To qualify for a Commercial Applicator's license you must provide evidence of two years of experience applying pesticides, or one year experience plus 20 college credits in biological and/or agricultural sciences.

You can document pesticide application experience in several ways:

• If you've held another pesticide applicator license in New Mexico (like an Operator license, Private Applicator license, etc.), let us know and we can look up your history.

• If you've held a pesticide license in another state, ask that state to send us documentation of your license, whether it's current or expired.

• If you have not held a license but have experience applying pesticides, you can ask for statements from current or former employers that describe your duties as they related to pesticide use, including dates.

If you have no experience applying pesticides you can take one of several distance-learning or correspondence courses. Successful completion of one of these courses can be substituted for the two-year experience requirement. 

Purdue University

Pest Management Technology

Food Plant Pest Management

Turfgrass Pest Management

Termites & Other Wood-Destroying Pests Management

Intermediate Urban & Industrial Integrated Pest Management

Advanced Urban & Industrial Integrated Pest Management

Visit  www.continuinged.purdue.edu/media/pest or telephone 800-830-0269.

Colorado State University

Pesticide Management

Management & Control of Turfgrass Pests

Visit www.learn.colostate.edu/certificates/pesticide.asp or telephone 970-491-2520.

University of Georgia

Principles of Turfgrass Management

Visit www.georgiacenter.uga.edu/ppd/courses/green.phtml or telephone 706-542-3537.

University of Florida

Pest Control Technology

Urban Pest Management

Landscape Pest Managment

Visit www.distancelearning.ufl.edu or telephone 352-392-1711.