Section: Licensing & Certification
Subject: Texas Team Member Licensing
Approved by: Tony Massey
Effective Date: 1 April 2017
Last Reviewed Date: 29 January 2025
Policy Owner: Director Learning & Development
Policy #
Purpose
To provide for the maximum level of operational integrity and to comply with Chapter 1951 of the Texas Occupational Code and Title 4, Chapter 7 of the Texas Administrative Code (TAC)
General Manager / Certified Applicator in Charge Responsibility: #
The General Manager/Certified Applicator in Charge is to ensure all team members who provide service or sell pest control services obtain and maintain licenses as outlined by Texas Administrative Code, Rule §7.121. This is to include the following:
- Service Technicians
- Inspectors
- Account Managers
- Managers in training
- Service Managers
- General Managers
- Quality Assurance Managers
- Division Managers
- Regional Managers
Licensing Process #
Texas Administrative Code defines the licensing types as follows:
- Apprentice – A person, who is registered by a business or noncommercial entity to train for a technician license, has not passed the technician examination and who performs pest control services under the direct supervision of a licensed technician or a certified applicator. An apprentice may work only for the business or noncommercial entity for which they are registered.
- Technician – A person licensed in category who performs pest control services under the direct supervision of a commercial or noncommercial certified applicator. A technician must be licensed for every business or noncommercial entity for which the technician is employed but is not required to hold a separate license for branch offices of an employer.
Apprentice Licensing Process #
An apprentice is a beginning employee; whose training program is the responsibility of the responsible certified applicator and who may be trained by and work under the direct supervision of licensed applicators and technicians. An apprentice card will be issued by the department for one (1) year from the date employment began when all of the above requirements are met and processed. The apprentice must then complete the process to become a licensed technician before the apprenticeship license expires.
General Manager Duties #
The general manager will:
- On the team member’s first day of employment, the General Manager will ensure the team member completes the online course “LIC 1000- TX Licensing Application.” This course is included in all non-administrative role initial training programs.
- If a team member holding an apprentice license transfers to a new service center, the manager must complete and forward a new apprentice application. Prior completed training will not carry forward and must be repeated.
- The team member must attend the next scheduled Pest Basic Training Day 1. This course meets the training requirements to apply for the Registered Technician license.
- Upon completion of Pest Basic Training day 1, apply for the team member to take the Registered Technician License exam.
- Exams are scheduled and fees paid directly to the testing provider.
- Complete SPT-420 application and email to eligibility@texasagriculture.gov. No fees are required to apply.
- Once processed, TDA will send correspondence giving instructions on scheduling the exam.
All team members must complete this process within 90 days of hire. If this is not completed within 12 months, the team member must re-apprentice, be pulled from the field, and repeat all training requirements. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action from TDA and/or the company.
Learning & Development Duties #
Learning & Development will:
- Upon notification of hire, enter the team member into LicenseHQ and assign an apprentice license with a “need” status.
- Upon notification of completion of the course LIC 1000- TX Licensing Application or receipt of an application, apply for the apprentice license through the state’s online application portal.
- Update the LicenseHQ license status to “new filing submitted.”
- The processing fee will be paid by department credit card.
- Upon receipt of the new apprentice license:
- Enter the status as “pending basic”
- Set the expiration 90 days from entry date.
- forward a copy to the service center for disbursement.
- Update the LicenseHQ license with the license number and expiration date.
- Attach a pdf copy of the license to the LicenseHQ record.
- Create in LicenseHQ a registered technician license entry.
- Once the team member has completed Pest Basic Training Day 1, update the license status to “pending exam.”
- Upon receipt of the Registered Technician License, in LicenseHQ:
- Update the license number and expiration date.
- Deactivate the apprentice license.
Learning & Development will provide a monthly report showing all current apprentice statuses.
Required Training #
The team member must then complete the initial training program appropriate to their role, and meet the state minimum training requirements, Rule §7.133 (h). Failure to apply for apprenticeship and/or complete the minimum training requirements may result in disciplinary action and/or financial penalty.
- 20 hours of classroom training in the general standards with at least two hours in each of the following subjects:
- Federal and state laws that regulate the industry
- Recognition of pests and pest damage
- Pesticide labels and label comprehension
- Pesticide safety
- Environmental protection
- Application equipment and techniques
- Pesticide formulations and actions
- Emergency procedures and pesticide cleanup, and procedures for immediate reporting of spills and misapplications
- Basic principles of mathematics, chemistry, toxicology and entomology
- Non-chemical pest control techniques, including biological, mechanical, and prevention techniques.
- 8 hours of classroom training in each category seeking licensure.
- 40 hours of on-the-job training in each category seeking licensure.
Subject specific training is provided via Univar’s Master Technician Training; details on how to do so are available here[1]. All training will be tracked using the Texas Verifiable Training form, with a copy kept in the service center training file.
Technician Licensing Process #
An apprentice becomes a licensed technician by;
- completing a department approved technician training course in general training at least one time prior to taking the examination.
- making a passing grade on the technician examination.
General Manager/Certified Applicator Duties #
The General Manager/Certified Applicator will ensure:
- all apprenticed team members complete the required training course and pass the technician license examination within 90 days of hire.
- Apprentices who have not scheduled their technician exam within six months of employment will be pulled from the field and team member CRM access will be removed. Access will be reinstated once the exam is scheduled.
- All licensed technicians complete eight (8) hours of verifiable training for the preceding calendar year running from January 1 to December 31 preceding the renewal date except that no additional training will be required in the first calendar year in which a technician is first licensed. This certification must be verified upon each annual renewal of the technician license.
- Upon termination of employment, submit a fully executed SPC-003 form to Learning & Development. This ensures compliance with the state’s ten-day notification requirement; Texas Administrative Code §7.142.
- Failure to provide this form may result in regulatory action by the Texas Department of Agriculture. If fines are imposed, the General Manager may be personally responsible for these fines.
Learning & Development Duties #
The Learning & Development department will:
- Submit all licensing forms.
- Provide operations management monthly reports identifying Apprentices requiring testing and those at risk of having CRM access removed.
- Renew registered technicians with their service center renewal.