How to get a pesticide license in Texas, step by step
The official process is spread across TDA, AgriLife, and the testing vendor. Here is the whole path on one page — for every license type, in order, with the current vendor. Verified 2026-06-15.
First: which license are you getting?
Private
You produce an agricultural commodity on land you own or rent.
Commercial
You apply pesticides for hire or compensation.
Noncommercial
You apply pesticides as a job duty for an employer (not for hire).
Political subdivision
You apply for a city, school district, or other political subdivision.
Edge case? The commercial vs. private comparison walks through the differences in detail.
Commercial, noncommercial & political subdivision: 6 steps
Apply to TDA
No pre-exam course is required for commercial, noncommercial, or political-subdivision applicants. Apply to the Texas Department of Agriculture for your license type.
Receive your TDA account number
TDA issues an account number you'll use to register for exams.
Order the study manuals and study
Texas writes its exams to the Texas A&M AgriLife (PSEP) manuals — General Standards (AES-5073) and Laws & Regulations (AES-5056) — not the national PERC core manual. Order them from AgriLife, then drill with free practice.
Schedule with Metro Institute
Book your exams with Metro Institute, TDA's testing vendor. Exams are taken in person and cost $64 each, per attempt.
Pass General Standards + at least one category
Everyone on this path passes the General Standards (core) exam plus at least one category exam. The Aerial category cannot stand alone. 70% is passing; a failed attempt means a 24-hour wait and another fee.
Pay your license fee
Commercial $200/year, noncommercial $140/year, political subdivision $75/year. You're licensed.
Private applicators: 5 steps
Complete the required AgriLife training
Private applicators must complete the Texas A&M AgriLife Private Applicator Training course before testing — this is the big difference from the commercial path.
Submit the training-verification form
Your course completion is verified to TDA before you can sit the exam.
Apply to TDA and schedule with Metro
Get your TDA account set up and book the exam with Metro Institute (in person, $64 per attempt).
Pass the single Private Applicator exam
One exam — not the General Standards + category stack commercial applicants take. 70% to pass; 24-hour wait before any retake.
Pay $100 for the 5-year license
The lowest annualized license TDA offers (works out to $20/year).
Full detail on this path: the Texas private applicator guide.
Exam day with Metro Institute
Exams are in person, $64 per exam per attempt, with a 24-hour wait before any retake. Metro Institute replaced PSI as TDA's testing vendor on 2025-05-19 — a surprising amount of content online still points to the old vendor, so book only through the official Metro Institute link below.
Wondering about the total damage? The full cost breakdown sums every fee by license type.
Study before you schedule
Frequently asked
- Who administers the Texas pesticide applicator exam?
- Metro Institute, which has administered TDA exams since 2025-05-19 (it replaced PSI). If a guide tells you to book with PSI, it's out of date.
- Do I need a license to spray pesticides in Texas?
- It depends on what and where you spray. Licensing applies to restricted-use, state-limited-use, and regulated-herbicide products — and to applying for hire. General-use products can be used by the public following the label. If you produce an agricultural commodity on your own or rented land, the private applicator license is your path.
- Is a training course required before the exam?
- Only for private applicators, who must complete the Texas A&M AgriLife Private Applicator Training course first. Commercial, noncommercial, and political-subdivision applicants can go straight to studying and scheduling — no mandatory pre-exam course.
- Can I take the exam online?
- No — TDA exams are administered in person by Metro Institute.
- What score do I need, and what if I fail?
- 70% is passing. If you fail, you wait 24 hours and pay the $64 exam fee again for the next attempt.
- How long does the whole process take?
- TDA doesn't publish processing times, so be skeptical of sites promising exact timelines. The parts you control are studying (start free below) and scheduling promptly once your TDA account is set up.
Official links for each step
Verified 2026-06-15. Always confirm with the official source.