CO QS General Exam Questions and Answers Latest Update 2025-2026
Certified Operator - Answers -An individual who mixes, loads, or applies any pesticide (GUP or
RUP) for a commercial applicator, registered limited commercial applicator, or registered public
applicator, without on the site supervision of a qualified supervisor
Commercial Applicator - Answers any person, other than a private applicator, who engages in
the business of applying pesticides for hire or operating a device for hire that is designed by the
commissioner as requiring licensure for use
FIFRA - Answers Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
Section 3-Full Federal Label - Answers outlines pesticide registration requirements that
manufacturers must follow. Pesticides under this section are the most familiar labeled products.
Most pesticides are registered this way.
Unclassified Use (a.k.a. General Use) - Answers Generally lower toxicity & less potential to harm
humans/environment
Bought & used by general public w/out special permits
Restricted Use (RUP's) - Answers If use might result in an unreasonable adverse effect on
human health and/or the environment
Must be stated on the label
Section 18- Emergency Exemptions - Answers Address pest problems for which no pesticides
are currently registered: EPA issued
Manufacturer can not advertise or promote the use of the product
Section 24c - Special Local Needs Label - Answers Under this pesticide registration, Colorado
can register addition uses of a federally registered pesticide. These additional uses are for
distribution and use within a particular state to meet a "special local need" (SLN)
Valid only in the state of issue
Section 25b- Minimum Risk Pesticides - Answers Pesticides w/ active ingredients that are
considered minimum risk
Have a very limited set of active & inert ingredients specified by EPA but not required to have
EPA registration #
Certified Applicator - Answers A person qualified to apply or supervise the application of
restricted-use pesticides
Licensed by CDA
, Must know how to read a pesticide label and follow its instructions
FIFRA defines two categories of Certified applicators (Private & Commercial)
Private Applicator - Answers A certified applicator who uses or supervises the use of any
restricted-use pesticide to produce an agricultural commodity
FQPA - Answers Food Quality Protection Act
Tolerance - Answers The maximum residue limit allowed to remain in/on each treated food
commodity
Aggregate Exposure - Answers The sum of exposures of an organism to a single chemical
across all pathways over a period of time
Cumulative Exposure - Answers The sum of exposures to different pesticides with a common
mode of action
FFDCA - Answers Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
FFDCA's Role - Answers Governs pesticide residue levels in food and feed crops marketed in the
US
Regulated buy FDA, but EPA plays a role
Pre-Harvest Intervals (PHI) - Answers Restrictions that indicate the amount of time that must
elapse between the last application and the harvest
FQPA - Answers Food Quality Protection Act
Endocrine Disruptor - Answers Chemicals in the environment that have the ability to mimic
hormones, or disrupt the endocrine glands
ESA - Answers Endangered Species Act
Makes it illegal to use any pesticide in any manner that may kill or harm an endangered species
or adversity modify their habitat
SARA - Answers Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act
Hazardous Materials Transport Uniform Safety Act - Answers Regulates the transport &
shipment of pesticides across state lines
Limited Commercial Applicator - Answers Any person engaged in applying pesticides in the
course of conducting a business; except that such application shall be only in or on property
owned or leased by the person or the person's employer
Qualified Supervisor - Answers Any individual who is licensed to apply pesticides without
Certified Operator - Answers -An individual who mixes, loads, or applies any pesticide (GUP or
RUP) for a commercial applicator, registered limited commercial applicator, or registered public
applicator, without on the site supervision of a qualified supervisor
Commercial Applicator - Answers any person, other than a private applicator, who engages in
the business of applying pesticides for hire or operating a device for hire that is designed by the
commissioner as requiring licensure for use
FIFRA - Answers Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
Section 3-Full Federal Label - Answers outlines pesticide registration requirements that
manufacturers must follow. Pesticides under this section are the most familiar labeled products.
Most pesticides are registered this way.
Unclassified Use (a.k.a. General Use) - Answers Generally lower toxicity & less potential to harm
humans/environment
Bought & used by general public w/out special permits
Restricted Use (RUP's) - Answers If use might result in an unreasonable adverse effect on
human health and/or the environment
Must be stated on the label
Section 18- Emergency Exemptions - Answers Address pest problems for which no pesticides
are currently registered: EPA issued
Manufacturer can not advertise or promote the use of the product
Section 24c - Special Local Needs Label - Answers Under this pesticide registration, Colorado
can register addition uses of a federally registered pesticide. These additional uses are for
distribution and use within a particular state to meet a "special local need" (SLN)
Valid only in the state of issue
Section 25b- Minimum Risk Pesticides - Answers Pesticides w/ active ingredients that are
considered minimum risk
Have a very limited set of active & inert ingredients specified by EPA but not required to have
EPA registration #
Certified Applicator - Answers A person qualified to apply or supervise the application of
restricted-use pesticides
Licensed by CDA
, Must know how to read a pesticide label and follow its instructions
FIFRA defines two categories of Certified applicators (Private & Commercial)
Private Applicator - Answers A certified applicator who uses or supervises the use of any
restricted-use pesticide to produce an agricultural commodity
FQPA - Answers Food Quality Protection Act
Tolerance - Answers The maximum residue limit allowed to remain in/on each treated food
commodity
Aggregate Exposure - Answers The sum of exposures of an organism to a single chemical
across all pathways over a period of time
Cumulative Exposure - Answers The sum of exposures to different pesticides with a common
mode of action
FFDCA - Answers Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
FFDCA's Role - Answers Governs pesticide residue levels in food and feed crops marketed in the
US
Regulated buy FDA, but EPA plays a role
Pre-Harvest Intervals (PHI) - Answers Restrictions that indicate the amount of time that must
elapse between the last application and the harvest
FQPA - Answers Food Quality Protection Act
Endocrine Disruptor - Answers Chemicals in the environment that have the ability to mimic
hormones, or disrupt the endocrine glands
ESA - Answers Endangered Species Act
Makes it illegal to use any pesticide in any manner that may kill or harm an endangered species
or adversity modify their habitat
SARA - Answers Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act
Hazardous Materials Transport Uniform Safety Act - Answers Regulates the transport &
shipment of pesticides across state lines
Limited Commercial Applicator - Answers Any person engaged in applying pesticides in the
course of conducting a business; except that such application shall be only in or on property
owned or leased by the person or the person's employer
Qualified Supervisor - Answers Any individual who is licensed to apply pesticides without
