Arizona Administrative Code
Title 3 - AGRICULTURE
Chapter 3 - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE - ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DIVISION
Article 2 - PERMITS, LICENSES, AND CERTIFICATION
Section R3-3-207 - Agricultural Pest Control Advisor (PCA) License; Exemption

Universal Citation: AZ Admin Code R 3-3-207

Current through Register Vol. 30, No. 38, September 20, 2024

In addition to the provisions found under R3-3-200, the following apply to this Section.

A. An individual shall not act as a PCA without a valid PCA license issued by the Department. To advise in any of the categories listed in subsection (I), a PCA shall pass the specific examination associated with the category.

B. An individual, without a valid PCA license, applying for a PCA license shall provide the following information on a form obtained from the Department:

1. The applicant's name, address, e-mail address, daytime telephone number, social security number, and signature;

2. Date of the application;

3. Name, physical address, mailing address, e-mail address, and daytime telephone number of the applicant's employer, if applicable;

4. Examinations that the applicant has passed by category;

5. Whether the applicant has had a similar license revoked, suspended, or denied in this or any other jurisdiction during the last three years, and the nature of the violation resulting in the revocation, suspension, or denial; and

6. Information and documentation indicating that the individual's presence in the United States is authorized under federal law according to A.R.S. § 41-1080, if not on file.

C. An individual applying for a PCA license, except an individual who holds or has held a PCA license in this state within the previous five years shall meet one of the following five sets of qualifications:

1. College degree.
a. Possess a bachelor's degree (B.A. or B.S.), master's degree or doctorate degree in any subject; and

b. Have completed 42 semester hours (63 quarter units) of college-level curricula as specified in subsection (D).

2. Master's degree in a biological science.
a. Possess a master's degree in a biological science;

b. Have 12 months of work experience related to a core area listed in subsection (D); and

c. Have a letter from the institution, a faculty member, or a supervisor where the individual obtained the work experience certifying the time spent and describing the type of experience obtained by the individual.

3. Doctorate degree in a biological science.
a. Possess a doctorate degree in a biological science; and either

b. Meet the qualifications in subsection (C)(2)(b) and (C)(2)(c); or

c. Have a letter of recommendation from the faculty member that supervised the dissertation or the division head of the discipline.

4. Other education with unlicensed experience.
a. Have completed 42 semester hours (63 quarter units) of college-level curricula as specified in subsection (D);

b. Have 24 months of work experience related to a core area listed in subsection (D); and

c. Have a letter from the institution, a faculty member, or a supervisor where the individual obtained the work experience certifying the time spent and describing the type of experience obtained by the individual.

5. Other education with licensed experience.
a. Be currently licensed as a pest control advisor (PCA) or equivalent in another state; and

b. Have completed 42 semester hours (63 quarter units) of college-level curricula as specified in subsection (D), except that each year of verifiable licensed experience under subsection (C)(5)(a) within the previous 5 years qualifies for two semester hours up to 10 hours. The semester hours based on licensed experience do not reduce the minimum hours required from each individual core area.

c. The applicant shall provide proof of the equivalency of a license from another state.

D. The 42 semester hours (63 quarter units) of college-level curricula specified in subsection (C) shall come from the core areas shown in the following table, with at least the minimum indicated hours (or units) coming from each individual core area. A single course shall not count toward the minimum hours of more than one core area. At least one course from the pest management systems and methods core area shall emphasize integrated pest management principles. Each course completed must be awarded credit with a minimum passing grade of a "C" or a 2.0 GPA, or a passing score if taken on a pass or fail basis.

Core Area

Examples of Subjects

Sem. Hours

Qtr. Units

Physical, biological, and earth sciences, and mathematics

Inorganic chemistry; organic chemistry; biochemistry; plant biology or botany; general ecology; biology; genetics; plant physiology; zoology; post-algebra mathematics

12

18

Crop health

Soils and irrigation; vegetation management or weed science; plant pathology; entomology; plant nutrition or fertility; nematology; vertebrate management

6

9

Pest management systems and methods

Applied courses in entomology, plant pathology, vegetation management or weed science, and other pest management disciplines; pesticides or use of pesticides; pest control equipment systems; alternative cropping systems; sustainable or organic agricultural systems; biological control

3

4.5

Production systems

Horticulture; viticulture; forestry; agronomy; crop, vegetable, fruit or animal sciences; other production systems (e.g., wildlife production, cattle production)

3

4.5

E. Alternative curricula credits.

1. A current crop advisor certificate issued by the American Society of Agronomy qualifies for three semester hours in one of the following core areas: physical, biological and earth sciences and mathematics; crop health; or production systems.

2. Non-traditional courses such as a senior project, an internship, cooperative work experience, independent study, a dissertation or a thesis qualify for three semester hours in one of the core areas of crop health, pest management systems and methods, or production systems, as applicable.

3. For applicants with a bachelor's, master's, or doctorate degree, at least one year of full-time related work experience qualifies for three semester hours in one of the core areas of pest management systems and methods or production systems, as applicable.

F. In addition to the information required by subsection (B), an applicant shall submit to the Department:

1. An official transcript verifying the courses completed and the degrees granted to the applicant;

2. Documentation verifying alternative curricula relied on under subsection (E). Documentation of subsection (E)(2) and (E)(3) shall include a letter certifying completion and describing the activity from the institution, a faculty member or supervisor; and

3. If applicable, the letter required for licensure under subsection (C).

G. Renewal.

1. The Department shall not renew a PCA license unless, before the expiration of the current license, the licensee completes 15 CEUs for each year of the renewal period or passes any applicable examination prescribed in subsection (I). The licensee shall complete CEU credit during the calendar years the current license is in effect. CEUs earned that are in excess of the requirements do not carry forward for use with future renewals.

2. To obtain credit, the applicant shall provide the Department with documentation of completion of the CEU course.

3. For license renewal, the license may only be renewed if the required CEUs are obtained and the renewal application and fees are received by the Department within the specified time period.

H. Examinations.

1. In addition to the core examination as prescribed in R3-3-208(D), an applicant shall demonstrate knowledge and understanding of integrated pest management in any of the following categories:

a. Weed control,

b. Invertebrate control,

c. Nematode control,

d. Plant pathogen control,

e. Vertebrate pest control,

f. Plant growth regulators, or

g. Defoliation.

I. Exemption. An individual operating in an official capacity for a college or university, providing recommendations in a not-for-profit capacity, or merely furnishing information concerning general and labeling usage of a registered pesticide is not considered an authority or general advisor for the purposes of this Chapter.

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