells out one trap: weed control on sidewalks, patios, driveways or parking lots needs category 6B, and those areas cannot legally be treated by someone licensed only in 3A or 3B. Commercial applicators may only treat in the categories they hold.
Exams and fees
According to the board, commercial certification takes the Core exam plus at least one category exam, all closed book and written. Each costs US$10, and fees are waived for government examinees. Master candidates also take a regulations exam at US$10 and an oral exam with board staff at US$40. Exams are held once a month in Augusta or can be booked through a testing company at centers around the state, and rescheduling needs at least 24 hours notice or the fees are forfeited. The board says applicants must pass the core and at least one category exam within three years, or retake everything. Study manuals come from University of Maine Cooperative Extension. The licensing brochure shows the license fee at US$105 for both levels.
Recertification
Commercial certification is valid for three years and lines up with the license. Master applicators need nine credits every three years and Operators need six, where one credit equals one hour of training. The page says credit is given for sessions run by the board, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, and industry and trade groups, in Maine or out of state.
Insurance
The board's affidavit of insurance coverage is a sworn statement that the company will have the liability insurance required by board regulations in effect whenever an employee applies pesticides. One affidavit is needed per company, submitted by the master applicator in charge. The page calls it a legally binding document. The dollar amount is not given on the pages read.
Reciprocity
No reciprocity rule appears on the Maine pages read on October 8, 2026.