Important notice - online applications

New online users are strongly encouraged to login through Public Secure to submit their pesticide licence applications to the ministry.

If you have questions, you can contact the Client Services and Permissions Branch by phone at 416-314-8001 or 1-800-461-6290, or by e-mail at enviropermissions@ontario.ca.

Overview

The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks regulates the sale, storage, use, transportation and disposal of pesticides in Ontario. Ontario regulates pesticides by placing appropriate education, licensing and/or permit requirements on their use under the Pesticides Act and Ontario Regulation 63/09 (O. Reg. 63/09).

  • You need to apply online for a pesticide licence in Ontario.
  • If you do not have an online account for environmental permissions, follow the steps to Set up a Public Secure and ministry account.
  • Applications for pesticide permits will continue to be processed by ministry regional offices.

Pesticides must be registered under the federal Pest Control Products Act before they can be sold or used in Ontario.

The class of pesticides determines:

  • who can sell or use the pesticide products
  • what restrictions are placed on its use (e.g. requires a licence and/or permit)

Under the Pesticides Act, there are three types of pesticide licences in Ontario:

You or your business may require more than one type of pesticide licence, depending on your activity.

Permits are required to use pesticides that may pose a higher risk to human and environmental health, or when you apply pesticides to water, or apply certain pesticides by air.

Pesticide permits are processed by ministry regional offices.

Certain rules, including the storage and transportation of pesticides, reporting requirements, and conditions relating to exterminations must be followed. For more information, consult:

Source law

Exterminator licence

You need a pesticide exterminator licence to apply pesticides commercially on any property that you or your employer do not own or farm.

The exterminator licence you require depends on the type of extermination you are doing.

Each class of Exterminator licence authorizes the use, and conditions of use, for specific classes of pesticides for the corresponding type of extermination.

The fee for an exterminator licence is $90.

Exterminator licences are valid for 5 years from the date of issue.

Qualifications

To apply for an exterminator licence, you must:

  • be at least 16 years old
  • complete and pass a ministry approved pesticide certification course within the last 12 months

For more information on training courses for exterminators, refer to Ontario Pesticide Training and Certification.

University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus
Toll-free: 1-888-620-9999
Email: rcoptc@uoguelph.ca
Website: www.ontariopesticide.com

The course requirement does not apply in certain circumstances, for example, if you are:

  • exempt from requiring a licence
  • renewing an existing licence or
  • if you are applying for a licence of the same class within two years of its expiry

Note: An exterminator licence is not required under certain conditions. For exemptions, consult O. Reg. 63/09.

For more information, refer to the Guide to Pesticide Licensing, Exterminator licences.

Apply for an exterminator licence

  • Log into Public Secure to create or access your ministry account
  • If you do not already have a ministry client account, follow the steps to Create a ministry client account for an individual
  • Provide your employer information (if applicable)
  • Provide proof of pesticide certification (for new applications only)
  • Pay the application fee by credit card or debit (Visa, Mastercard or Interac Debit only)
  • You will receive an email confirmation and an electronic copy of your pesticide licence

Exterminators (applicators) from outside of Ontario

If you are already licensed in another province or territory, you need to become licensed in Ontario before you can commercially apply pesticides in Ontario.

If you hold an exterminator or applicator licence or certificate from outside Ontario, your out-of-province licence or certificate may be considered equivalent to an Ontario exterminator licence. As such, exterminator training in Ontario may not be required.

You will be required to apply for equivalency through the ministry’s online system. Refer to Apply for an exterminator licence.

For more information about pesticide licence equivalency in Ontario, contact the Technical Assessment and Standards Development Branch (TASDB) at  416-327-5519  or by email at SDB-PesticideApproval@ontario.ca.

Note: If you have an out-of-province licence that is considered equivalent to an Ontario exterminator licence, then your Ontario licence will be pro-rated to the date that your current licence expires. [see O. Reg. 230/18]

Trainees and Technicians

Technician

A "technician" is a person who is at least 16 years of age and:

  1. has successfully completed, within the previous 24 months, a course approved by the Director for technicians concerning basic pesticide safety, or
  2. has satisfied the Director that he or she has equivalent qualifications to the qualifications described in clause (a) above.

Trainee

A trainee is a person, other than a technician or licensed exterminator, who is at least 16 years of age and who performs exterminations or assists in the performance of exterminations under the supervision of a licensed exterminator. A trainee requires direct supervision by a licensed exterminator at all times.

For more information on pesticide training courses for technicians, contact:

University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus
1-888-620-9999
Ontario Pesticide Website

Pesticide Industry Council
1-800-265-5656
Pesticide Industry Council Website

Pesticide Industry Regulatory Council
1-800-615-9813
Pesticide Industry Regulatory Council Website

If you hire technicians, trainees, or exterminator licence holders of a class other than the class that authorizes the extermination being performed, there are certain rules which apply. Consult O. Reg. 63/09 for details of the requirements.

Operator licence

You require a pesticide operator licence, if you:

  • operate a pesticide extermination business in Ontario
  • employ people who apply pesticides commercially

The fee for an operator licence is $200.

Operator licences expire annually on December 31.

Qualifications

To apply for an operator licence, you must:

  • be a licensed exterminator or hire employees that are licensed exterminators
  • carry appropriate insurance for the pesticide business

Note: An operator licence is not required under certain conditions. For exemptions, consult O. Reg. 63/09.

For more information, refer to the Guide to Pesticide Licensing, Operator licences.

Apply for an operator licence

  • Log into Public Secure to create or access your ministry account
  • If you do not already have a ministry client account, follow the steps to Create a ministry client account for a business
  • Provide a copy of the insurance policy confirming coverage for the business
  • Provide a complete list of physical business locations and the licence details of at least 1 licensed exterminator in charge for each location
  • Provide a complete list of the licensed exterminators you employ (including licence details) and a list of officers and directors
  • Pay the application fee by credit card or debit (Visa, Mastercard or Interac Debit only)
  • You will receive an email confirmation, an electronic copy of your pesticide licence and a temporary marker for your vehicle
  • Your official vehicle identification sticker will be sent by mail

Vendor licence

You must hold a pesticide vendor licence if you or your business sells, offers to sell, or transfers pesticides in Ontario.

You need to complete a separate vendor licence application for each facility.

Types of vendor licences

The type of vendor licence you require depends on the class of pesticides you sell:

  • Limited class vendor licence (may sell Class D and controlled sales pesticide products)
  • General class vendor licence (may sell Class A, B, C and D pesticide products whether wholesale or retail)
  • Treated Seed class vendor licence (may sell Class E neonicotinoid-treated corn or soybean seed)

The fee for a vendor licence depends on the licence type:

  • Limited class vendor licence: $110
  • General class vendor licence: $200
  • Treated Seed class vendor licence: $200

The General and Limited class vendor licences are valid for 5 years from date of issue. The Treated Seed class vendor licence does not expire.

Note: A vendor licence is not required for the sale of specific exempted pesticides under certain conditions. For exemptions, consult Ontario Regulation 63/09.

For more information, refer to the Guide to Pesticide Licensing, Vendor licences.

Apply for a vendor licence

  • Log into Public Secure to create or access your ministry account
  • If you do not already have a ministry client account, follow the steps to Create a ministry client account for a business
  • Provide proof of certification for the Ontario Certified Outlet Representative (General vendor applicants only)
  • Provide a list of the applicant’s treated seed sales representatives, including the name, email address (if any) and mailing address (Treated Seed vendor applicants only)
  • Pay the application fee by credit card or debit (Visa, Mastercard)
  • You will receive an email confirmation and an electronic copy of your pesticide licence

How to apply

You need to apply online for a pesticide licence in Ontario.

In order to apply for your pesticides licence, you will need to create your Public Secure and ministry account online.

  • Login if you are a new or existing Public Secure user
  • Use Google Chrome or Internet Explorer as your web browser to log into Public Secure to access your ministry account. If you encounter issues, try disabling pop-up blockers or clearing your browser history to address them.
  • Once you apply online, you can log into your ministry account at any time to access an electronic copy of your pesticide licence

For assistance with applying online for a pesticide licence:

Update information or replace a licence

You must update inaccurate information on an existing pesticide licence within 10 days of the change.

To update your information you need to access your ministry account online.

Once you apply online, you can log into your ministry account at any time to access an electronic copy of your pesticide licence.

There is no charge to update an existing pesticide licence.

  • Log into Public Secure to access your ministry account
  • Provide your existing pesticide licence number and expiry date and follow the steps to update your information online
  • You will receive an email confirmation and an electronic copy of your updated pesticide licence

Renew a licence

To renew an existing pesticide licence, you need to apply online.

  • Log into Public Secure to access your ministry account
  • Provide your existing pesticide licence number and expiry date
  • Provide the required information for the type of licence you are renewing:
  • Pay the application fee by credit card or debit (Visa, Mastercard or Interac Debit only)
  • You will receive an email confirmation and an electronic copy of your pesticide licence

Search pesticide licence information

Use Access Environment to search for information about pesticide licences issued since September 2018.

Pesticide permits

Certain types of exterminations require both a pesticide licence and a permit.

Exterminations that require pesticide permits are set out in the Pesticides Act and O. Reg. 63/09. For convenience, a summary of exterminations that require a permit is set out below, but refer to the regulation for the prescribed exterminations:

  • Certain fumigations of a building, portion of a building, or in a vehicle or structure that use a Class B pesticide.
  • A structural extermination that uses a Class B fumigant gas to destroy bees.
  • A land extermination that uses a pesticide that contains picloram.
  • A land extermination that is performed by aerial application of a Class B pesticide (other than exterminations performed using Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies kurstaki for the purpose of maintaining a tree canopy not related to a crown forest.
  • A land extermination that is performed by aerial application of a pesticide performed in connection with the management of a crown forest.
  • All water exterminations, unless an exemption applies.

Contact your local ministry regional office to discuss the exterminations you plan to perform and and what pesticide permits you may need.

Forms

To apply for a permit, download and complete the related application form and submit to your local ministry regional office:

Guides

For more information

For more information about pesticides licensing, or assistance with the ministry’s online system, contact the Client Services and Permissions Branch:

Client Services and Permissions Branch
Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
135 St. Clair Avenue West, 1st Floor
Toronto, ON M4V 1P5
416-314-8001 or Toll-free: 1-800-461-6290
416-314-8452

You may contact your local ministry regional office if you have additional questions about:

  • the use of specific pesticides
  • the conditions of a licence
  • rules about exterminations, storage requirements, or reporting requirements

Report non-compliance and spills

Contact your local ministry district office during regular business hours to report non-compliance of pesticide use, such as:

  • the use of a banned pesticide
  • unauthorized spraying of pesticides
  • other environmental concerns

After business hours, call the ministry’s Pollution Hotline at 1-866-MOE-TIPS (663-8477)  or  1-866-663-8477 .

In the event of any fire, accident, spill, or theft that may result in the release of a pesticide into the environment, you must immediately notify:

Spills Action Centre
1-800-268-6060

Report pollution and spills