There were some recent Office of the Indiana State Chemist (OISC) revisions to the Indiana pesticide rules that affect applicators, particularly those who apply Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs). These revisions have been in process since 2018, and officially became a part of application rules in January 2023.
The biggest change is that only fully certified applicators (private and commercial) are now allowed to apply Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs). The previous rule was that RUPs could be applied by anyone who was supervised by a private or commercial fully licensed applicator, but all must now be fully licensed.
So, how do you obtain a Private Applicator license? The most popular way to take the exam has been to obtain the training manual for the CORE exam (PPP-13), study the manual at home, and then take the exam at the Ivy Tech Community College in Evansville (other testing locations available at https://www.metroinstitute.com/index.php?option=com_hotspots&view=hotspots&Itemid=1343 or ph. 877-533-2900). The test is administered by the Metro Institute, and Ivy Tech merely provides the supervision during the exam.
To prepare for the exam, the study manual can be purchased for $40 plus shipping at https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/item.asp?Item_Number=PPP-C-PPP-13 or by calling 765-494-6794. Manuals are available in English and Spanish.
Once you receive a manual, go on-line to https://www.metroinstitute.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=158&Itemid=1212 or call 1-877-533-2900 to schedule an appointment to take the exam. Leave a message and let them know when the best time is to reach you. Everyone taking the exam must show a government-issued photo ID.
Contact the Indiana State Chemist at 756-494-1492 for alternative identification, if needed. A person is allowed three attempts to take the exam in 12 months’ time.
There is a $55 fee for use of facilities through Ivy Tech.
Categories: Indiana, Crops