Rule 620-3-.01. Qualifications and Procedures

(1) All applications for licenses, certification and employee registration shall be made on the appropriate form required by the Commission and submitted to the Secretary of the Structural Pest Control Commission at the address provided on the Georgia Department of Agriculture's website. (2) All licenses, certifications, employee registrations, and research fees, shall be for a period of two (2) years or fraction thereof and shall expire on June 30 in each odd numbered year. The two (2) year fee must be submitted, by check, money order or electronic fund transfer, with the application in the appropriate amount based upon the following: Company License $100.00 Research Fee per Company License $70.00 Operator Certification $100.00 Employee Registration $10.00 Duplicate Registration Card $10.00 Duplicate License (Sub Office) $10.00 If an application and fee for renewal of any license, certification or employee registration is not received by the Secretary on or before its expiration date, the above fees shall double and shall be paid before a renewal is issued. No Company License shall be issued or renewed for any license period until the research fee has been paid, and the research fee shall not be subject to any late penalty. In no case shall a certification or license be renewed after more than ninety (90) days from the June 30 expiration date without reexamination or reapplication, nor shall any license be renewed or reissued within the two (2) year license period without payment of the double fee. When the research fees collected for any two (2)-year license period amount to $90,000, the Secretary shall forward such amount to the Chairman of the Entomology Division of the University of Georgia, covering $45,000 for each of the two fiscal years within that license period. (3) In order to become a certified operator, the following requirements must be met: (a) Application for certification examination shall be submitted to the Secretary. An examination fee of forty-five (45) dollars per category shall be required each time an examination is taken. If applicant fails part or all of the initial examination, they may retake the failed part(s) of the examination, upon reapplication and payment of another forty-five (45) dollars per category fee. If applicant fails an examination twice within a twelve (12)-month period, they may not subsequently retake the examination until six months has elapsed since the examination was last taken. The payment of all examination fees shall be by check, money order or electronic fund transfer. (b) Before being approved for taking the certification examination to become a certified operator, the applicant must additionally provide the Commission with satisfactory evidence of his or her qualifications including one of the following: 1. Two (2) years of actual service experience as an employer, employee or owner-operator in the Structural Pest Control category(ies) in which certification is sought. One (1) year shall have been within the last five (5) years. Specialized category training under university or college supervision may be substituted for practical experience at the ratio of one (1) year of training for one-fourth (¼) year experience. Applicants for examination in the category of fumigation shall submit a list, with the application for examination, of at least 6 fumigation treatments in which the applicant participated. 2. A degree from a recognized College or University with advanced training or a major in entomology, sanitary or public health engineering, or related subjects and one (1) year of actual service experience within the last five years under appropriate supervision in the category(ies) in which certification is sought. (c) Any person whose certification has previously been suspended or canceled for any reason other than failure to earn the required hours of recertification training credit shall apply in person to the Commission before he or she may retake the examination. (d) All applicants for operator certification shall demonstrate competency in the use and handling of pesticides as determined by an appropriate and written examination, covering standards set forth in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Paragraphs 171.103(c), 171.103(d)(7), and 171.103(d)(14), as applicable, by scoring a grade of at least seventy (70) percent on the General Examination and each category section in which certification is sought. (e) A person who has passed the examination(s) must apply for and complete the requirements for certification within ninety (90) days of the date they are notified of passing the examination(s), otherwise reexamination will be required. Passing General Examination scores of noncertified applicants will be honored for one (1) year. Certified registered employees who are currently certified in good standing and who have passed the General Examination are not required to retake the General Examination in order to become a certified operator. Certified operators who are currently certified in good standing and who seek to add an operational category are not required to retake the General Examination after passing a category examination. (4) In order to become a certified registered employee, the following requirements must be met: (a) Application for certification examination shall be submitted to the Secretary. An examination fee of forty-five (45) dollars shall be required each time an examination is taken. If the examinee fails the initial examination, they may retake the examination upon payment of another forty-five (45) dollar fee. If the examinee fails the second examination, they may not subsequently retake the examination until thirty (30) calendar days have elapsed since the examination was last taken. The payment of all examination fees shall be by check, money order, or credit card. (b) Before taking the certification exam, the applicant must document one of the following: 1. Current or prior licensure as a certified operator or registered employee in Georgia in the category(ies) in which certification is sought. 2. A structural pest control applicator certification in another state in category(ies) equivalent to the Georgia category(ies) in which certification is sought. 3. Completion of seventy (70) hours of on-the-job experience under the constant personal supervision of a currently certified operator, certified registered employee, or registered employee in the category(ies) in which certification is sought, or another person whom the Commission has approved as competent to supervise such experience and ten (10) hours of classroom training approved by the Commission and presented by a currently certified operator or other person whom the Commission has determined to be competent to deliver training. Such documentation shall be on a form prescribed by the Commission. (c) Any person whose registration has previously been suspended or canceled for any reason other than failure to earn the required hours of training credit shall apply in person to the Commission before they may retake the examination. (d) Examinees shall demonstrate competency in the use and handling of pesticides as determined by an appropriate and written examination, covering standards set forth in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Paragraphs 171.103(c) and 171.103(d)(7), as applicable, by scoring a grade of at least seventy (70) percent on the General Examination. (e) A person who has passed the examination must apply for and complete the requirements for certification within ninety (90) days of the date they are notified of passing the examination(s), otherwise, reexamination will be required. (f) Notwithstanding the above subsections of this Rule 620-3-.01(4), a certified registered employee transferring their employment between licensees within the two-year certification period need not recomplete the certification requirements described in this Rule and may be recertified as a certified registered employee upon notification to the Commission and payment for a new registration card by their new employer. The fee for issuance of a new registration card will be ten (10) dollars. (5) All licenses shall be displayed in a conspicuous place in the licensed office and the duplicate in the sub-office. All operators and employees shall carry their certification and registration cards on their person at all times when they are soliciting or performing pest control. Cite as Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 620-3-.01
Authority: O.C.G.A. §§ 43-45-8, 43-45-9, 43-45-10.
History. Original Rule entitled "Certification Procedures and Qualifications" adopted. F. and eff. June 30, 1965.
Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Oct. 25, 1966; eff. Nov. 13, 1966.
Amended: F. Feb. 5, 1969; eff. Feb. 24, 1969.
Amended: F. Dec. 31, 1970; eff. Jan. 20, 1971.
Amended: ER. Rule 620-3-0.1-.01(5) was filed and effective on June 13, 1973, to remain in effect for 120 days or until the effective date of a permanent Rule covering the same subject matter is adopted, as specified by the Agency.
Amended: F. Jan. 10, 1974; eff. Jan. 30, 1974.
Amended: F. Jan. 23, 1979; eff. Feb. 12, 1979.
Amended: F. Dec. 21, 1981; eff. Jan. 10, 1982.
Repealed: New Rule entitled "Qualifications and Procedures" adopted. F. Feb. 14, 1985; eff. Mar. 6, 1985.
Amended: F. June 14, 1991; eff. July 4, 1991.
Amended: F. Mar. 17, 1995; eff. Apr. 6, 1995.
Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. June 4, 1997; eff. July 1, 1997, as specified by the Agency.
Amended: F. Oct. 3, 2000; eff. Nov. 1, 2000, as specified by the Agency.
Amended: F. Jan. 6, 2003; eff. Feb. 1, 2003, as specified by the Agency.
Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Feb. 27, 2007; eff. Mar. 19, 2007.
Amended: F. Mar. 11, 2014; eff. Mar. 31, 2014.
Amended: F. Mar. 19, 2026; eff. Apr. 8, 2026.