Licensing information for the pest control industry

If your work in South Australia requires the use of pesticides, you need to follow all the rules to protect people and the environment. You will require an appropriate licence issued by Controlled Substances Licensing (CSL) in SA Health. Alternatively, you may be eligible for an exemption, mutual recognition or automatic mutual recognition status.

Types of pesticide licences

There are three different types of pesticide licence, each having one or more endorsements. The three types of licence issued are:

Pest Controller’s licence − this is the business licence. All pest management technicians must work under a Pest Controller’s licence, either their own (e.g. owner operators), or their employer’s.
Limited Pest Management Technician (LPMT) − the holder of this licence is entitled to carry out pest control work, but only under the supervision of a FPMT licence holder. If you have not started or completed the courses required for the type of pest control work you wish to do, you must first obtain a LPMT licence. It is a condition of licence that the holder will undertake the relevant courses as soon as practicable from the date the licence is issued. A LPMT licence can only be held for a maximum period of two years.
Full Pest Management Technician (FPMT) − the holder of a FPMT licence can undertake pest control work without supervision. To be eligible for a FPMT licence, you need to have successfully completed the courses relevant to the type of pest control work you will be doing and have received your final assessment results. FPMTs are issued a photo ID card. A nominated FPMT may supervise a LPMT.

Pest control endorsements and training competency units

All pesticide licences are issued with endorsements. Endorsements show what kinds of pesticides may be used and what kinds of pest control work may be undertaken.

It is an offence to do pest control work that your licence is not endorsed for.

The type of pest control work you wish to do, and have your licence endorsed with, determines which training courses (or ‘training competency units’) you must do.

To find out more visit Pest control endorsements and training competency units.

Exemptions

The Regulations make provision for exemptions to the requirement to hold a licence.

If you use and apply glyphosate using a brush, wand or hand-held equipment with a tank of maximum capacity of 15 litres or less the Regulations do not apply. You can undertake this kind of pest control work without a licence, and you are not required to apply for a licence or exemption.

If you are employed in an occupation that may have reason to sometimes use pesticides in the course of your work such as landscapers, gardeners or turf care contractors, you may be eligible for an exemption from the requirement to hold a Pest Controller’s or Pest Management Technician’s licence. In these cases, where the use of pesticides is secondary to the major activity, and certain criteria can be met, the Regulations allow for an exemption to be granted, instead of Pest Controller’s and Pest Management Technician’s licences.

To find out more visit Exemptions from requirements for a pesticide licence (PDF 130KB)

Mutual recognition (and automatic mutual recognition)

Mutual recognition recognises that a person who is licensed in another state, territory or in New Zealand for their work, is entitled to have their pest control licence recognised by Controlled Substances Licensing (CSL) in SA Health.

There are different types of mutual recognition depending on whether you are moving to South Australia as your primary place of residence or work (mutual recognition) or undertaking temporary work (automatic mutual recognition).

To find out more visit Automatic mutual recognition of pest management licensing.

Applying for a pest control licence

All pesticide licences and exemptions in South Australia are applied for online. These include:

Pest Controller’s (Business) licence
Pest Management Technician’s licence
Statement of Exemption
Upgrade from a Limited Pest Management Technician’s Licence to a Full Pest Management Technician’s Licence.

To find out more and apply visit Pesticides regulations and licence applications.

Fees for 2023/24

Pest Controller’s licence is $383.00 for 1 year or $1149.00 for 3 years
Pest Technician is $94.50 for 1 year or $284.00 for 3 years
LPMT Extension is $37.00

Regulations

The regulations under controlled substances law specify the substances that are controlled and the details of the controls.

For more information visit Regulations under the controlled substances legislation.

Use of the information and data contained within this site or these pages is at your sole risk.
If you rely on the information on this site you are responsible for ensuring by independent verification its accuracy, currency or completeness.
This site includes links to other websites operated by community, business and government.
These linked websites will have their own terms and conditions of use and you should familiarise yourself with these.
All linked websites are linked 'as is' and the Government of South Australia:
- does not sponsor, endorse or necessarily approve of any material on websites linked from or to this Site;
- does not make any warranties or representations regarding the quality, accuracy, merchantability or fitness for purpose of any material on websites linked from or to this Site;
- does not make any warranties or representations that material on other websites to which this site is linked does not infringe the intellectual property rights of any person anywhere in the world; and
- does not authorise the infringement of any intellectual property rights contained in material in other websites by linking this site to those other websites.
If you use automatic language translation services in connection with this site you do so at your own risk.
The information and data on this site is subject to change without notice. The Government of South Australia may revise this disclaimer at any time by updating this posting.
The Government of South Australia, its agents, instrumentalities, officers and employees:
- make no representations, express or implied, as to the accuracy of the information and data contained on this site
- make no representations, express or implied, as to the accuracy or usefulness of any translation of the information on this site or any linked website into another language
- make no representations as to the availability of the site and the availability of websites linked from or to the site
- accept no liability however arising for any loss resulting from the use of the site and any information and data or reliance placed on it (including translated information and data)
- make no representations, either expressed or implied, as to the suitability of the said information and data for any particular purpose
- accepts no liability for any interference with or damage to a user's computer, software or data occurring in connection with or relating to this Site or its use or any website linked to this site
- do not represent or warrant that applications or payments initiated through this site will in fact be received or made to the intended recipient. Users are advised to confirm the application or payment by other means.

Privacy http://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/public+content/sa+health+internet/about+us/website+information/privacy

Copyright http://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/public+content/sa+health+internet/about+us/website+information/copyright

Disclaimer http://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/public+content/sa+health+internet/about+us/website+information/disclaimer

Last updated: 03 Jun 2024