Pesticide licence in Quebec: categories, exam and renewal
What the Quebec government says about the Class CD certificate for pesticide application, the CA$235 fee for five years, SOFAD online exams, the 30-day wait after a first failure, continuing education and recognition of other provinces' certificates.
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 Quebec Ministere de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP), which issues pesticide permits to companies and certificates to individuals. The parent page, pesticide licences by country, has the national background.
At a glance
| Item | What the province says |
|---|---|
| Agency | MELCCFP, through its regional offices |
| Credentials for work for hire | A permit for the company and a certificate, Class CD for application work, for the person applying or supervising |
| Activity for trees and turf | Application in green space maintenance (the exact subclass is in a French-only manual that was not read) |
| Exam | Prescribed exams administered online by SOFAD for all sectors; fee for the exam not published on the pages read; a 30-day wait follows a first failure |
| Certificate fee and term | CA$235 for the issue of a certificate, valid five years; duplicate CA$5 |
| Renewal | Application at least 30 days before expiry; an exam or approved training may be needed; continuing education is required for Subclass CD5 Pest Management Application |
| Insurance or bond | Not stated on the pages read |
| Reciprocity | Equivalency recognition for a certificate from another Canadian province or territory that corresponds to the Quebec one |
Permit and certificate
The government's commercial pesticide application page says companies that sell or use commercial pesticides must hold the appropriate permit, and sales staff and appliers must hold a certificate, under the Regulation respecting permits and certificates for the sale and use of pesticides. A permit holder or certificate holder may not possess a pesticide unless the permit or certificate allows its sale. Some uses also need a ministerial authorization before work starts, and some municipalities add their own pesticide bylaws.
The activity that covers trees and turf
According to the certificates for the sale and use of pesticides page, certification is required for a list of activities that includes aerial application, aquatic application, application on raw land and transport corridors, application in green space maintenance, application on golf courses, pest management, fumigation, forest areas, cultivated land, stinging insect control and horticultural work in buildings. Green space maintenance is the one that fits tree and lawn work. The ministry's decision tree places maintenance of ornamental or decorative plants not intended for sale, and work for which a permit is required, under the Class CD certificate for the application of pesticides. Farmers have Class E and forest managers Class F certificates instead.
Exam
The certificates page says a certificate depends on passing the prescribed or recognized exams for the activity. SOFAD administers all prescribed exams and the registration, online for every sector. A training course first is allowed but not required, and SOFAD offers self-study guides. The exam policy sets the conditions for a retake, with a 30-day wait after a first failure and measures against cheating. Exams taken in vocational, technical or university programs can be recognized by the ministry.
Fee and renewal
The ministry's fee schedule for January 1 to December 31, 2026 lists CA$235 for issuing a certificate and CA$5 for a duplicate. The certificates page says a certificate is valid five years, a mailed notice arrives when renewal is due, and the renewal form goes in at least 30 days before expiry, or online. Any change that makes the certificate information wrong is reported within 30 days. Renewal can require a new exam or a recognized training activity. From March 1, 2027 the aerial application (CD1) and stinging insect control (CD9) subclasses face a knowledge upgrade with new exams, and accredited continuing education is needed to renew Subclass CD5.
Reciprocity
The same page says a person holding a certificate from another Canadian province or territory that corresponds to the Quebec certificate can apply for equivalency recognition. The application includes the Quebec form, a copy of both sides of the other certificate and the fee for a five-year validity. Quebec residents mail it to their regional MELCCFP office, and non-residents to the Montreal and Laval environmental authorizations office. Insurance and bond rules were not found on the pages read.
Sources
- Government of Quebec, Commercial pesticide application, read October 8, 2026
- Government of Quebec, Certificates for the sale and use of pesticides, read October 8, 2026
- Government of Quebec, Certificate decision tree for pesticide sale or use, read October 8, 2026
- Government of Quebec, Ministry fee schedule 2026 including pesticide certificates, read October 8, 2026