Restricted Materials Use Requirements

Back to Compendium Volume 3, Restricted Materials and Permitting

Restricted materials are pesticides deemed to have a higher potential to cause harm to public health, farm workers, domestic animals, honeybees, the environment, wildlife, or other crops compared to other pesticides. With certain exceptions, restricted materials may be purchased and used only by or under the supervision of a certified commercial or private applicator under a permit issued by the County Agricultural Commissioner (CAC).

Certification and licensing of commercial pesticide applicators falls to the Department of Pesticide Regulation while certification of private applicators is carried out by the CACs.

California requires permits for restricted materials so that the local CAC can assess, in advance, the potential effects of the proposed application on health and the environment. Permits are time - and site - specific, and include use practices to reduce adverse effects. The CAC may deny permits or require feasible alternatives to be used.

The Permit Process for Restricted Pesticides, PDF (166 kb) – a handout describing restricted materials permits and the appeal process.

Certification

• Licensing and certification program – DPR's program is responsible for examining and licensing qualified applicators, aircraft pilots, pest control dealer designated agents, and agricultural pest control advisers; and for certifying pesticide applicators who use or supervise the use of restricted pesticides.
  • Commercial applicators
  • Laws governing private applicator certification – Private applicators are certified by the County Agricultural Commissioner. Contact the local CAC where you intend to conduct business operations. (Food and Agricultural Code section 14090 et seq)
  • Regulations governing private applicator certification (3 CCR section 6580 et seq)

Permitting

• Restricted Materials and Permitting (Volume 3, Pesticide Use Enforcement Program Standards Compendium)
• Laws governing restricted materials (Food and Agricultural Code section 14001 et seq)
• Regulations governing the restricted materials program (Title 3, California Code of Regulations, Division 6, Section 6400 et seq)
• Restricted materials and permitting, PDF, (713 kb) excerpt from Chapter 2--Ensuring Safe Pesticide Use, from A Guide to Pesticide Regulation in California: 2017 Update
• A History of the Listing of Pesticides as Restricted Materials in California, (1997 report)

Permit Appeals

• Restricted Materials Permit Review, PDF (24 kb) – Describes permit evaluation and review; due process; and grounds for refusal, revocation, and suspension of a restricted materials permit
• Laws governing permit review (Scroll to Food and Agricultural Code section 14009)
• Regulations governing permit review

Restricted material lists

• California Restricted Materials Requirements, PDF (34 kb)
• Requisitos Para Materiales Restringidos en California, PDF (39 kb)
• Pesticides approved for Section 18 emergency exemptions (Use requires permit)
• Federal restricted use pesticides (Only persons with specific training can use these products. However, unless they are also on DPR's restricted list, no permit is required.)
• Search for Pesticide Products Registered as Restricted Materials

Related links

• Compliance assistance information for employers
• County agricultural commissioner directory California Department of Food and Agriculture page (names, addresses, telephone numbers and web sites)
• Regulations to reduce VOCs by controlling field fumigant emissions

For content questions contact:
Enforcement Headquarters
Phone : 916-324-4100
Email: ENF.HQ@cdpr.ca.gov