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United States · Certification exam

Nebraska pesticide applicator license

Commercial and noncommercial applicators pass a General Standards (core) exam and at least one category exam. The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) then issues a pesticide applicator license in Nebraska that lasts three years. Farmers who need a private license can qualify through University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Extension training instead of an exam.

  • 60Questions on the core exam
  • 70%Score to pass each exam
  • April 15, third yearWhen a license expires
See the testing schedule

Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

Nebraska license types

  • Private: restricted use pesticides in the production of an agricultural commodity.
  • Commercial: restricted use pesticides on the land of another for hire, plus for-hire structural or lawn care work with any pesticide.
  • Noncommercial: restricted use pesticides on your employer’s property, not for hire, and community outdoor vector control.

Chemigation and mix/load facilities are regulated by the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment (NDWEE), not NDA.

Nebraska license fees

License, 3 yearsFee
Private$25
Commercial$90
NoncommercialNo fee

How do you take the exam for a pesticide applicator license in Nebraska?

  • Walk in to an NDA testing session at an extension office, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., on the dates in NDA’s schedule.
  • Book selected exams at a Pearson VUE center. NDA doesn’t charge for this, but Pearson VUE charges $55 an exam.
  • Take a University of Nebraska (UNL) initial training session that ends with the exams.

Study materials aren’t allowed in the exam. The exams aren’t timed, but NDA suggests allowing about one minute a question, and they’re given in English only.

Pearson VUE: Nebraska agriculture exams ↗

Private applicators

A private license can come from an extension training session, self-study or an NDA exam. UNL runs an online self-study program for private applicators that’s open all year. You recertify once every three years.

UNL: Private applicator training and certification ↗

Categories and renewal

Nebraska has 14 categories and four subcategories, from Ag Plant and Soil Fumigation to Structural Health, Wood Destroying Organism, Aerial and Wildlife Damage. Licenses expire April 15 of the third year after you got or renewed them. Commercial applicators renew by retesting or by attending a UNL commercial training program for each category, in person or online. UNL says its 2027 online recertification program opens January 1, 2027.

UNL sells the manuals in print or as digital flipbooks.

UNL: Commercial and noncommercial study materials ↗UNL: Commercial applicator training and certification ↗
Sources: NDA · UNL Pesticide Safety Education and 4 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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