Oregon pest control licensing at a glance
Agency
Oregon Dept. of Agriculture
Operator (business)
$90
+$15 per extra category
Applicator
$50
+$7.50 per extra category
Exam
$58
70% to pass
License types and fees
| License | Who needs it | Key requirements | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Pesticide Operator (CPO) | Business (incl. non-profits and tribal business entities) that applies pesticides to the land or property of others or employs licensed commercial applicators | No exam; certificate of insurance or copy of policy; must employ at least one licensed Commercial Pesticide Applicator (sole proprietor or at least one partner must be licensed CPA); annual license Jan 1 - Dec 31 | $90 base (first license category) + $15 each additional category, new or renewal; $20 each category added to active license (form updated 2/24) |
| Commercial Pesticide Applicator (CPA) | Individual who applies or supervises application of any pesticide on someone else's property (also RUPs or any pesticide on a school campus) | Minimum age 18; pass Laws & Safety exam plus at least one category exam; must be employed by a licensed Commercial Pesticide Operator; may supervise Apprentices and Immediately Supervised Trainees | $50 base (first category) + $7.50 each additional category, new or renewal; $12.50 per category added (form updated 2/24) |
| Pesticide Apprentice | Individual applying pesticides under supervision of a licensed commercial/public applicator who is reasonably available (phone/radio) but not on site | Minimum age 18; pass Laws & Safety exam only; cannot purchase RUPs; not a 'certified' applicator; renew by retaking exam or earning 8 credits (4 core) per license period | $50/year |
| Immediately Supervised Trainee | Individual applying under a supervisor physically on site and available at point of use within five minutes | No exam required; minimum age 18 | None stated |
License categories
- Industrial, Institutional, Health & Structural (IIHS) - subcategories: General Pest, Moss Control, Space Fumigation, Structural Pest, Wood Treatment
- Public Health
- School Integrated Pest Management
- Ornamental and Turf (Herbicide; Insecticide/Fungicide)
- Agriculture - Vertebrate Pest subcategory
Exams
- Vendor: Metro Institute
- Format: Closed-book, computer-based, multiple choice; 2-hour blocks by default; testing centers across Oregon (Bend, Eugene, Portland, Salem, others) plus Phoenix, AZ
- Exam fee: $58 per exam per attempt
- Passing score: 70%
- Min age: 18
Business license and insurance
Business license
- Requirement: Commercial Pesticide Operator license required for any business applying pesticides to others’ property; must employ at least one licensed CPA and file proof of insurance
- Fee: $90 + $15 per additional major license category (annual)
Insurance / bond
- Requirement: Public liability policy (or cash deposit, surety bond or other acceptable financial responsibility) of not less than $25,000 bodily injury and $25,000 property damage (ORS 634.116(6)). For structural pest control and pest control in food-service or housing settings, coverage must also apply to the property being worked on (ORS 634.116(5)(b)). Insurer must give ODA 30 days’ notice of cancellation; lapse = automatic license suspension.
- Bodily injury: $25,000
- Property damage: $25,000
Renewal and continuing education
- Operator: Annual (January 1 - December 31)
- Applicator: Annual license, expires December 31; 5-year certification period
- Apprentice: Annual
- Continuing education:
- Commercial applicator: 40 credit hours per 5-year certification period, max 15 per year
- Apprentice: 8 credit hours each licensing period, 4 from core
- Note: Insufficient credits requires retaking exams
Application recordkeeping
- Retention years: 3
- Required elements:
- Firm or person for whom application was made
- Address/geographic description of application site and size of area treated
- Date and approximate time of application
- Pesticide supplier
- Trade name and strength of pesticide applied, incl. EPA registration number
- Concentration/amount applied
- Crop or property treated
- Summary of apparatus used (FAA number for aircraft)
- Full name and license number of applicator(s), apprentice(s) and/or trainee(s)
Free log with these fields: pesticide application record template.
Worth knowing
- Oregon’s operator insurance minimum is low ($25,000 BI / $25,000 PD), but for structural pest control the coverage must extend to the property being worked on - normally excluded for other operators.
- If a CPO’s insurance lapses, the license is automatically suspended until ODA re-verifies coverage; insurers must give 30 days’ notice before cancelling.
- Applicants who pass exams Nov 17 - Dec 31 get a license effective Jan 1, preserving a full five-year certification period.
- Oregon has an ‘Immediately Supervised Trainee’ tier requiring no exam, but the supervisor must be on site and reachable at the point of use within five minutes.
Official links
Law: ORS Chapter 634 (Pesticide Control), incl. ORS 634.116 (operator financial responsibility); OAR Chapter 603, Division 57 (incl. OAR 603-057-0102)
Last verified 2026-09-23 against Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), Pesticides Program and the official sources listed below. Fees and rules change - confirm with the agency before you apply. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Licensed and running a route?
PestRouteDesk (in development) keeps state-ready chemical application records, recurring routes and billing for 1-5 tech shops. Founding members lock $49/mo.
Frequently asked questions
What license category covers pest control in Oregon?
Industrial, Institutional, Health & Structural (IIHS), with subcategories including General Pest and Structural Pest.
How many CE credits does Oregon require?
Commercial applicators need 40 credit hours per 5-year certification period, with a maximum of 15 per year.
Where can I verify Oregon pest control license requirements?
Directly with Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), Pesticides Program - see the official links on this page. We last checked on 2026-09-23.
Sources
- ODA Explore Licensing Requirements (accessed 2026-09-23)
- Commercial Pesticide Operator Application (PDF) (accessed 2026-09-23)
- Oregon - CommercialPesticideApplicatorApp (oregon.gov) (accessed 2026-09-23)
- Oregon - PesticideApprenticeLicenseApp (oregon.gov) (accessed 2026-09-23)
- ODA Pesticide Exams (Metro Institute) (accessed 2026-09-23)
- ODA How to Get a Pesticide License (accessed 2026-09-23)
- Oregon - 557 (apps.oregon.gov) (accessed 2026-09-23)
- ODA Renewal and Recertification (accessed 2026-09-23)
- ODA Record Keeping (accessed 2026-09-23)