Section 250.80  Private Pesticide Applicators: Certification, Licensing, Testing and Training

a)         Private pesticide applicators shall re-establish certification when required to do so in accordance with Section 9 of the Act.

b)         A person may make application to the Director to become licensed as a private applicator in accordance with Section 11 of the Act.

c)         A person may become certified or recertified as a private applicator by:

1)         attending a training session conducted by the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service which has been approved by or is in cooperation with the Department and by successful completion of a written, closed book, competency examination; or

2)         in lieu of attendance at a training session, successfully complete a written closed book examination pursuant to subsection (e).

d)         Training sessions for private applicators will be conducted as needed on a local basis, usually but not strictly limited to the geographic area of one county. Each training session will be a minimum of three (3) hours duration and must address all general competency standards and current pesticide use information.

e)         The closed book examination will consist of questions pertinent to general competency standards (see Section 250.110) for which a correct answer is to be selected for each question from multiple choice answers.

f)         Private applicator certification will be granted or denied by the Director after grading of the examination.  If a minimum of 70% of the answers are not correct or the information requested on the examination application is not provided, certification will be withheld.

g)         Examination/application form and training materials for private applicator certification will be available at the local level at the Director's direction and at the Director's office.

(Source:  Amended at 12 Ill. Reg. 12784, effective July 26, 1988)