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Ontario Pesticide Exam overview

Ontario Pesticide Exam study guide: key rules on all 11 topics

Free Ontario Pesticide Exam study guide: 182 key points from the Ontario Regulation 63/09 (General) under the Pesticides Act in plain words, organised by topic, each topic linked to its practice questions.

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  • 11 topics
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This study guide collects our notes on every topic of the Ontario Pesticide Exterminator Exam – Core and Structural (OPT&C) on one page: 182 short points in our own words, grouped by topic and by handbook section. Read it from top to bottom before your first practice test, or jump to a topic from the list below.

Each topic ends with a link to its practice questions, so you can check what you just read straight away, and a link to the official chapter for the full wording. The notes summarise the Ontario Regulation 63/09 (General) under the Pesticides Act from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (certification by Ontario Pesticide Training and Certification, University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus); they do not replace it, and where our notes and the official source differ, the official source wins.

Study these notes as flashcards →

Licences, certification and the exam

How Ontario licenses vendors, exterminators and operators, the land, structural and water licence types, OPT&C certification, the two-part exam and licence rules.

Practise Licences, certification and the exam questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

OPT&C Exterminator Information Guide (2025) and ontariopesticide.com (reviewed 2025-09-02)

  • The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) regulates the sale, storage, use, transport and disposal of pesticides in Ontario under the Pesticides Act and O. Reg. 63/09.
  • A pesticide must be registered under the federal Pest Control Products Act before it can be sold or used in Ontario.
  • Ontario requires licences to sell pesticides (vendors), apply them commercially (exterminators) and run a business that employs applicators (operators).
  • You need an exterminator licence to apply pesticides commercially on property you do not own or farm.
  • There are three types of exterminator licence: structural, land and water, with 12 licence categories plus limited fumigation categories.
  • Structural categories include Structural, Termite, Greenhouse/Interior Plant and the fumigation classes (General, Soil, Commodity, Vault).
  • New exterminators certify through Ontario Pesticide Training and Certification (OPT&C) at the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus.
  • Applicants receive a Core Manual (for all exterminators) and a Licence Category Specific Module.
  • The exam has two parts of 50 multiple-choice questions each: the Core exam is 1 hour and closed book; the category module exam is 1.5 hours and open book.
  • A mark of 75% or more is needed on both parts.
  • After a failure, rewrites are allowed within 12 months: at most two more attempts, and no more than two attempts in any six-month period; the rewrite fee is $82.
  • The initial fee (Core plus one category) is $214; each additional category is $192 if taken within 12 months of passing the Core exam.
  • Results are sent within 10 working days and are not released by phone.
  • You must apply to MECP for the exterminator licence within one year of certification; the licence costs $90 and lasts five years.
  • To hold an exterminator licence you must be at least 16 with Grade 10 standing or equivalent.
  • Out-of-province licence holders may apply for equivalency instead of retraining.

Pesticide licences and permits (updated 2026-06-02)

  • Exterminator licences are valid for 5 years from issue; operator licences expire on December 31 each year.
  • An operator licence is needed to run a pesticide extermination business or employ people who apply pesticides commercially.
  • Operators must be at least 18 and hold insurance.
  • Vendor licences: Limited class (Class D and controlled sales products), General class (Classes A to D) and Treated Seed class (Class E seed).
  • Inaccurate licence information must be updated within 10 days; renewal opens 90 days before expiry.

ss. 49, 89, 93

  • A licensed exterminator must carry the licence or a copy, or have it readily available at the site.
  • No one may offer to perform an extermination they are not authorized to perform.
  • Every vehicle used to transport or apply pesticides for an operator needs the year's ministry identification marker on the rear (a temporary marker inside is allowed for the first 21 days after issue or renewal).
  • Operators must carry at least $1,000,000 employers' liability, $2,000,000 commercial general liability and $1,000,000 pollution liability coverage (lower amounts apply only to aerial-only businesses).

Pesticide classes and the law

What counts as a pesticide, federal product classes, Ontario Classes A to E, banned pesticides, using products only as labelled and the cosmetic pesticide ban.

Practise Pesticide classes and the law questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

What is a pesticide

  • A pesticide is any organism, substance or thing used to directly or indirectly control, prevent, destroy, mitigate, attract or repel a pest, or to alter the growth of non-pest plants, including anything registered under the federal Pest Control Products Act.

Federal product classes

  • DOMESTIC: sold mainly to the public for personal use in and around homes.
  • COMMERCIAL: for commercial activities specified on the label.
  • RESTRICTED: the federal minister has added label conditions on display, distribution, use limits or user qualifications because of health or environmental risk.
  • MANUFACTURING: used only to make other pest control products (or fertilizer or feed products).

O. Reg. 63/09, s. 2 and ontario.ca Classification of pesticides (updated 2026-05-05)

  • Ontario classes follow the federal designation automatically; no Ontario application is needed.
  • Class A = federal Manufacturing; Class B = Restricted; Class C = Commercial; Class D = Domestic (or registered under the Fertilizers Act).
  • Class E = corn or soybean seed treated with the neonicotinoids imidacloprid, clothianidin or thiamethoxam.
  • Class C pesticides can only be used by trained persons such as licensed exterminators, certified farmers and permit holders.

General prohibitions

  • No one may use a pesticide unless it is classified as Class A, B, C or D (or an approved imported equivalent).
  • Every pesticide must be used in accordance with its label and the regulation.
  • Aldrin, chlordane, chlordecone, DDT, dieldrin and endrin may not be used, stored, sold or transported; they may only be managed as hazardous waste.
  • Some products, such as purely mechanical devices and certain disinfectants labelled only for micro-organisms, are outside the Act.

Cosmetic pesticide ban

  • Ontario bans the cosmetic (non-essential) use of pesticides on lawns and gardens, except for low-risk active ingredients on the Allowable List or uses covered by an exception.
  • The Allowable List is updated periodically (Version 5 took effect November 28, 2022).
  • One exception: a pesticide use on land is allowed when it is integral to a structural extermination.
  • Unlisted pesticides may be used on land around a building to control pests such as carpenter ants and termites only to prevent structural damage that would put someone's health or safety at risk.

Technicians, trainees and supervision

Who technicians and trainees are, what they may not do, written instructions, weekly visits, the one-to-three supervision ratio and training records.

Practise Technicians, trainees and supervision questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Trainees and technicians

  • A trainee is an assistant to a licensed exterminator who has not yet completed an approved pesticide safety course and practical training; a trainee always needs direct supervision.
  • A technician has completed an MECP-approved pesticide safety course within the previous 24 months and received practical training from a licensed exterminator.

What supervisees may not do

  • Neither technicians nor trainees may select or recommend a pesticide, or choose the method or rate of application.
  • Neither may use a Class B pesticide.
  • Technicians may use a Class C rodenticide that needs mixing or dilution only in the presence of a licensed exterminator.
  • Trainees may use Class C or D pesticides only in the presence of a licensed exterminator.
  • A technician must have written instructions (work order, invoice or job sheet) at the site showing the location, the pest, the pesticide name and registration number, the supervisor's name and licence number, and a job identifier.
  • Technicians keep all written instructions signed by the supervisor in the last 30 days at the site.
  • A technician carries proof of the safety course taken within the previous 24 months; a trainee carries the employer's trainee ID.

Supervision

  • The supervising exterminator gives direction, ensures safe and legal work, ensures training and keeps a training record.
  • The employer keeps the training record for at least two years after the supervisee leaves.
  • The supervisor must visit a technician (or supervised exterminator) at a site at least once each week the supervisee works, and sign and date the written instructions.
  • A trainee's supervisor must be present at the site at all times while the trainee works.
  • An exterminator may not supervise more than three technicians or trainees at the same time (exceptions: unpaid group training, and up to seven for mosquito larviciding under permit).
  • Employers need at least one licensed exterminator for every three or fewer technicians or trainees.
  • Other employees may not perform or assist in exterminations, may handle pesticides only in sealed containers, and may handle empty Class B or C containers only after rinsing.

Reading the pesticide label

The principal and secondary display panels, registration numbers, signal words and symbols, first aid and toxicological information, restricted uses and the notice to user.

Practise Reading the pesticide label questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

The label

  • Every registered product has a principal display panel and a secondary display panel.
  • The principal display panel shows the product name, type, physical form, class designation, hazard symbols and signal words, "READ THE LABEL BEFORE USING", the active ingredient(s) and concentration, the registration number, net quantity, the registrant and a Canadian contact.
  • The registration number appears as "REG. NO. (number) P.C.P. Act"; it shows Health Canada has reviewed and registered the product.
  • Signal words and precautionary symbols come from the regulations' schedule: caution, warning and danger, plus symbols for corrosive, explosive, flammable and poison.
  • The secondary panel carries DIRECTIONS FOR USE (rates, timing, frequency, limitations), PRECAUTIONS, FIRST AID, TOXICOLOGICAL INFORMATION, storage and disposal information.
  • First aid sections must tell users to take the container, label or product name and registration number when seeking medical help.
  • Toxicological information is written for medical staff: antidotes or "Treat symptomatically", symptoms and other components that affect treatment.
  • Every label carries a NOTICE TO USER: using the product inconsistently with the label is an offence under the Pest Control Products Act.
  • RESTRICTED products show a boxed "RESTRICTED USES" section on the secondary panel.
  • When part of the label is in a leaflet, the main panel says to read the attached or accompanying brochure before using.

Nova Scotia Environment, Understanding the Pesticide Label (2010); Health Canada pest control tips

  • Read the label before buying and again before every use.
  • The guarantee lists the percentage of each active ingredient, the chemical that controls the pest.
  • Not every pesticide works on every pest; make sure the label names your pest and site.
  • Look for a PCP number; a product without one is unregistered and illegal to use in Canada.

Safe use, protective equipment and first aid

Protective clothing, applying at the label rate, keeping people out and re-entry, indoor precautions, weather limits outdoors, washing up and poisoning first aid.

Practise Safe use, protective equipment and first aid questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Use pesticides safely (2023-02-10)

  • Identify the pest correctly and consider non-chemical methods first.
  • Wear the protective equipment the label requires (gloves, long sleeves, apron or coveralls); keep sleeves over gloves and pant legs over boots.
  • Use only for the purpose on the label; never mix pesticides unless the label says to.
  • Apply only at the label rate: too little may fail, too much can harm plants, beneficial insects or leave residues.
  • Keep people and pets out during treatment; allow re-entry only after the product has dried and, outdoors, at least 12 hours unless the label says longer.
  • Do not eat, drink or smoke while applying, and avoid touching your eyes or mouth.
  • Do not apply to people, animals or bedding unless the label permits.
  • Outdoors, do not spray when wind exceeds 8 km/h, the temperature is above 30°C or it is raining.
  • Indoors, remove or cover food, dishes, utensils, aquariums and pet dishes, ventilate, and wash food-contact surfaces after drying.
  • After use, wash hands and face with hot soapy water and launder work clothes separately.
  • In a poisoning, call a poison control centre, get medical help and bring the label; follow the label's first aid statements.
  • Report problems to the manufacturer (who must tell Health Canada) or directly to Health Canada.

Protective equipment

  • "Adequate protective clothing" includes rubber or neoprene boots and gloves, hats, coats and other garments that protect skin from contact.
  • Where respiratory protection is required, it must be on the person and used as the label requires.
  • Storage areas for Class A, B or C pesticides must have respiratory protection and protective clothing available for emergencies.

Product-specific cautions

  • Diatomaceous earth (silicon dioxide) kills insects by drying them out; avoid breathing the dust.
  • Insect growth regulators such as methoprene and pyriproxyfen stop larvae maturing but do not kill adults.
  • Do not use homemade pesticides, unregistered products or ozone generators for bed bugs.

Storage, vehicles and transport

Original and secondary containers, storage area rules, Sign G, vehicles left unattended, fire department notices and keeping pesticides away from food and household goods in transport.

Practise Storage, vehicles and transport questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Possession and storage

  • Pesticides must be kept in their original container, except that an exterminator may use a secondary container labelled with the pesticide name, concentration of each ingredient and registration number.
  • Never store pesticides where they could contact food or drink for people or animals.
  • Only licensed vendors, operators, exterminators (or exempt persons) may store pesticides.
  • A Class A, B or C pesticide (mixed or not) may not be left unsupervised in a vehicle unless the vehicle is inaccessible to the public or the pesticide is locked in an enclosed compartment.
  • A vehicle left with pesticides inside must display Sign G ("pesticide storage" or "chemical storage").
  • Storage areas must be clean, in good repair, protect the environment, display Sign G at all entrances and post emergency numbers for the fire department, hospital and poison control centre.
  • Indoor storage of Class A, B or C pesticides must be ventilated to the outdoors, secured so entry needs the responsible person's permission, and have no floor drain leading to a sewer or watercourse.
  • Class B pesticides and Class C fumigants need an area used primarily for pesticide storage.
  • Operators and vendors who store Class B, C or D pesticides give the local fire department a written notice every year; if pesticides are kept in a vehicle overnight, the notice goes to the fire department where it is parked.

Transport

  • Pesticides carried on a highway must be secured so they cannot escape or discharge from the vehicle.
  • Class A, B or C pesticides must be separated from food, drink, household furnishings, toiletries, clothes and bedding during transport.

Use pesticides safely

  • Store in the original container, out of reach of children and pets, away from food, and away from extreme heat, cold and humidity.
  • Never reuse empty pesticide containers.

Containers, spills and disposal

Triple and jet rinsing, when a container is empty, recycling and disposal, damaged containers, protecting water sources and reporting spills and thefts to the Spills Action Centre.

Practise Containers, spills and disposal questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Empty and damaged containers

  • An empty plastic, glass or metal container that held a Class A, B or C pesticide must be promptly triple-rinsed or jet-rinsed with clean water or another suitable solvent.
  • A container counts as empty when less than 2.5 cm of material remains in the bottom.
  • Rinse water goes into the spray tank for use, or is disposed of as waste under the Environmental Protection Act.
  • Rinsed containers go to a pesticide container depot for recycling or are disposed of under the waste rules.
  • Rinsing is not required for refillable containers returned to the vendor, aerosol cans, containers the label says not to rinse, or where the Director agrees it is impractical.
  • Paper or cardboard containers may be burned only where by-laws allow, keeping smoke away from people, animals, buildings and roads, or disposed of as waste.
  • If an original container is damaged, clean up spillage and decontaminate under the registrant's direction, transfer the product to an equivalent labelled container and treat the broken container as empty.

Water, spills and theft

  • When using water from a well or surface water, take measures to prevent backflow of pesticide into the source.
  • Do not wash equipment in or near a well or body of water in a way that could discharge pesticide into it.
  • Immediately notify the ministry's Spills Action Centre if a fire or other occurrence may discharge pesticide into the environment in a harmful way.
  • Notify the Spills Action Centre as soon as practicable if any pesticide is stolen or otherwise leaves your control.

Report pollution and spills (2025-07-09)

  • Spills must be reported by phone to the Spills Action Centre (1-800-268-6060), available 24 hours a day.
  • The caller gives the spill's time, place, substance, quantity, cause, effects and actions being taken.

Use pesticides safely

  • Never burn pesticides or pour them down the drain; follow the label disposal directions and use municipal hazardous waste programs.

Structural extermination rules

What the Structural and Termite licences allow, Class D exemptions and rental units, special rodenticide rules, suspensions in air and Sign B, fumigation notices, airing out and Sign A.

Practise Structural extermination rules questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Structural licence classes

  • The Structural class may use all pesticides, including fumigants and suspensions in air, except Class B fumigant gases, chloropicrin, termiticides and herbicides.
  • The Structural class covers any structural extermination except control of pests of plants.
  • The Termite class uses termiticides (no fumigant gases or chloropicrin) to prevent or control termites.
  • Greenhouse/Interior Plant covers pests of plants growing inside greenhouses and buildings.
  • Fumigant gases are used under the fumigation classes; a land extermination done with a fumigant gas is deemed a structural extermination.

Exemptions

  • No licence is needed for some Class D products: wood preservatives, tree wound dressings, enclosed insect bait stations, and, for structural work, products whose only active ingredient is soap, mineral oil or diatomaceous earth.
  • People may use Class D pesticides in a structure they own or occupy (or their full-time employer's premises) without a licence.
  • In a rental unit, only the occupant may use that exemption, so a landlord needs a licensed exterminator.

Rodenticides with strychnine, zinc phosphide or 4-aminopyridine

  • Place the bait where people and non-target animals cannot reach it, away from food and drink.
  • Dispose of dead animals daily so people and other animals cannot contact them.
  • Remove the pesticide from every location when the job is complete.
  • Record every placement location during the job and keep the record at least two years (operators keep a copy too).

Class B suspensions in air and labelled Class C fumigants

  • Only licensed Structural, Termite, Greenhouse/Interior Plant or Fumigation Commodity exterminators may perform them, and a second licensed exterminator must be present.
  • Before applying: lock all outside doors except the access door, post Sign B (Warning — Structural extermination) on all doors and make sure no people or animals are inside.
  • After applying: lock the last door and keep everyone out until the air is clear, except emergency or authorized persons using respiratory protection and working in pairs.

Fumigation basics

  • A fumigation is not complete until airing out brings the gas below both the label limit and the regulation's limit (for example 0.3 ppm for phosphine).
  • For indoor Class B fumigant gas fumigations, written notice goes to the owner, adult occupants, neighbouring buildings, the medical officer of health, police and fire department at least 24 hours and not more than seven days before.
  • Sign A (Warning — Fumigation) is posted at all entrances, buildings are locked and guarded, and the Director is told of completion within seven days.

Signs outdoors

  • Structural exterminators treating land to control biting, stinging, venomous or disease-carrying arthropods must post land-extermination signs unless the area is under 1 m² or within 1 m of the structure.

Insect pests and integrated pest management

Identifying and controlling cockroaches, carpenter ants, bed bugs, fleas and wasps with sanitation, exclusion, monitoring and correctly used pesticides.

Practise Insect pests and integrated pest management questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Integrated approach

  • Combine sanitation, exclusion and monitoring with pesticides; pesticides alone rarely give lasting control.
  • Identify the pest first, since the right control depends on the species.
  • Always use registered products labelled for the pest and site, and follow every direction.

Cockroaches (2024-03-13)

  • The German cockroach, the most common household species, is about 1.3–1.6 cm long, tan to light brown with two dark parallel stripes behind the head; it has wings but does not fly.
  • Cockroaches seek warm, damp places with food and water, are mostly active at night and come in with furniture, cartons, bottles and egg cases.
  • They contaminate food and can trigger asthma; their presence does not always mean poor sanitation.
  • Control: clean spills, store food sealed, remove garbage daily, fix leaks, seal cracks and use sticky traps for monitoring.
  • Residual crack-and-crevice products are the most common registered treatment; baits kill about 48 to 96 hours after feeding.

Carpenter ants (2013-06-04)

  • Carpenter ants are 6–25 mm, black or red-and-black, with elbowed antennae and a slim waist; termites have straight antennae and a thick waist.
  • They do not eat wood: they excavate galleries and push out sawdust-like frass; they prefer moist, decaying wood.
  • Signs: frass piles, slit openings in wood, foraging trails and rustling at night; satellite colonies are common.
  • Lasting control requires finding and treating the nest (or the parent colony), plus fixing moisture and removing infested wood.
  • Leave dead ants after treatment so others carry the pesticide back to the colony.

Bed bugs (2015, 2022)

  • Adults are up to 10 mm, oval, flat and brown (red after feeding); they cannot fly or jump.
  • They feed on blood mainly at night, attracted by carbon dioxide, and can survive weeks to 1.5 years without feeding.
  • They are not known to spread disease; bites can take up to 14 days to appear.
  • Bed bugs die at 50°C; steam, hot washing and drying for 30 minutes or more help; freezing needs 4 days at -19°C and may not work.
  • Do not apply products to people, pets or bedding unless the label allows; bed-frame products are not for mattresses.

Fleas (2020) and Wasps (2017)

  • Fleas: 1–4 mm, wingless; eggs, larvae and pupae live in pet resting areas; treat pets (with a vet's advice), vacuum daily and treat the home.
  • Wasps: yellowjackets and hornets are 10–25 mm and can sting repeatedly; treat nests after nightfall when wasps are least active, wear protective clothing including a head net, and use a red-filtered light.

Rats and mice

Identifying house mice, deer mice and rats, signs of infestation, rodent-proofing, trapping, bait stations and rodenticides, safe cleanup and the regulation's rules for acute rodenticides.

Practise Rats and mice questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Rats and mice (2016-12-06)

  • House mice have large ears and light brown to dark grey fur; deer mice are brown or grey with a white belly, feet and underside of the tail.
  • Rats weigh up to about 0.5 kg; Norway rats burrow at ground level in damp areas, roof rats climb and infest attics and upper floors.
  • The deer mouse is the most common carrier of hantavirus.
  • Signs: night scratching, gnaw marks, damaged packaging, droppings and urine, burrows near foundations and tracks in dust.
  • Mice fit through gaps the size of a dime; rats through a hole the size of a quarter.
  • Exclusion: metal weather stripping, patch foundation cracks, steel wool around pipes then caulk, fine metal mesh on vents.
  • Remove clutter, keep grass short, raise woodpiles about 30 cm off the ground and store food in metal or glass.
  • Snap traps go at right angles to the wall with the bait end toward the wall; place about one trap per metre along walls; pre-bait without setting for 3–4 days; check traps daily.
  • Rodenticides must not be the only control; poisoned bait goes in tamper-proof bait stations where children or pets could reach it.
  • Anticoagulant rodenticides stop blood from clotting.
  • Commercial-class rodenticides, including loose pre-mixed bait, are applied by certified professionals.
  • Cleanup: wear rubber gloves and a dust mask, wet droppings with bleach solution before wiping, never sweep or vacuum dry droppings, double-bag dead rodents.

Rodenticide rules for licensed work

  • Technicians may use a Class C rodenticide that requires mixing only in the presence of a licensed exterminator.
  • With strychnine, zinc phosphide or 4-aminopyridine baits: place out of reach of people and non-target animals, remove dead animals daily, remove all bait at the end and keep placement records two years.

Operating an extermination business

Who an operator may employ, the one-exterminator-per-three rule, duties to other staff, vehicle markers, insurance amounts and licence renewal.

Practise Operating an extermination business questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Running an extermination business

  • An operator may employ only licensed exterminators of the right class, technicians or trainees to perform or assist in exterminations.
  • At least one licensed exterminator is needed for every three or fewer technicians or trainees.
  • Other staff (for example, office or warehouse staff) may not perform or assist, may handle pesticides only in sealed containers and may handle empty Class B or C containers only after rinsing.
  • Employers must ensure no worker suffers harm from pesticide exposure.

Vehicles, exemptions and insurance

  • Vehicles used to transport or apply pesticides need the current year's ministry identification marker on the rear.
  • Businesses that only use certain Class D products (enclosed bait stations, wood preservatives, or soap, mineral oil or diatomaceous earth for structural work) do not need an operator licence.
  • Insurance: employers' liability at least $1 million (unless covered by WSIB), commercial general liability at least $2 million, pollution liability at least $1 million.
  • Insurers must give the Director 30 days' notice by registered mail before cancelling the policy.

Pesticide licences and permits; OPT&C guide

  • Operator licences expire December 31 each year and must be renewed annually.
  • Operators must be 18 or older, hold a valid Ontario exterminator licence and carry appropriate insurance.
  • Licence information changes must be reported within 10 days; renewals open 90 days before expiry.
  • Records of training for supervised workers are kept at least two years after the worker leaves; rodenticide placement records are kept two years.

Written in our own words from: Ontario Regulation 63/09 (General) under the Pesticides Act

FAQ

Ontario Pesticide Exam study guide: common questions

What is the best way to use this Ontario Pesticide Exam study guide?

Read one topic, then answer that topic's practice questions while the rules are fresh. Note the questions you miss, re-read those notes, and finish with a full practice test across all 11 topics.

Is this the official Ontario Pesticide Exam handbook?

No. It is our own summary of the Ontario Regulation 63/09 (General) under the Pesticides Act. Use it to review, and use the official handbook when you need the exact wording of a rule.

Can I print the study guide?

Yes, with your browser's print command. For practice questions on paper with an answer key, use our printable questions and answers page instead.

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