Study Guides

CEPEP’s Pesticide Applicator Study Guides provide information to prepare pesticide applicators to meet Colorado’s written test requirements. Individuals seeking to be licensed in Colorado must pass the General test and at least one category where they will be making pesticide applications.

The guides published by CEPEP are described below. Click on the title to order a copy from the National Pesticide Safety Education Center (NPSEC) online. To order multiple study guides, start at the NPSEC page here.

General Study Guide: (2006)
All individuals seeking a commercial pesticide applicator’s license must take the General test. When you order a General Study guide, you will also receive a copy of the “Colorado Pesticide Applicators’ Act” and the “Rules and Regulations Pertaining to the Administration and Enforcement of the Pesticide Applicators’ Act” so you can learn the laws governing pesticide use in Colorado.

Agricultural Insect Control, Category 101 (2006)
For individuals preparing to be licensed in the application of pesticides on agricultural plant, including applications performed on pastures, croplands and non-crop agricultural lands, to control invertebrate pests, including insects, mites, slugs, snails and nematodes.

 Agricultural Plant Disease Control, Category 102: (2013)
For individuals preparing to be licensed in the application of pesticides to agricultural plants, including applications performed on pastures, croplands and non-crop agricultural lands, to control plant diseases.

Agricultural Weed Control, Category 103: (2014)
For individuals preparing to be licensed in the application of pesticides to agricultural lands, including pastures, croplands and non-crop agricultural lands, to control weeds.

Agricultural Seed Treatment, Category 104: (1995)
For individuals preparing to be licensed in the application of pesticides to seeds.

Livestock Pest Control, Category 105: (1998)
For individuals preparing to be licensed in the application of pesticides to livestock.

Forest Pest Control, Category 106: (2005)
For individuals preparing to be licensed in the application of pesticides in forests, forest nurseries, forest seed producing areas managed for the production of timber and other forest products or maintained as wood vegetation for such indirect benefits as protection of catchment areas or public recreation, including windbreaks and downed timber. For applications in forested areas within fifty (50) feet of a residential or commercial structure, an applicator must also hold the ornamental pest control category in accordance with Part 9 of these rules and comply with all of the posting and notification requirements in section 35-10-112, C.R.S., of the Pesticide Applicators’ Act. This additional certification in the ornamental pest control category shall not apply to aerial applicators or ground applications made by federal, state, or local governments on property they own. This category does not apply to pesticide applications made to control vertebrate pests.

Rangeland Pest Control, Category 107: (2009)
For individuals preparing to be licensed in the application of pesticides to land which is not managed for turf, pasture or forest on which the vegetation is predominantly native plant species of introduced species managed as native species such as grasses, grass-like plants, forbs or shrubs. Rangelands include but are not limited to natural grasslands, shrublands, deserts, tundras, and meadows. For applications performed in rangeland areas within fifty (50) feet of a residential or commercial structure, an applicator must also hold the turf pest control category in accordance with Part 9 of these rules and comply with all of the posting and notification requirements in section 35-10-112, C.R.S., of the Pesticide Applicators’ Act. This additional certification in the ornamental pest control category shall not apply to aerial applicators or ground applications made by federal, state, or local governments on property they own. This category does not apply to pesticide applications made to control vertebrate pests.

Aquatic Pest Control, Category 108: (2011)
The application of pesticides to standing or running water when made to control aquatic weeds, amphibians, fish and other pests in water, except for pesticide applications which are included in the Public Health Category 110.

Industrial and Right of Way Weed Control, Category 109: (2006)
For individuals preparing to be licensed in the application of pesticides on right-of-way areas involved in common transport such as federal, state and county highways and roads; electric utility lines (including transformer stations and substations); roadside rest areas and parks; pipelines; equipment yards; railroads; public surface drainage ways; irrigation ditchbanks; and bicycle, bridle, and snowmobile trails.

Public Health Pest Control, Category 110: (2006)
For individuals preparing to be licensed in the application of pesticides in programs for large scale control of disease vectors except vertebrates.

Research & Demonstration, Category 111: (1994)
For individuals preparing to be licensed in the application of pesticides in the course of conducting field research or demonstration. No license or certification will be issued in this category unless the applicant also obtains licensing or certification, in the specific category listed in the Rules, which is appropriate to the research activity.

Metam Sodium for Sewer Root Control, Category 113: (2001)
For individuals preparing to be licensed in the application of metam sodium in sewers to control roots. For purposes of this sub-category, “sewer” shall mean any artificial conduit for the transmission of wastewater to a wastewater treatment plant.

Turf Pest Control, Category 206: (2015)
For individuals preparing to be licensed in the application of pesticides on turf grass for home lawns, institutional and industrial grounds golf courses, athletic fields, other recreational turf, parks, roadsides, airports, and cemeteries.

Ornamental Pest Control, Category 207: (2006)
For individuals preparing to be licensed in the application of pesticides to ornamental trees, shrubs, beds, flowers and other ornamental plants, except turf or indoor ornamental plants, to control invertebrate pests, including insects, mites, slugs, snails and nematodes, or to control plant diseases.

Wood Destroying Organism Pest Control, Category 301: (2015)
For individuals preparing to be licensed in the application of pesticides to control termites, carpenter ants, powder post beetles, fungi, and/or other wood destroying organisms in structures and/or adjacent outside areas.

Outdoor Vertebrate Pest Control, Category 302: (2008)
For individuals preparing to be licensed in the application of pesticides intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any reptile, bird, feral dogs and cats, moles, voles, bats, wild carnivores, rabbits, skunks, amphibian pests not in water and any other vertebrate pest, except rats and mice.

Fumigation, Category 303: (1993)
For individuals preparing to be licensed in the application of a fumigant to one or more rooms in a structure or to the entire structure at a desired concentration and for a length of time necessary for the control of rodents and/or insect pests, including the application of a fumigant to a localized space or harborage within a structure for local insect and/or rodent control.

Residential/Commercial Pest Control, Category 304: (2006)
For individuals preparing to be licensed in the application of pesticides, bait stations, or devices intended for use for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating structural pests, including without limitation insects and rodents.

Stored Commodities Treatment, Category 305: (2016)
For individuals preparing to be licensed in the application of pesticides for the treatment of pests in raw grain stored in facilities which are not used for animal or human habitation; the application of plant growth regulators to agricultural commodities stored in facilities which are not used for animal or human habitation; and the application of pesticides to commodity processing equipment or commodity storage facilities (not including offices or other structures).

Wood Preservation/Wood Treatment, Category 306: (1993)
For individuals preparing to be licensed in the application of pesticides to prevent, destroy, repel or mitigate pests in wood or wood products which are, or are capable of being, incorporated into a structure, not including downed timber prior to bark removal or sawing.

Interior Plantscape Pest Control: Category 307: (2006)
For individuals preparing to be licensed in the application of pesticides to house plants and other indoor ornamental plants kept or located within structures occupied by humans, including, but not limited to houses, apartments, offices, shopping malls, other places of business and other dwelling places.

Post Harvest Potato Pest Control, Category 308: (2015)
For individuals preparing to be licensed in the application of pesticides for the treatment of pests in raw potatoes stored in facilities which are not used for animal or human habitation; the application of plant growth regulators to potatoes stored in facilities which are not used for animal or human habitation; and the application of pesticides to potato processing equipment or potato storage facilities (not including offices or other structures).