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Educational Materials: Pesticide Safety

Maintenance Gardener Pest Control Exam Preparation Help Page

UC IPM has developed tools to help prepare for the California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s Pesticide Applicators exam in the Maintenance Gardener category (Q).  The category Q certificate authorizes you to use pesticides or supervise the use of pesticides in your work as a maintenance gardener.

Maintenance gardeners use pesticides only incidentally as a minor part of their landscape maintenance businesses. If pesticide application is a major part of your job you will need the Landscape Maintenance Pest Control (category B) certificate or license.

Lawn and residential landscape pest control, publication 3510
Official study guide, Lawn and Residential Landscape Pest Control.

What do you need to know to pass the exam?

The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) has developed a list of Knowledge Expectations (KEs) that describe the information you must know to pass the exam:

You'll also find them in the study guide and workbook described below.

Prepare for the exam (en español)

  1. Study guide. Read each chapter of the official study guide for category Q, which contains the information you are required to know to become certified:
  2. Online training course. After reviewing a chapter in the study guide, watch the presentation for that chapter in the online training course. (Be sure your computer's sound is on to hear the narration.)
  3. Workbook. Complete the exercises and practice test questions for the chapter in the workbook.

If you get some answers wrong, review the study guide again.

When you have completed the course and completed the exercises and example test questions correctly, you should be ready to take the exam. Check the California Department of Pesticide Regulation web page for more information about certification and licensing.

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Statewide IPM Program, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California
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