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

Introduction to Urban and Industrial IPM

Turfgrass IPM

Food Plant IPM

IPM in Public Buildings and Landscapes

Intermediate and Advanced Urban and Industrial IPM

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/onlinedistance/ or telephone 877-491-4336.

University of Florida

Pest Control Technology

Urban Pest Management

Landscape Pest Management

Visit http://www.distance.ufl.edu/Certificates.aspx or telephone 352-392-1711.