Who is treating my home and yard? CT Pesticide Applicator Laws

In Connecticut there are two levels of certification for anyone applying pesticides in CT. Those two levels are Operators and Supervisors.

Operators must take a single 50 question exam, and if they pass they can make pesticide applications under the supervision of a supervisor. Operators cannot purchase restricted use chemicals and can not themselves offer pesticide services for hire. Attached is a link to the Manual For Pesticide Operator’s Certification published by the CT Department of Energy & Environmental Protection. If you take a minute to browse through it, you will notice that there is very little pest specific information required to be an Operator.

Supervisors must sit for written exams in different areas of certification. The written exams average around 150 questions, and most of the questions are multiple choice with multiple possible right answers. These exams are VERY challenging and require a thorough knowledge of the pests and pesticides used to treat them, and best course of action to take when managing different pests and situations. In addition to the written exams, there are oral exams which are administered by one representative of the State, and one or more professional pest managers. Passing the written and oral exams is compulsory to becoming a Supervisor in each of the the categories being tested for.

The list of different levels of Supervisory Categories, which was taken from the DEEP website, can be found at the end of this blog. As a residential and commercial pest management company, the PesTecs Supervisor is certified in Ornamental and Turf, General Pest, Rodent Control, and Mosquito and Biting Flies. These exams cover most of what the average homeowner and business owner will be confronted with.

A Supervisors can open a pest management business, and purchase restricted use chemicals. Supervisors can also dispatch Operators with written instructions to perform pest management services for clients so long as the manager is reachable, and can be at the site of application in one hour in case of a problem.

There is no requirement that a Supervisor meet with, or even speak to a client, about their pest problems.

However, at PesTecs, your specific situation is more than just your address and payment method. That’s why before making any chemical treatment to your home or yard, we insist that PesTecs supervisor meet with you to discuss the context and review the recommended treatment plan and provide you with other available options.

You can click the exam categories below to be taken to information on each of the different categories.

Name of Exam	Exam Categories
Agricultural Pest Control	Plant
Aquatic Pest Control	Aquatic Pest Control
Custom Ground Pest Control	Ornamental and Turf Golf Course Superintendent Interior Plantscape Arborist
Demonstration and Research
Forest Pest Control
Industrial, Institutional and Structural Pest Control	General Pest Control Termite and Wood Destroying Organisms Fumigation Structural Soil Pipe Rodent Control Bird Control Mosquitoes and Biting Flies Wood Preservation Cooling Tower
Public Health
Regulatory	Right of Way