2025-2026 SERIES
TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PESTICIDE
APPLICATOR'S STUDY GUIDE COMPLETE QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS | GRADED AND THE
LATEST SERIES
Define IPM
Ans: 1. a pest population management system that anticipates and prevents pests
from causing damage.
2. an ecological approach to pest control.
Question: Components of IPM
Ans: 1. Pest identification
2. Monitoring
3. Use of natural enemies (biological control)
4. Pest-resistant plants
5. Cultural and structural changes
6. Judicious use of least toxic pesticides
Question: Intent of IPM
Ans: To use tactics that include pesticide alternatives that reduce the total
amount of pesticide chemicals used thereby lessening the opportunity for pests to
develop resistance.
Question: How is a pesticide defined by law?
, 2025-2026 SERIES
Ans: Any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying,
repelling or mitigating any pest, and any substance intended for use as a plant
growth regulator, defoliant or desiccant.
Question: Which state and federal agencies register pesticides?
Ans: Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Question: What is the federal law that regulates the sale and use of pesticides?
Ans: The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
Question: What is a state-limited-use pesticide?
Ans: A pesticide or pesticide use on which additional restrictions are placed by
the Texas Department of Agriculture.
Question: As defined by law, what is a private pesticide applicator?
Ans: A person who uses or supervises the use of a restricted-use or state-limited
use pesticide or a regulated herbicide for the purpose producing an agricultural
commodity.
Question: When supervising pesticide use, must the private applicator be
physically present? Is the applicator responsible for actions of the supervised
workers?
Ans: The applicator need not be physically present, unless required by the label
or other conditions of use, but must be available if and when needed. The licensed
, 2025-2026 SERIES
applicator and the supervised person may keep in touch by phone, radio, etc. The
applicator is responsible for actions of individuals being supervised.
Question: Who is responsible for assuring that any person working under the
licensee's direct supervision is knowledgeable of the label requirements and
rules and regulations governing the use of the particular pesticide being used by
the individual?
Ans: The licensed applicator (may be private, commercial, or noncommercial).
Question: What practical knowledge and skills should a private applicator
have?
Ans: The applicator should know how to: recognize common pests and pest
damage; read and understand the label; apply pesticides according to the label
instructions and warnings; recognize environmental conditions and avoid
contamination; and recognize poisoning symptoms and perform first-aid.
Question: What is the significance of pesticide label directions with regard to
the law?
Ans: The label has the force of law and includes a statement stating that the use
of any chemical inconsistent with the label directions is a violation of the law.
Question: What types of laws are violated when the applicator uses pesticides
inconsistent with the label directions? Examples: is it ever legal to use more than
the labeled rate? Is it ever legal to allow the pesticide to DRIFT off the target
site?
, 2025-2026 SERIES
Ans: Both federal and state law prohibits uses pesticides inconsistent with label
directions. It is NEVER legal to use more than the labeled rate of a pesticide. It is
NEVER legal to allow the pesticide to drift off the target site.
Question: What role do Texas counties have in regulating pesticides?
Ans: Sale and use of certain herbicides are regulated in some countries where a
permit must be obtained to use such products during certain times of the year.
Question: What is a spray permit?
Ans: A spray permit is a document issued by the TDA that must be issued before
application that authorizes a person to apply regulated herbicides in a regulated
county.
Question: When does a spray permit expire?
Ans: All permits expire when the acreage for which the permit was granted has
been sprayed, OR days after issuance, whichever occurs first.
Question: List some applications that would require a spray permit and some
that would not require a spray permit and some that are prohibited from having
a spray permit.
Ans: Spraying with standard ground application equipment would require a
permit. Applications of regulated herbicides to lawns and by brush, mop, wick, basal
treatment, or injection methods are exempt from obtaining a permit. The use of any
turbine or blower-type ground application equipment to apply regulated herbicides
is prohibited.
Question: What Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are required to renew the
private applicator's license?
TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PESTICIDE
APPLICATOR'S STUDY GUIDE COMPLETE QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS | GRADED AND THE
LATEST SERIES
Define IPM
Ans: 1. a pest population management system that anticipates and prevents pests
from causing damage.
2. an ecological approach to pest control.
Question: Components of IPM
Ans: 1. Pest identification
2. Monitoring
3. Use of natural enemies (biological control)
4. Pest-resistant plants
5. Cultural and structural changes
6. Judicious use of least toxic pesticides
Question: Intent of IPM
Ans: To use tactics that include pesticide alternatives that reduce the total
amount of pesticide chemicals used thereby lessening the opportunity for pests to
develop resistance.
Question: How is a pesticide defined by law?
, 2025-2026 SERIES
Ans: Any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying,
repelling or mitigating any pest, and any substance intended for use as a plant
growth regulator, defoliant or desiccant.
Question: Which state and federal agencies register pesticides?
Ans: Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Question: What is the federal law that regulates the sale and use of pesticides?
Ans: The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
Question: What is a state-limited-use pesticide?
Ans: A pesticide or pesticide use on which additional restrictions are placed by
the Texas Department of Agriculture.
Question: As defined by law, what is a private pesticide applicator?
Ans: A person who uses or supervises the use of a restricted-use or state-limited
use pesticide or a regulated herbicide for the purpose producing an agricultural
commodity.
Question: When supervising pesticide use, must the private applicator be
physically present? Is the applicator responsible for actions of the supervised
workers?
Ans: The applicator need not be physically present, unless required by the label
or other conditions of use, but must be available if and when needed. The licensed
, 2025-2026 SERIES
applicator and the supervised person may keep in touch by phone, radio, etc. The
applicator is responsible for actions of individuals being supervised.
Question: Who is responsible for assuring that any person working under the
licensee's direct supervision is knowledgeable of the label requirements and
rules and regulations governing the use of the particular pesticide being used by
the individual?
Ans: The licensed applicator (may be private, commercial, or noncommercial).
Question: What practical knowledge and skills should a private applicator
have?
Ans: The applicator should know how to: recognize common pests and pest
damage; read and understand the label; apply pesticides according to the label
instructions and warnings; recognize environmental conditions and avoid
contamination; and recognize poisoning symptoms and perform first-aid.
Question: What is the significance of pesticide label directions with regard to
the law?
Ans: The label has the force of law and includes a statement stating that the use
of any chemical inconsistent with the label directions is a violation of the law.
Question: What types of laws are violated when the applicator uses pesticides
inconsistent with the label directions? Examples: is it ever legal to use more than
the labeled rate? Is it ever legal to allow the pesticide to DRIFT off the target
site?
, 2025-2026 SERIES
Ans: Both federal and state law prohibits uses pesticides inconsistent with label
directions. It is NEVER legal to use more than the labeled rate of a pesticide. It is
NEVER legal to allow the pesticide to drift off the target site.
Question: What role do Texas counties have in regulating pesticides?
Ans: Sale and use of certain herbicides are regulated in some countries where a
permit must be obtained to use such products during certain times of the year.
Question: What is a spray permit?
Ans: A spray permit is a document issued by the TDA that must be issued before
application that authorizes a person to apply regulated herbicides in a regulated
county.
Question: When does a spray permit expire?
Ans: All permits expire when the acreage for which the permit was granted has
been sprayed, OR days after issuance, whichever occurs first.
Question: List some applications that would require a spray permit and some
that would not require a spray permit and some that are prohibited from having
a spray permit.
Ans: Spraying with standard ground application equipment would require a
permit. Applications of regulated herbicides to lawns and by brush, mop, wick, basal
treatment, or injection methods are exempt from obtaining a permit. The use of any
turbine or blower-type ground application equipment to apply regulated herbicides
is prohibited.
Question: What Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are required to renew the
private applicator's license?
