2303 COMMERCIAL APPLICATORS: DETERMINATION OF COMPETENCY

2303.1 To be certified as competent in the use and handling of pesticides, each applicant shall meet the requirements of this section.2303.2 An applicant for certification shall pass a written examination (and, where appropriate, a practical examination) administered by the Department in each category or subcategory for which the applicant seeks to be certified.2303.3 The required examinations and testing shall be based upon the standards set forth in § 2304 and conform to the following examination standards:- (a) The examination shall be presented and answered in writing;

- (b) The examination shall be proctored by an individual designated by the Department and who is not seeking certification at any examination session that they are proctoring;

- (c) Each person seeking certification must present at the time of examination valid, government-issued photo identification or other form of similarly reliable identification authorized by the certifying authority as proof of identity and age to be eligible for certification;

- (d) Candidates shall be monitored throughout the examination period;

- (e) Candidates shall be instructed in examination procedures before beginning the examination;

- (f) Examinations shall be kept secure before, during, and after the examination period so that only the candidates have access to the examination, and candidates have access only in the presence of the proctor;

- (g) Candidates shall not have verbal or non-verbal communication with anyone other than the proctor during the examination period;

- (h) No portion of the examination or any associated reference materials described in Subsection 2303.3(j) may be copied or retained by any person other than a person authorized by the Department to copy or retain the examination or any associated reference materials described in Subsection 2303.3(j);

- (i) The only reference materials used during the examination are those that

are approved by the Department and provided and collected by the proctor;

(j) Reference materials provided to examinees are reviewed after the examination is complete to ensure that no portion of the reference material has been removed, altered, or destroyed;

(k) The proctor reports to the Department any examination administration inconsistencies or irregularities, including cheating, use of unauthorized materials, and attempts to copy or retain the examination;

(l) The examination shall be conducted in accordance with any other Department examination administration procedures;

(m) Any candidate who fails to follow the procedures in paragraphs (a), (c), (g)-(j), and (l) may be subject to disqualification; and

(n) The Department shall notify each candidate of the results of their examination.

2303.4 The required examinations and testing shall include the general standards applicable to all categories and the additional standards specifically identified for each category or subcategory, if any, in which an applicator is to be certified.

2303.5 Examinations shall be administered at least six (6) times a year at locations and times designated and announced by the Department.

2303.6 To become certified in any category or subcategory, each applicant shall be required to pass the following separate written examinations:

(a) A general, core examination; and

(b) A category examination which shall be specific to the category(ies) or subcategory(ies) described in § 2301 of this chapter, and which, when applicable, may include a practical examination.

2303.7 A passing score for any examination shall consist of a total correct score equal to or exceeding seventy percent (70%) of the total points on the examination as graded by the Department.

2303.8 The Department shall notify in writing each applicant who takes an examination of the results of the examination on a pass-fail basis.

2303.9 An applicant who fails the general core or category examination, or, when

applicable, the practical examination, may not reapply to take that examination until thirty (30) days after the date of the last failed examination.

2303.10 An applicant who fails the general core or category examination, or, when applicable, the practical examination, three (3) consecutive times, shall wait one hundred and eighty (180) days after the date of the last failed examination before re-applying to take the examination.

2303.11 The Department shall notify in writing each applicant who has successfully completed the requirements for certification, stating the category(ies) or subcategory(ies) in which competency has been demonstrated.

2303.12 A certified applicator who elects to add one (1) or more category(ies) or subcategory(ies) to an existing certification shall be required to take only the examination for the new category(ies) or subcategory(ies) for which certification is desired.

2303.13 An applicator who has any part of his or her certification revoked shall retake the examination in the category(ies) or subcategory(ies) for which the applicator seeks to be recertified.

SOURCE: The Pesticide Operations Act of 1977, effective April 18, 1978 (D.C. Law 2-70; 24 DCR 6867 (February 17, 1978)); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 25 DCR 3044 (October 6, 1978), incorporating the text of the Proposed Rulemaking published at 25 DCR 2118 (August 25, 1978); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 30 DCR 2204, 2205 (May 13, 1983); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 62 DCR 3340 (March 20, 2015); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 73 DCR 001173 (February 6, 2026).