For a resident of Nebraska to obtain a new commercial or non-commercial pesticide applicator license, a person needs to do the following:
There are no fees associated with taking Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) exams (except at UNO). To prepare for these exams, a person should obtain study manuals through the University of Nebraska Extension at http://pested.unl.edu.
UNL Extension also offers supplemental training sessions where videos may be viewed prior to taking NDA exams. Please note that exams are based off the content of written manuals and NebGuides, not videos.
NDA Walk-in Testing Only sessions are held at locations across the state and allow a person to walk in unannounced between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. to take any NDA exams needed.
Exams may be taken at the NDA's Lincoln Office, 14th and M Sts., 4th floor, at either 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. on Wednesdays by appointment. The NDA office is the only site where the $90 license fee may be paid upon completion of the exams. For all other locations, once all exams are successfully completed, a billing statement for the license will be issued. An applicator is not considered licensed until all necessary exams are completed and the license fee has been collected and processed. For scheduling exams at the NDA office call (402) 471-2394 or 877-800-4080.
Exams are also offered at UNL Initial Certification sessions. Training videos (highlights only) are shown prior to exams being offered.
A limited number of computer-based exams are offered any weekday between 2 and 4 p.m. on the University of Omaha (UNO) campus. Testers need to call the NDA, (402) 471-2394, for a password, and then call the exam vendor at a toll-free number to schedule the exams. Exam takers are charged a $45 fee per exam, which is split between UNO and the software vendor.
Licenses expire April 15 of the third year after it is obtained or renewed. Renewal of licenses may be accomplished by:
Below is a list of sites which offer (1) exams only; (2) supplemental training plus exams for initial certification; and (3) training for renewal of licenses.
| Date | City | Location |
| February 25 | O'Neill | Holt County Extension |
| March 14 | Lincoln | Lancaster County Extension |
| April 2 | Norfolk | Lifelong Learning Center |
| April 3 | Hastings | Central Community College, Webster Bldg. |
| April 3 | Alliance | Box Butte County Extension |
| April 3 | Omaha | Douglas County Extension |
| April 7 | Lincoln | Lancaster County Extension |
| April 7 | North Platte | Lincoln County Extension |
| April 8 | Imperial | Frenchman Valley Coop Board Room |
| April 9 | Norfolk | Lifelong Learning Center |
| April 10 | Columbus | Platte County Extension Office |
| April 10 | Sidney | Farm Bureau Building |
| April 17 | Kearney | Buffalo County Extension |
| April 21 | Lincoln | Lancaster County Extension |
| April 23 | Norfolk | Lifelong Learning Center |
| April 24 | Hastings | Central Community College, Webster Bldg. |
| April 29 | North Platte | Lincoln County Extension |
| May 1 | Scottsbluff | Panhandle Research Center |
| May 1 | Hastings | Central Community College, Webster Bldg. |
| May 1 | Omaha | Douglas County Extension |
| May 5 | Lincoln | Lancaster County Extension |
| May 15 | Scottsbluff | Panhandle Research Center |
| May 15 | Kearney | Buffalo County Extension |
| May 15 | Omaha | Douglas County Extension |
| May 19 | Lincoln | Lancaster County Extension |
| May 22 | Kearney | Buffalo County Extension |
| June 5 | Holdrege | Phelps County Extension |
| June 5 | Omaha | Douglas County Extension |
| June 9 | Lincoln | Lancaster County Extension |
| June 20 | Omaha | Douglas County Extension |
| June 26 | Holdrege | Phelps County Extension |
| July 9 | Omaha | Douglas County Extension |
| July 14 | Lincoln | Lancaster County Extension |
| July 24 | Omaha | Douglas County Extension |
| August 14 | Omaha | Douglas County Extension |
| September 11 | Omaha | Douglas County Extension |
| October 23 | Omaha | Douglas County Extension |
Online registration is provided for UNL initial certification meetings at pested.unl.edu.
Training entities may charge fees for training. NDA will bill applicators separately for commercial licenses.
| Date | Meeting | Category(ies) | City, Location | January 15 | Ag Expo | 1 | Omaha, Hilton Hotel |
| February 5 | UNL Initial Certification | 4, 7, 11, 14 | Beatrice, Gage County Extension |
| February 5 | UNL Initial Certification | 1, 4, 8, 8W | Columbus, Platte County Extension |
| February 5 | UNL Initial Certification | 1, 4, 6, 7 | Fremont, Dodge County Extension |
| February 5 | UNL Initial Certification | 1, 4, 5, 8, 8W, 10 | Grand Island, College Park |
| February 5 | UNL Initial Certification | 1, 4, 7, 9, 11, 14 | Lincoln, Lancaster County Extension |
| February 5 | UNL Initial Certification | 1, 4, 7, 8, 8W, 9 | Norfolk, Lifelong Learning Center |
| February 5 | UNL Initial Certification | 1, 3, 5, 9, 14 | North Platte, UNL WCREC |
| February 5 | UNL Initial Certification | 1, 4, 8, 8W, 10, 14 | Omaha, Douglas County Extension |
| February 5 | UNL Initial Certification | 1, 4, 9, 11 | Scottsbluff, Panhandle REC |
| February 19-20 | Urban Pest Mgt. Conf | 8, 8W, 9, 11, 14 | Lincoln, Cornhusker Hotel |
| February 28 | Custom Applicator School | 1 | Hastings, Central Comm. College |
| February 28 | UNL Initial Certification | 1, 4, 9 | Beatrice, Gage County Extension |
| February 28 | UNL Initial Certification | 4, 7, 9, 14 | Columbus, Platte County Extension |
| February 28 | UNL Initial Certification | 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 14 | Grand Island, College Park |
| February 28 | UNL Initial Certification | 1, 4, 7, 8, 8W, 10 | Lincoln, Lancaster County Extension |
| February 28 | UNL Initial Certification | 1, 4, 5, 10, 14 | Norfolk, Lifelong Learning Center |
| February 28 | UNL Initial Certification | 4, 7, 8, 8W | North Platte, UNL WCREC |
| February 28 | UNL Initial Certification | 3, 4, 7, 9 | Omaha, Douglas County Extension |
| February 28 | UNL Initial Certification | 4, 5, 7, 8, 8W | Scottsbluff, Panhandle REC |
| March 20 | UNL Initial Certification | 1, 4, 6 | Beatrice, Gage County Extension |
| March 20 | UNL Initial Certification | 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8W, 9, 10, 14 | Norfolk, Lifelong Learning Center |
| March 20 | UNL Initial Certification | 1, 4, 7, 9 | Ogallala, Keith County Fairgrounds |
| March 20 | UNL Initial Certification | 4, 7, 9, 10 | Omaha, Douglas County Extension |
| March 20 | UNL Initial Certification | 1, 4, 7, 14 | Scottsbluff, Panhandle REC |
| March 20 | UNL Initial Certification | 1, 7, 14 | Valentine, Cherry County Extension |
| April 10 | UNL Initial Certification | 1, 4 | North Platte, UNL WCREC |
| April 17 | UNL Initial Certification | 4 | Lincoln, Lancaster County Extension |
| April 17 | UNL Initial Certification | 4, 7, 8, 8W | Omaha, Douglas County Extension |
| April 17 | UNL Initial Certification | 4 | Scottsbluff, Panhandle REC |
For Association meetings, the categories listed are tentative. As of this posting, association meeting agendas have not been finalized or approved for recertification credit. Training entities may charge fees for training. NDA will bill applicators separately for commercial licenses.
Recertification in categories 1a, 2, 3, 5S, and 6 are by exam only at sessions where testing is available. Exams will not be available at recertification meetings. Call the Lincoln office for testing appointments.
| Date | Meeting | Category(ies) | City, Location | January 3 | UNL Crop Protection Clinic | 1, D/R | Auburn, Arbor Manor |
| January 4 | UNL Crop Protection Clinic | 1, D/R | Beatrice, Holiday Inn Express |
| January 8 | UNL Crop Protection Clinic | 1, D/R | York, Chances "R" |
| January 9 | UNL Crop Protection Clinic | 1, D/R | Hastings, Holiday Inn Garden Cafe |
| January 10 | UNL Crop Protection Clinic | 1, D/R | O'Neill, Knights of Columbus |
| January 11 | UNL Crop Protection Clinic | 1, D/R | Norfolk, Lifelong Learning Center |
| January 14 | Green Expo | 4 | Council Bluffs, Mid-America Center |
| January 15 | UNL Crop Protection Clinic | 1, D/R | Scottsbluff, Panhandle REC |
| January 15 | Ag Expo | 1 | Omaha, Hilton Hotel |
| January 16 | UNL Crop Protection Clinic | 1, D/R | Ogallala, Keith County Fairgrounds |
| January 17 | UNL Crop Protection Clinic | 1, D/R | Broken Bow, Huckelberry's Hideout |
| January 18 | UNL Crop Protection Clinic | 1, D/R | Holdrege, Ag Center |
| January 22 | UNL Crop Protection Clinic | 1, D/R | Lincoln, Lancaster County Extension |
| January 23 | UNL Crop Protection Clinic | 1, D/R | Fremont, Christensen Field |
| February 7 | UNL Recertification | 4, 7, 11, 14 | Beatrice, Gage County Extension |
| February 7 | UNL Recertification | 4, 5, 7, 9 | Columbus, Platte County Extension |
| February 7 | UNL Recertification | 4, 7, 8, 8W | Fremont, Dodge County Extension |
| February 7 | UNL Recertification | 4, 7, 8, 8W, 10, 14 | Grand Island, College Park |
| February 7 | UNL Recertification | 4, 7, 9 | Holdrege, Phelps County Extension |
| February 7 | UNL Recertification | 4, 5, 7, 8, 8W, 11 | Lincoln, Lancaster County Extension |
| February 7 | UNL Recertification | 4, 7, 8, 8W, 10, 11 | Norfolk, Lifelong Learning Center |
| February 7 | UNL Recertification | 4, 7, 11, 14 | North Platte, UNL WCREC |
| February 7 | UNL Recertification | 4, 7, 8, 8W, 9, 11 | Omaha, Douglas County Extension |
| February 7 | UNL Recertification | 4, 7, 8, 8W | O'Neill, Holt County Extension |
| February 7 | UNL Recertification | 4, 7, 8, 8W, 9, 11 | Scottsbluff, Panhandle REC |
| February 19-20 | NATA Convention | 1, 12 (pilots only) | North Platte, Sandhills Convention Center |
| February 19-20 | Urban Pest Mgt. Conf | 8, 8W, 9, 11, 14 | Lincoln, Cornhusker Hotel |
| February 26 | UNL Recertification | 4, 5, 7 | Ainsworth, Courthouse Meeting Room |
| February 26 | UNL Recertification | 4, 7, 11 | Beatrice, Gage County Extension |
| February 26 | UNL Recertification | 4, 5, 7, 14 | Columbus, Platte County Extension |
| February 26 | UNL Recertification | 4, 5, 7, 8, 8W, 11 | Grand Island, College Park |
| February 26 | UNL Recertification | 4, 5, 7, 8, 8W, 14 | Norfolk, Lifelong Learning Center |
| February 26 | UNL Recertification | 4, 7, 9, 10, 14 | North Platte, UNL WCREC |
| February 26 | UNL Recertification | 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 14 | Omaha, Douglas County Extension |
| February 26 | UNL Recertification | 4, 5, 7, 11, 14 | Scottsbluff, Panhandle REC |
| February 28 | Custom Applicator School | 1 | Hastings, Central Comm. College |
| March 18 | UNL Recertification | 4, 7, 9 | Beatrice, Gage County Extension |
| March 18 | UNL Recertification | 4, 7, 10 | Columbus, Platte County Extension |
| March 18 | UNL Recertification | 4, 5, 7 | Holdrege, Phelps County Fairgrounds |
| March 18 | UNL Recertification | 4, 7, 8, 8W, 11, 14 | Lincoln, Lancaster County Extension |
| March 18 | UNL Recertification | 4, 7, 8, 8W, 9, 14 | Norfolk, Lifelong Learning Center |
| March 18 | UNL Recertification | 4, 7, 9, 11, 14 | Ogallala, Keith County Fairgrounds |
| March 18 | UNL Recertification | 4, 7, 8, 8W, 11, 14 | Omaha, Douglas County Extension |
| March 18 | UNL Recertification | 4, 5, 7 | O'Neill, Holt County Extension |
| March 18 | UNL Recertification | 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 14 | Scottsbluff, Panhandle REC |
| March 18 | UNL Recertification | 4, 5, 7, 14 | Valentine, Cherry County Extension |
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