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C&T Requirements Based on Category/Work

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C&T Requirements Based on Category/Type of Work

For more information, call toll-free 877-301-4555 or email pestlicenseupdates@agr.wa.gov.
The updated certification and training (C&T) standards require almost all licensees to meet specific criteria to maintain their license, based on their license type and categories. Review the requirements based on category below. Make sure to also review the requirements based on license type.

The new C&T rules will be effective January 1, 2026. You will have until the end of your recertification cycle at that time to meet the new requirements.

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*C&T specific course that covers the competencies our current categories are missing to meet federal standards. The C&T course credits will count toward your 5-year recertification credit requirement. Licensees can choose to take a C&T quiz to fulfill the C&T course requirement.

Agricultural Insect and Disease Control

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Make insect or disease control applications Take C&T course* C&T course* covers missing standards to get the merged Insect and Disease Control category. Review the Insect and Disease Control recorded webinar for more information.

Agricultural Weed Control

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Make weed control applications Take C&T course* C&T course* covers the missing standards to get the merged Weed Control category. Review the Weed Control recorded webinar for more information.

Aquatic Antifouling

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Make antifouling applications Take C&T course* C&T course* covers missing standards to keep this category.

Aquatic Pest Control

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Make aquatic applications Do nothing There are no changes to the aquatic pest control standards.

Aquatic Pest Control - Irrigation Districts

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Make aquatic irrigation applications Do nothing There are no changes to the aquatic irrigation standards.

Birds on Bridges (retired category)

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Control birds or other vertebrate pests using pesticides/repellents Pass vertebrate pest control exam This category is retired. To use pesticides to control birds, Vertebrate Pest Control category is required.

Cooling Tower

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Only use general use pesticides Do nothing This category will continue to allow general use pesticide applications.
Use restricted use pesticides Pass the PCO general exam Cooling tower exam does not meet federal standards for the use of RUPs. PCO general required. Review the Limited Specialty webinar for more information.

Dryland Crops (retired category)

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Make applications to crops Pass relevant exam like weed control or insect and disease control This category is retired. To use pesticides on crops, applicable current category is required.

Forest Environment (retired category)

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Use pesticides in forest environments Pass relevant exam such as weed control, insect and disease control, or vertebrate pest. This category is retired. To use pesticides in forest environments, applicable current category is required.

Fumigant

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Make fumigations to stored commodities Take C&T course* C&T course* will update Fumigant category to new Space Fumigation category. Other types of fumigations will require relevant category. Review the Space Fumigation recorded webinar for more information.

Golf Course Superintendent (retired category)

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Make applications on golf courses Pass weed control or insect and disease control exam This category is retired. You will need the updated categories relevant to the work you are doing.

Industrial Sanitation (retired category)

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Use antimicrobial pesticides or sanitizers Pass PCO general exam This category is retired. To use antimicrobial pesticides, PCO general exam is required.

Interior Plantscaping

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Only use general use pesticides Do nothing This category will continue to allow general use pesticide applications.
Use restricted use pesticides (RUPs) Pass PCO general exam Interior plantscaping exam does not meet federal standards for the use of RUPs. PCO general is required. Review the Limited Specialty webinar for more information.

Livestock Pest Control

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Control pests of livestock Do nothing There are no changes to the Livestock Pest Control standards.

Methyl Bromide (retired category)

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Use fumigants Take new space fumigation exam plus any other category exam relevant to your work This category is retired. You will need the updated categories relevant to the work you are doing. Review the Space Fumigation webinar for more information.

Ornamental Insect and Disease Control

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Make insect or disease control applications Take C&T course* C&T course* covers the missing standards to get the merged Insect and Disease Control category. Review the Insect and Disease Control webinar for more information.

Ornamental Weed Control

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Make weed control applications Take C&T course* C&T course* covers the missing standards to get the merged Weed Control category. Review the Weed Control webinar for more information.

PCO General

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Use fumigants Pass the new space fumigation exam PCO General will no longer cover any fumigation applications. Review the Space Fumigation webinar for more information.
Control outdoor vertebrate pests Take C&T course* C&T course* covers missing standards to get the Vertebrate Pest Control category. PCO General will continue to cover perimeter baitboxes immediately adjacent to the structure. Review the Vertebrate Pest Control webinar for more information.

PCO Structural

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Use fumigants Pass the new space fumigation exam PCO Structural will no longer cover any fumigation applications. Review the Space Fumigation webinar for more information.

Pest Animal Control

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Use fumigants Pass the new space fumigation exam Pest Animal or Vertebrate Pest Control do not cover any fumigation applications. Review the Space Fumigation webinar for more information. 
Control vertebrate pests Take C&T course* C&T course* will cover missing standards to move you to the new Vertebrate Pest Control category. Review the Vertebrate Pest Control webinar for more information. 

Post-Harvest Treatment of Fruits and Vegetables

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Only use general use pesticides Do nothing This category will continue to allow general use pesticide applications.
Use restricted use pesticides Pass the new insect and disease control exam The Post-Harvest Treatment of Fruits and Vegetables category does not meet federal standards for the use of RUPs. Insect and Disease Control is required. Review the Limited Specialty webinar for more information.

Potato Sprout Inhibitor

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Only use general use pesticides Do nothing This category will transition to Post-Harvest Treatment of Fruits & Vegetables and will continue to allow general use pesticide applications. Review the Post Harvest Treatment Merger webinar for more information.
Use restricted use pesticides Pass the new insect and disease control exam Sprout inhibitor and Post-Harvest Treatment of Fruits & Vegetables categories do not meet federal standards for the use of RUPs. The Insect and Disease Control category is required. Review the Post Harvest Treatment Merger webinar for more information.

Public Health Pest Control

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Control public health pests and you work under a government-sponsored program Do nothing Updated Public Health Pest Control category is only valid if you work for or are contracted by a public agency for the control of public health pests. Review the Public Health Pest Control webinar for more information.
Control public health pests and you do not work under a government-sponsored program Pass category exam relevant to your work such as insect and disease, aquatic pest control, or PCO general Updated Public Health Pest Control category is only valid if you work for or are contracted by a public agency for the control of public health pests. You will need another category relevant to your work if you do not meet those conditions. Review the Public Health Pest Control webinar for more information.

Right-of-Way Weed Control

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Make weed control applications Take C&T course* C&T course* covers the missing standards to get the merged Weed Control category. Review the Weed Control webinar for more information.

Row Crops (retired category)

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Make pesticide applications Pass exams relevant to the work you do such as weed control or insect and disease control This category is retired. To continue making pesticide applications, you will need the categories relevant to the work you are doing.

Seed Treatment

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Make seed treatment applications Do nothing There are no changes to the seed treatment standards.

Sewer Root Control

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Use fumigants Pass the new space fumigation exam Sewer Root Control does not cover any fumigation applications.
Only use general use pesticides Do nothing This category will continue to allow general use pesticide applications. Review the Limited Specialty webinar for more information.
Use restricted use pesticides Pass the weed control exam The Sewer Root Control exam does not meet federal standards for the use of RUPs. Weed Control exam is required. Review the Limited Specialty webinar for more information.

Soil Fumigation (taken prior to 11/01/2012) (retired category)

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Perform soil fumigations Pass the updated soil fumigation exam This category is retired. The soil fumigation exam taken before November 1, 2012 does not meet federal standards.

Soil Fumigation RMM

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Perform soil fumigations Take C&T course* C&T course* will cover missing standards to keep the Soil Fumigation RMM category.

Solid Fumigant (retired category)

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Use fumigants Pass the new space fumigation exam plus category exams relevant to your work This category is retired. To continue using fumigants, you will need to obtain the updated categories relevant to your work.

Statewide (retired category)

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Make pesticide applications Pass the category exams relevant to your work This category is retired. You will need to obtain the updated categories relevant to the work you are doing. Review the Competency Standards webinar for more information.

Stored Commodity (retired category)

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Make fumigation applications Pass the new space fumigation exam This category is retired. You will need to obtain the updated categories relevant to the work you are doing. Review the Competency Standards and Space Fumigation webinars for more information.

Stored Grain

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Make fumigation applications Take C&T course* C&T course* covers missing standards to get the Space Fumigation category for stored grain applications. You will need to obtain other categories relevant to the work you are doing. Review the Space Fumigation webinar for more information.

Structural and Turf Demossing

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Only use general use pesticides Do nothing This category will continue to allow general use pesticide applications.
Use restricted use pesticides Pass the new weed control exam Structural and Turf Demossing does not meet federal standards for the use of RUPs. Weed Control is required. Review the Limited Specialty webinar for more information.

Stump Treatment

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Only use general use pesticides Do nothing This category will continue to allow general use pesticide applications. Review the Limited Specialty webinar for more information.
Use restricted use pesticides Pass the new weed control exam Stump Treatment does not meet federal standards for the use of RUPs. Weed Control is required. Review the Limited Specialty webinar for more information.

Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Fumigation

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Use sulfur dioxide to treat wine barrels and corks Pass the new space fumigation exam Sulfur Dioxide Fumigaiton does not meet federal standards for the use of RUPs. Space Fumigation is required. Review the Space Fumigation webinar for more information.

Tree Fruit (retired category)

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Make tree fruit applications Pass category exams relevant to your work such as weed control or insect and disease control This category is retired. To continue making pesticide applications in tree fruit sites, you will need the categories relevant to the work you are doing.

Western Washington (retired category)

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Make pesticide applications Pass category exams relevant to the work you are doing such as weed control or insect and disease control This category is retired. To continue making pesticide applications, you will need the categories relevant to the work you are doing.

Wood Treatment

IF YOU NEED TO: YOU MUST: Description:
Use wood preservatives Do nothing There are no changes to the wood treatment standards.

*C&T specific course that covers the competencies our current categories are missing to meet federal standards. The C&T course credits will count toward your 5-year recertification credit requirement. Licensees can choose to take a C&T quiz to fulfill the C&T course requirement.

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