Fertilizer Licenses in Tennessee? - LawnSite.com™

brandonppr · #1 02-29-2012, 08:44 PM

I have contacted the TN department of Ag. They said for a business owner who has not worked under anyone for 2 years that I would need to first pass the cat 3 exam (ortimental and turf) and then I would need so many hr credits of class (24 hours cont ed credits) and then I think pass something else(horterculture lawn and turf). I have the 2 books to study for the exam for cat 3 that I got from UTK.

I already have qoutes on the bond requirements and already have the other insurance requirements.

Is there anyone here that has been through this and could explain to me how this works? Is there somewhere I can go to class that can help me through this process?

I want to be able to seed and fert. If I have employees, do they have to all pass the exam to or only the person applying the fertilizer or seed? If I want them to be able to apply, what are their requirements?

Andrew & Ben's Lawn Care · #2 01-08-2013, 09:13 PM

Brandon, here are your answers.

1. You do not need to take a test and become a Certified Commercial Applicator to apply Fertilizer in Tn.

2. You do need to take the test and become a Certified Commercial Applicator to apply Pesticides/Herbicides.

Just study the 2 books you have and you'll pass the 100 question test. If you fail the 15.00 test, you can take it when you feel ready again; it's given every week.

Once you are a Certified Commercial Applicator, you are able to spray for someone who has a "Charter/License". After you have 2 years verifiable experience, you can take the next test and get your own Charter. When you get your own Charter, you can spray for yourself.

Everything I just stated is in your "Ornamental and Turfgrass Pest Control" book PB1652

brandonppr · #3 01-08-2013, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew & Ben's Lawn Care

Brandon, here are your answers.

1. You do not need to take a test and become a Certified Commercial Applicator to apply Fertilizer in Tn.

2. You do need to take the test and become a Certified Commercial Applicator to apply Pesticides/Herbicides.

Just study the 2 books you have and you'll pass the 100 question test. If you fail the 15.00 test, you can take it when you feel ready again; it's given every week.

Once you are a Certified Commercial Applicator, you are able to spray for someone who has a "Charter/License". After you have 2 years verifiable experience, you can take the next test and get your own Charter. When you get your own Charter, you can spray for yourself.

Everything I just stated is in your "Ornamental and Turfgrass Pest Control" book PB1652

I have studied the 2 books now. What I am saying is I can't work for someone else for 2 years. It looks like having a degree from a 4 year college or having a license from out of state is the only other way to be a Licensed Commercial Pesticide Operator. Then my employees only need to be certified which doesn't have the same requirements.

I think I probably worded my original question wrong. Since then, I have learned more about what I was talking about because this question was from last year.

I am certain that I could pass the test if I had the requirements to even take the test. Would it be possible to get the license out of state. In a state that doesn't have these requirements first? I have looked at Georgia and it seems they are fairly close to Tennessee, but don't have the 2 year exp requirement. I am confident I could pass the Georgia test and will probably give it a try if it is the only option for me to be able to take the Tennessee test.

Mowin4Dollas · #4 01-09-2013, 12:48 PM

So I can apply fertilizer in TN with no license? I have been very curious on this.
Posted via Mobile Device

brandonppr · #5 01-09-2013, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mowin4Dollas

So I can apply fertilizer in TN with no license? I have been very curious on this.
Posted via Mobile Device

I'm not 100%, but I don't think you need anything besides a business license to apply fert in TN. I thought you did when I originally made this thread last year. We have yet to offer this service so I haven't looked anymore into it. We got a few contracts this year that require fert and pesticides. we will have to sub out what every we aren't licensed for.

Here are some phone numbers if you would like to be certain:
http://www.tn.gov/agriculture/regulatory/permits.shtml

Andrew & Ben's Lawn Care · #6 01-09-2013, 01:03 PM

Brandon, Mowin,

Read page 6 of the cat 3 certification manual PB 1652 and it will clear thing up for you. It is confusing, but will give you clear answers. Funny thing is, the very questions you are asking are on the test. So, read it and understand it and you'll already have 3 of the answers.

brandonppr · #7 01-09-2013, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew & Ben's Lawn Care

Brandon, Mowin,

Read page 6 of the cat 3 certification manual PB 1652 and it will clear thing up for you. It is confusing, but will give you clear answers. Funny thing is, the very questions you are asking are on the test. So, read it and understand it and you'll already have 3 of the answers.

Mowin is talking about fertilizer. I don't see anything about fertilizer on page 6. I can answer all the questions on each section correctly. I have since studied the 2 books since making the original post last year.

Pesticides and fertilizers are two different things. This test license is for Pesticides. If a license is required for Fertilizer then I believe it would be a different license unrelated to the use of pesticides.
I believe some states do require a fertilizer license, but I don't think TN does.

brandonppr · #8 01-09-2013, 01:20 PM

I just spoke to Dan Danielson - 615-837-5135. He said there are no requirements for use of pure fertilizers in TN by a company.

He said be careful that the fertilizer doesn't have herbicides impregnated in the fertilizer, because then of course you will need to have a licensed pest control operator working full time within your company or be an operator yourself and be chartered with correct insurance.

When I started this thread, I thought that fertilizer required the pesticide license and was not even asking about pesticides. I do now want to apply pesticides as well as fertilizer.