Updated 5/26/09

Pesticide Registration

WSDA is responsible for the registration of pesticides in Washington State. Pesticides that require registration in Washington State include (but are not limited to) all insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides, nematicides, disinfectants, germicides, biocides, plant regulators, defoliants, desiccants and spray adjuvants. This includes minimum risk pesticides that are exempt from federal registration. Registration is not required for liquid chemical sterilant products labeled for use on critical or semi-critical medical devices, since these products are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Washington State pesticide registration requirements are found in the Washington Pesticide Control Act, and the General Pesticide Rules. WSDA also has a fact sheet that summarizes Pesticide Registration in Washington State.

• Federal Pesticide Registration
• WSDA Pesticide Registration Requirements
  • Section 3 Products
  • Section 25(b) Products
  • Spray Adjuvants
  • Section 24(c) Special Local Need (SLN) Registration
  • Section 18 Emergency Exemption from Registration
  • Washington State Experimental Use Permit (WSEUP) Terrestrial/Aquatic Sites
• WSDA Fertilizer Registration
• WSDA Organic Food Program Registration
• Mosquito Control
• Other Useful Websites
• WSDA Contact Information for Pesticide Registration

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Federal Pesticide Registration

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for federal pesticide registration. Federal pesticide registration requirements are found in the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), and the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). In most cases, federal pesticide registration under Section 3 of FIFRA is required prior to pesticide registration in Washington State. Federal registration is not required for Section 25(b) products or adjuvants. Information on federal pesticide registration requirements and procedures is found on the EPA pesticide registration website.

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WSDA Pesticide Registration Requirements

Section 3 Products
Pesticides registered with the EPA under Section 3 of FIFRA must also be registered with WSDA prior to distribution in Washington State. Products registered with WSDA must have a legal use in Washington. For example, a product labeled for use on citrus or cotton would not be registered by WSDA unless the label also included a crop grown in Washington.

To register, submit a completed Application for Registration of Pesticides AGR 630-4216, 2 copies of the product label, 1 copy of the confidential statement of formula (CSF) and the appropriate registration fee ($390 per 2 years). The fee for additional product registrations added during a company's registration cycle will be prorated by year so that all products registered by the company come due for renewal at the same time. Submit an Addendum, AGR 630-4250 if you are registering more than 4 new products.

When an application to register a Section 3 pesticide includes a new active ingredient not previously registered by WSDA and the product is labeled for outdoor use, submit a copy of the EPA Environmental Fate and Ecological Review (Transmittal Memo and Report).

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are not required for registration of Section 3 pesticides. Some applications may require additional information. 

Products containing a pesticide and fertilizer must be registered separately as a pesticide and fertilizer product. Commercial fertilizer product registration information is available on the internet at http://agr.wa.gov/PestFert/Fertilizers/ProductRegistration.aspx.

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Section 25(b) Products
Minimum risk pesticides (e.g. citric acid, corn gluten, garlic, mint oil) that are exempt from federal registration under Section 25(b) of FIFRA must be registered with WSDA prior to distribution in Washington State. To register, submit an Application for Registration of Pesticides, AGR 630-4216, 2 copies of the product label, 1 copy of the MSDS, 1 copy of the Section 25(b) Confidential Statement of Formula, AGR 630-4139 and the appropriate registration fee. In addition, submit an Addendum, AGR 630-4250 if you are registering more than 4 new products. Follow WSDA's guidance for registration of 25(b) minimum risk pesticides.

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Spray Adjuvants
Spray adjuvants are products that are used to increase the effectiveness of a pesticide (e.g. extenders, penetrants, spreaders, stickers, surfactants) or to modify the characteristics of the tank mix (e.g. acidifiers, defoaming agents, drift control agents). Adjuvants must be registered with WSDA prior to distribution in Washington State. To register, submit a completed Application for Registration of Pesticides, AGR 630-4216, a Supplemental Information for Spray Adjuvant Registration, AGR 630-4119, 2 copies of the product label, 1 copy of the Spray Adjuvant Confidential Statement of Formula, AGR 630-4325 and the appropriate registration fee. In addition, submit an Addendum, AGR 630-4250 if you are registering more than 4 new products.  Spray adjuvants labeled for aquatic use must be consistent with WSDA criteria. Follow WSDA's guidance for registration of spray adjuvants.

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Section 24(c) Special Local Need (SLN) Registration
WSDA has the authority under Section 24(c) of FIFRA to register an additional use of a federally registered pesticide on a food/feed crop for which a tolerance has been established (or on a non-food/non-feed crop or site) for use in a special local need situation. A special local need could include: new application method or timing, different rate, new crop, new pest, less hazardous formulation, prevention of pesticide resistance or application to a different soil type. There is no fee to apply for an SLN registration, except that "stand-alone" SLN registrations require the $390 registration fee (per 2 years) for each product.

• Guide for requesting 24(c) SLN registration
• Aquatic Risk Assessment form
• Pollinator protection requirement
• List of active 24(c) SLN Registrations - WSU

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Section 18 Emergency Exemption from Registration
Under Section 18 of FIFRA, WSDA can request an emergency exemption from federal registration in order to allow the use of an unregistered pesticide in an emergency situation. An emergency situation must be urgent and non-routine and could include: an outbreak of a new pest, development of resistance to existing pesticides, unusual weather conditions that caused a pest outbreak, or product cancellation. There is no fee to apply for an emergency exemption.

• Guide for requesting Section 18's
• Aquatic Risk Assessment form
• Pollinator protection requirement
• List of active Section 18 emergency exemptions - WSU.
• Re-certification Eligibility - USEPA
• Examples of New Section 18 Approach to Significant Economic Loss (SEL)

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Application of Experimental Pesticides
A Washington State Experimental Use Permit is required for all experiments involving pesticides that are not registered, and for all experiments involving uses not allowed by the pesticide label. There is no fee to apply for a WSEUP.  Completed applications should be received by WSDA at least 30 days prior to the intended use of the product.

• Aquatic Sites - Application (AGR 630-4128) and Guide
• Terrestrial Sites - Application (AGR 630-4257)
• WSDA Contact for USDA/APHIS PPQ 556 Permits

A Collective Experimental Use Permit (AGR 630-4130) may be issued to recognized research institutions, organizations, pesticide registrants, or persons licensed to conduct certain types of small-plot demonstrations and research activities on land they own or control.

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WSDA Organic Food Program Registration

Pesticides used in organic production and that comply with Organic Standards may be registered with WSDA’s Organic Food Program. Registration is not required, but is necessary if you would like your products to appear on the Brand Name Materials List (BNML). Approved products on the BNML list have been reviewed to verify that all of the ingredients comply with Organic Standards and registration guidelines per chapter 16-160 WAC, Registration of Materials for Organic Food Production (OCPS).

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Mosquito Control

Additional control methods may be needed if mosquito populations rise above acceptable levels.

• Repellents
• Biopesticides: Bti
• Pesticide Licensing for Professional Mosquito Control
• Treating Mosquito-Infected Water - Pesticide Notes Newsletter - 2003 Edition

Joint Statement on Mosquito Control in the U.S.

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Pesticides Fact Sheet on Larvicides for Mosquito Control of Mosquitoes
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

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Additional Information

• Washington State Department of Health (DOH), or call 1-888-586-9427.
• Washington State University (WSU)
• WSU's Publication Pesticide Regulations on use of Mosquito Larvicides
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• American Mosquito Control Association
• National Pesticide Information Center

Other Useful Websites

Searchable Databases for Pesticides Registered in Washington

• WSU's Pesticide Information Center On-Line (PICOL) - Users can query the registration database by crop, pest, active ingredient, or several other options such as the state and federal Restricted Use Pesticide (RUP) status of products. PICOL also has a tolerance database, and information on Section 24(c) registrations / Section 18 emergency exemptions.
• Kelly Registration Systems (KRS)
  • KRS online e-Renewals Option Available for Washington
  • More Information about the KRS Online e-Renewals
• National Pesticide Information Retrieval System (NPIRS) State Registration Data
• California Product/Label Database Queries & Lists

EPA

• Food Quality Protection Act
• Restricted and Canceled Uses
• Cumulative Risk Assessment
• Pesticide Product Label System (PPLS)
• Pesticide Registration (PR) Notices
• Registering Pesticides

 State Pesticide Regulatory Agencies

• California Department of Pesticide Regulation
• Idaho Department of Agriculture
• Oregon Department of Agriculture
• Other

Washington State Commission on Pesticide Registration (WSCPR)

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WSDA Contact Information for Pesticide Registration

If you have any questions on WSDA pesticide registration procedures, you can email the WSDA Pesticide Registration Section at pestreg@agr.wa.gov. The phone number for pesticide registration is (360) 902-2030, and the fax number is (360) 902-2093.

If you know the individual with whom you would like to speak to or have a specific pesticide registration question, the telephone and email contact information is as follows:

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