5E-9.029. Procedures for Pesticide Applicator Recertification

(1) Reexamination shall be required for pesticide applicator recertification in the following circumstances:

(a) The license was revoked or suspended for 6 months or longer; or

(b) It is deemed by the department that new information makes reexamination essential for continued certification. In the latter case, the department shall give adequate notice to all applicators affected.

(2) In all other circumstances, applicators shall have two options for recertification as follows:

(a) Reexamination. An applicator may become recertified by successfully retaking the examination(s) required for initial certification as specified in this chapter.

(b) Continuing Education Units (CEUs). An applicator may become recertified by accumulating a specified number of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) during the four (4) year licensure period. CEUs shall be earned by attending department approved professional training meetings and seminars or by completing and receiving passing scores on department approved educational modules.

(3) Effective January 1, 2005, all applicators recertifying by means of CEUs must earn 4 CEUs approved for the general standards of pesticide use and safety (core material) plus the following number of CEUs approved for each specific license category to be renewed:

PRIMARY CATEGORIES	CEU’S REQUIRED
Category 1A1 – Agricultural Row Crop Pest Control	8
Category 1A2 – Agricultural Tree Crop Pest Control	8
Category 1B – Agricultural Animal Pest Control	4
Category 1C – Private Applicator Agricultural Pest Control	4
Category 1D – Soil and Greenhouse Fumigation	4
Category 1E – Raw Agricultural Commodity Fumigation	4
Category 2 – Forest Pest Control	8
Category 3 – Ornamental and Turf Pest Control	12
Category 4 – Seed Treatment	4
Category 5A – Aquatic Pest Control	16
Category 5B – Organotin Antifouling Paint Pest Control	4
Category 6 – Right-of-Way Pest Control	8
Category 7A – Wood Treatment	4
Category 7B – Chlorine Gas Infusion	4
Category 7C – Sewer Root Control	4
Category 9 – Regulatory Pest Control	12
Category 11 – Aerial Application	16
Category 20 – Regulatory Inspection and Sampling	4
Category 21 – Natural Areas Weed Management	16
SECONDARY CATEGORIES	CEU’S REQUIRED
Category 10 – Demonstration and Research	4

(4) Applicators seeking recertification in more than one category by means of CEUs must accumulate the sum of the number of CEUs required for each category in which they hold licensure and seek recertification. As of January 1, 2005, this number of CEUs is in addition to the general standard (core) CEUs required.

(5) Until January 1, 2005, for each primary category renewed by means of CEUs, a minimum of 2 CEUs earned must consist of CEUs approved for general core competency standards and a minimum of half the CEUs earned must consist of CEUs approved specifically for that category. The remainder of the total number of CEUs earned must consist of CEUs approved either for general core competency standards or for that specific category.

(6) For each secondary category renewed by means of CEUs, all CEUs earned must consist of CEUs approved for that specific category.

(7) Categories added to a license after the initial license issue date may be renewed with fewer CEUs per category than stated in subsection (3) above, if the category was added less than two (2) full years before the license expiration date. In this case, the applicator may become recertified in the added category by earning half the required number of CEUs shown for that category above, provided the CEUs were earned between issuance of licensure in the additional category and one year after license expiration. If a licensee adds a category during the last 12 months of licensure, recertification is not required to renew licensure in that category.

(8) CEU program approval. The department shall approve professional meetings or seminars for granting of continuing education units (CEUs) in pesticide use and safety through execution of an agreement between the department and the education provider and provided the seminar or meeting and sponsor comply with the criteria set forth below. The agreement shall clearly stipulate the education provider’s responsibilities and the department’s authority to withhold credits for any seminar or meeting determined not to be in compliance with the approved criteria or the points specified in the agreement. Criteria for allocation of CEUs and procedures for program approval and granting of CEUs to individual licenses are specified below.

(9) CEU program criteria. The following specifications shall be met before a meeting or seminar shall be considered for approval:

(a) The education provider shall submit a written or electronic request for approval to grant CEUs on form DACS-13326, Rev. 05/04, or in an electronic format prescribed by the department. The completed form or electronic request must be received by the department no later than two (2) weeks prior to the date of the program, unless a different time frame is approved by the department on a case by case basis, based on circumstances beyond the control of the education provider.

(b) A program agenda indicating the start time, duration, instructor or speaker, and description of each program segment for which CEU approval is requested shall be submitted with form DACS-13326, Rev. 05/04. The description of each program segment must be sufficient for verification of content and applicability.

(c) The subject matter presented for CEU credit shall relate directly to the certification standards outlined in this chapter for the appropriate licensure types and categories.

(d) Documentation attesting that the instructors or speakers possess the expertise required to impart the specified information to the attendees shall be submitted with form DACS-13326, Rev. 05/04.

(e) The education provider or an authorized designee shall distribute an official record of attendance, form DACS-13325, Rev. 05/04, provided by the department, to each licensee in attendance and shall monitor attendance to ensure these records are accurate. The education provider or an authorized designee shall sign the record of attendance forms to verify each licensee’s attendance.

(f) Authorized department agents may attend any approved CEU session unannounced and without paying any associated registration fee. If such agents desire to earn CEU credit while monitoring approved training programs, they must follow the same protocol as other attendees for registering and paying fees, if applicable.

(10) Allocation of CEUs. Each 50 minutes of applicable lecture time will be allocated 1 CEU. Program segments consisting of only field trips, demonstrations, and other non-lecture instruction will be assigned 0.5 CEUs per 50 minutes of applicable non-lecture instruction. Each applicable program segment or combination of segments will be designated as an approved CEU session and assigned a distinct number of CEUs, with a minimum of 0.5 CEUs assigned per approved CEU session. Program segments of less than 30 minutes duration will not be assigned individual CEUs, but will be combined with other approved segments into approved CEU sessions with assigned CEUs. A program segment shall be approved for CEU credit only in the areas of licensure to which it is directly germane.

(11) Procedure for determining CEUs.

(a) The department shall review CEU program requests and determine the number of CEUs approved.

(b) A written or electronic copy of the program request shall be returned to the education provider with notification of CEU credit approval.

(12) Procedure for granting CEUs to licensees.

(a) A licensee may earn CEUs for license renewal only after the license has been issued and no later than one year after license expiration.

(b) The licensee must complete and sign the appropriate section of the record of attendance form prescribed and furnished by the department for each CEU session for which credit is sought.

(c) The education provider or an authorized designee shall complete and sign the appropriate section of the record of attendance form to verify each licensee’s attendance.

(d) Completed and signed record of attendance forms must be received by the department no later than one year after license expiration.

(e) Record of attendance forms will be reviewed by the department and incomplete forms returned to the licensee. Corrected forms may be resubmitted to the department for reevaluation provided resubmissions are received by the department no later than one year after license expiration.

(f) Licensees must attend an entire approved CEU session to be granted full CEU credit and will be granted CEUs for only those sessions or portions of a session attended. CEUs shall be granted only in multiples of 0.5 credits.

(g) The licensee is responsible for ensuring that the CEUs required for license renewal are earned according to guidelines specified in this chapter. The licensee is also responsible for maintaining the completed record of attendance forms (form DACS-13325, Rev. 05/04) and submitting these records to the department at the time of request for license renewal.

(13) Forms. The following forms are hereby incorporated by reference. These forms may be downloaded from the web site http://www.safepesticideuse.com or obtained from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Pesticide Certification Office, 3125 Conner Boulevard, Building 8 (L29), Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1650, telephone [phone].

(a) Request for Granting Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for Renewal of Pesticide Applicator Licenses and Certificates (DACS-13326, Rev. 05/04).

(b) Record of Attendance for Continuing Education Units (CEUs) (DACS-13325, Rev. 05/04).

Rulemaking Authority 487.049, 570.07(23) FS. Law Implemented 487.049 FS. History–New 6-9-94, Amended 7-2-95, 9-24-98, 6-27-99, 2-21-02, 9-16-04.