By: Siavash Taravati, Ph.D.
First published: 26 Sep 2019
Are you planning to become licensed in structural pest control or help your technician in getting licensed? California Structural Pest Control Board (SPCB hereafter) governs licensing of individuals and businesses involved in structural pest control. In this article, you can find a summary of general licensing requirements for each SPCB license category.
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General requirements for all license types:
- Age requirement: 18 or over
Applicator’s license
- Must pass SPCB’s written examination in Branch 2 or 3 (There is no Applicator’s license for Branch 1)
Field Representative:
- Must provide:
- The length of time during which the applicant has engaged in any work relating to pest control
- However, there is no requirement to hold an Applicator license prior to your Field Representative license
- Experience:
- Branch 1:
- Six months’ training and experience in the practice of fumigating with poisonous or lethal gases under the immediate supervision of an individual licensed to practice fumigating OR the equivalent of that training and experience
- Branch 2:
- Must provide satisfactory proof to the board that he or she has had training and experience in the practice of pesticide application, Branch 2 pest identification and biology, pesticide application equipment, and pesticide hazards and safety practice under the immediate supervision of an operator or field representative licensed in Branch 2 OR the equivalent of that training and experience
- Branch 3:
- Must provide satisfactory proof to the board that he or she has had training and experience in the practice of pesticide application, Branch 3 pest identification and biology, pesticide application equipment, pesticide hazards and safety practices, structural repairs, and structural inspection procedures and report writing under the immediate supervision of an operator or field representative licensed in Branch 3, OR the equivalent of that training and experience.
- Branch 1:
- Must pass SPCB’s written examination
Operator’s license:
- Proof of satisfactory experience in each branch as mentioned below:
- Branch 1: 2 years of experience
- Branch 2: 2 years of experience
- Branch 3: 4 years of experience
- Proof of experience as a field representative
- Branch 1 & 2: 1 years of experience
- Branch 3: 2 years of experience
- OR: has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the board that he or she has the equivalent of that training and experience
- Must pass the following SPCB-approved courses:
- Branch 1:
- (1) Pesticides.
- (2) Pest identification and biology.
- (3) Contract law.
- (4) Rules and regulations.
- (5) Business practices.
- (6) Fumigation safety
- Branch 2:
- (1) Pesticides.
- (2) Pest identification and biology.
- (3) Contract law.
- (4) Rules and regulations.
- (5) Business practices.
- Branch 3:
- (1) Pesticides.
- (2) Pest identification and biology.
- (3) Contract law.
- (4) Rules and regulations.
- (5) Business practices.
- (6) Construction repair and preservation techniques.
- Branch 1:
- Must pass SPCB’s written examination
References:
2015 (Nov). STATE OF CALIFORNIA – DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS – STRUCTURAL PEST CONTROL ACT – BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE AND RULES AND REGULATIONS – DIVISION 3 – CHAPTER 14 STRUCTURAL PEST CONTROL OPERATORS
