Fumigation Laws in Florida.docx.pptx

1. Fumigation Licensing & Laws in Florida
STRUCTURAL PEST CONTROL, PEST CONTROL LIMITED CERTIFICATIONS and COMMERCIAL LAWN &
ORNAMENTAL PEST CONTROL
(Chapter 482, Florida Statutes)
Under this Florida Statute, all persons who apply any pesticide (either restricted use or general use)
inside or to any part of a building or structure, or to ornamentals or turf associated with a building,
including lawns and plant beds, must have a pesticide applicator certification issued by the Bureau of
Licensing and Enforcement. (General Use pesticide applications made by a person to the individual's own
residence or yard are exempt from this requirement.)
PEST CONTROL PURPOSES: Chapter 482, F.S., “Structural Pest Control Act,” administered by the Bureau,
regulates the application of both restricted use and unclassified (general use) pesticides for commercial
pest control purposes. Types of pest control regulated under this law include structural fumigation,
general household pest control, termite and other wood destroying organisms control, lawn and
ornamental pest control and perimeter mosquito control treatments.
Commercial Structural Pest Control License Qualifications
For structural pest control (pest control provided to homes or other structures), Florida law requires that
each pest control business location must:
1. Be licensed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS),
2. Carry the required insurance coverage ($250,000 per person and $500,000 per occurrence for
bodily injury and $250,000 per occurrence and $500,000 in the aggregate for property damage,
or a combined single limit coverage of $500,000 in the aggregate), and
3. Employ full-time a Florida-certified operator in charge of the pest control operations of the
business location. This operator must be certified in the categories in which the business
operates:
A. General Household Pest and Rodent Control,
B. Termite and Other Wood-Destroying Organisms Control,
C. Lawn and Ornamental Pest Control, and/or
D. Fumigation.
As you see above structural fumigation is covered under Chapter 482 Florida Statutes. To be able to
perform fumigations in Florida a company must have a pest control license issued by the Florida
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Otherwise known as FDACS. FDACS is in charge of
enforcement of pesticide and Fumigation laws in Florida. A fumigation company must have a
Certificated Operator in the FUM (Fumigation) category.

2. Experience and/or Education Required Take the Commercial
Fumigation Exam (To Become a Certified Operator)
You can qualify to take the certification examination by experience or by education plus experience.
Experience
To qualify by experience, you must be able to document:
A high school education or equivalency and
Three years of experience as a service employee of a licensee that performs pest control in any
category or categories in which you are seeking certification. At least one of these years must
have been under a licensee in Florida and must immediately precede your application for
examination.
Education
To qualify through education, you must be able to document:
❖ A degree and 20 semester hours or 30 quarter hours in entomology, botany, agronomy or
horticulture from a recognized college or university. (You may also qualify without a degree,
provided you have 24 semester hours or 36 quarter hours advanced training in entomology,
botany, agronomy or horticulture.)
❖ One year of experience as a service employee of a Florida licensee that performs pest
control in any category or categories in which you are seeking certification.
Note: If your education is in entomology, you are qualified for examination in all categories. If your
education is in horticulture, botany or agronomy, you are qualified for examination only in the category
of Lawn and Ornamental Pest Control.
The Commercial Fumigation Exam
The Commercial Fumigation exam covers the following topics:
Practical knowledge of relevant pest life cycles; damage caused; identification by accepted common
names; precautions necessary and required by law; good industry practice for the safeguard of life,
health and property in the conduct of pest control; building construction terminology; accepted good
industry methods and practices founded on recognized publications of the industry; the safe handling
and application of fumigant pesticides, including toxicology of fumigants; dispersion properties of
gaseous chemicals; equipment types and calibration techniques for fumigation; purpose, proper use, and
maintenance of fumigant detection and monitoring devices; purpose, proper use, and maintenance of
personal protective equipment and clothing; specific factors that may lead to a hazardous condition,
including handling of pressurized chemicals and continuous exposure to fumigants; and laws, regulations

3. and labeling pertaining to fumigant registration and label clearance for specific intended uses and proper
utilization of each fumigant.
5E-14.136. Fumigation Special Identification Card Examination, Renewal Fees,
Forms, and Duties
Effective on Sunday, August 8, 2021
● (1) The examination fee for each fumigation special identification card and for
subsequent renewals there of shall be $100.
(2) An applicant shall apply for examination by completing the application process online
at https://www.FDACS.gov or submit the examination fee with the Pest Control Examination
Application FDACS-13607, Rev, 07/21, as referenced in paragraph 5E-14.117(1)(a), F.A.C., as
instructed on the form.
(3)Annually, the department shall mail the Renewal Notice Special Fumigation Identification
Card, FDACS-13641, Rev. 10/15, which is hereby adopted and incorporated by reference and
available online at https://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-07327, to the
pest control operator’s last known address filed with the department by the Special
Fumigation Identification Card holder. Not less than 60 days prior to the expiration of a
certificate, a final renewal notice shall be mailed to each Special Identification Card holder
who has not renewed his special identification card. These notifications shall be the only
notice of renewal issued by the department.
(a)Upon receipt of the renewal form referenced above in subsection (3), a cardholder
may renew his or her certificate annually by completing the renewal application process
online at: https://www.FDACS.gov or submitting the renewal fee as referenced above in
subsection (1), with the Renewal Notice Special Fumigation Identification Card,
FDACS-13641, Rev. 10/15, to address as instructed on the form.
(b)After a grace period of 30 calendar days following the anniversary date of each year,
there shall be a late renewal charge of $25, which shall be assessed and paid in addition
to the renewal fee.
(c)Unless timely renewed, each special identification card shall automatically expire 180
calendar days after the renewal date. Subsequent to such expiration, a special-
identification card may be issued only upon successful reexamination and upon
payment of examination and issuance fees due, as provided by this rule.
(3) Each special identification cardholder shall notify the department in writing within ten
(10) days of any change of his employment status or mailing address.
(5) No person shall use a special identification card in any category for which the certified
operator in the charge of the pest control activities of the licensee is not properly certified.

4. (6)While performing pest control duties a special identification cardholder shall carry on his
person a special identification card issued by the department.
(7)A special identification cardholder shall always perform his functions under the direction
and supervision of his certified operator. No special identification cardholder shall perform
any pest control work independently of or without the knowledge and direction of his
certified operator.
CHAPTER 487, F.S., RECERTIFICATION AND LICENSE RENEWAL
What is Recertification?
Recertification is a demonstration of continued competency in the safe and proper use of pesticides,
which is required before a license can be renewed. Recertification may be accomplished by either
retaking the certification examinations or accumulating a specified number of Continuing Education
Units (CEUs) during the license period.
Applicators may choose to renew some categories by exams and other categories by CEUs. However,
reexamination is required if the license has been revoked or suspended for six months or longer or it is
deemed by the Department that new information concerning pesticide use, application techniques, or
impact on health or the environment makes reexamination essential for continued certification.
Recertification by Exam
Applicators have the option of taking the certification exams again to become recertified for license
renewal. The exams required for recertification are the same exams required for initial certification.
Recertification exams should be scheduled following the same procedures used for initial certification.
For more information, see the above section on procedures for obtaining a license.
Recertification by CEUs
Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are earned by attending professional meetings or seminars or
completing online or correspondence courses that have been approved by FDACS to grant CEUs for
license renewal. An expired license can be renewed for up to one year after expiration using either
exams or CEUs. See Chart at the end of this course for the number of CEUs required to renew your
license.
Private Applicator CEUs
Private applicators renewing with CEUs must earn 4 core CEUs plus 4 private applicator agricultural CEUs,
for a total of 8 CEUs. Private applicators have the option of retaking the core exam instead of earning 4
core CEUs. Private applicators also have the option of retaking the private applicator exam instead of
earning 4 private applicator category CEUs.

5. Commercial and Public Applicator CEUs
Commercial and public applicators renewing with CEUs must earn 4 core CEUs per person plus the
required number of CEUs for each category to be renewed. The CEU requirements for each category are
given in Table 2. Commercial and public applicators also have the option of renewing some categories (or
core) with CEUs and other categories (or core) by retaking the exams.
CHAPTER 487, F.S., LICENSE RENEWAL
In accordance with Section 482.111(3) and (4), Florida Statutes, your pest control operator certificate
renews annually on June 1. After a grace period not exceeding 30 calendar days following the
anniversary renewal date, a late renewal charge of $50 shall be assessed and must be paid in addition to
the renewal fee. Unless timely renewed, a certificate automatically expires 180 calendar days after the
anniversary renewal date. Subsequent to such expiration, a certificate may be issued only upon
successful re-examination and upon payment of the examination fee due.
IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS FOR RENEWAL BY COUPON:
Electronic renewal of your certificate is available at this URL: https://AESEComm.FDACS.gov Renewing via
the website is CONDITIONAL based upon you supplying your Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
attendance verification forms to the Bureau for verification and completion of the renewal process.
Licenses should be renewed on or before the license expiration date. Applicators renewing after the
expiration date must not purchase or use restricted use pesticides while the license is expired.
Applicators will be required to affirm on the renewal notice that restricted use pesticides have not been
purchased or used since the license expired.
Licenses can be renewed up to 60 days after the expiration date without incurring any late fees.
However, a $50 late fee is required if a license is renewed more than 60 days after it has expired. If a
license has been expired for one year or longer, the license may not be renewed. The individual must
retake the certification examinations and get a new license.
RENEWAL NOTICES: FDACS sends renewal notices to all licensees approximately 60 days before license
expiration date. It is the applicator's responsibility to renew the license in a timely manner and maintain
a valid license as required for the pesticide applications made.
CHANGE OF MAILING ADDRESS: It is the licensee's responsibility to notify FDACS in writing of any change
in mailing address or other personal information on file. To change mailing address or personal
information, please refer to page 8 of this manual under UPDATING LICENSE FILE INFORMATION.

6. Chart Showing the Process, Fees and CEU Requirements for a Florida
Fumigation License
You have reached the end of the course. Please take the required exam to receive CEUs.