79-04: A Summary of Federal and State Requirements for Commercial Applicators

Section 4 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act 
(FIFRA), as amended, requires certification of all pesticide ap­
plicators using restricted use pesticides. The states have an op­
tion to enforce this requirement, but the state plan must be approved 
by the EPA. If a state does not adopt a plan or the plan is not ap­
proved, the EPA conducts the certification program in that state. 
Any state where the EPA conducts the program, the Administrator may 
require any person engaging in the commercial application, sale, or 
distribution of restricted use chemicals to maintain records and 
submit reports concerning such application, sale or distribution. 
The Administrator may also require any pesticide dealer participating 
in a certification program to be licensed under a state lice11PSing 
program.