Do I Need a Certificate?

Residential Applicator Certificate

  • Pesticide use is regulated by federal and provincial laws, and also municipal by-laws.
  • You may require a licence or certificate if you are applying a pesticide to a private residential landscaped area in BC.

The Residential Applicator Certificate (RAC) is designed for homeowners who wish to apply pesticides to landscaped areas on their residential properties. (Application of pesticides to commercial or public areas requires a professional licence, contact the Ministry of Environment for information on pesticide licensing.)

Contributing factors for whether you can apply pesticides and need the RAC:

  • Your municipality's bylaws around the use of pesticides. Municipal bylaws regulate the use of all pesticides within their area. Check your local bylaws before considering any pesticide.
  • The area you want to treat.
    • The RAC is for treating:
      • residential lawns
      • ornamental (non-fruit) trees
      • ornamental garden plants (shrubs, flowers)
      • driveways, pathways, sidewalks and patios that are part of landscaped areas
    • It is not required for treatment on:
      • vegetable gardens
      • fruit-bearing trees/shrubs (for human consumption)
      • structures (house or outbuildings)
      • plants that are poisonous to human touch (e.g. poison oak, poison ivy or poison sumac) or are invasive plants/noxious weeds or weeds in cracks in driveways, sidewalks and patios (hard surfaces such as asphalt or concrete) treated with domestic glyphosate. See the FAQ to find out which plants are classified as invasive or noxious.
  • The type of pesticide. The Ministry of Environment has a list of active ingredients in domestic pesticides that do not require the RAC.

Domestic Pesticides Not Requiring a RAC (PDF)

You will not require a certificate or licence to purchase common pesticides for use on ornamental trees and lawns. But you may need to have your certificate to use a Domestic class pesticide. Provincial compliance officers can ask to see your certificate.

Do I need a certificate? is a quick way to determine if you need the RAC.

Explore all the areas of this website for everything you need to know before you make an application. When you are ready, you can take the exam to obtain your Residential Applicator Certificate.

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