How to Register a Pesticide
About Pesticide Registration
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) is responsible for registering pesticide products. Examples of pesticides include insecticides, herbicides, antimicrobials, plant growth regulators, avicides, and rodenticides. Also included are adjuvants when packaged and sold separately. Registration includes evaluating a pesticide for human health and environmental risks and impacts.
DPR must register any pesticide before it can be sold or used in California.
How to Register or Amend a Pesticide Product
For information on how to register a new pesticide product or amend a currently registered pesticide, below is an overview of the process. DPR accepts applications in two ways: electronically using CalPEST or hard copy submissions through mail, or electronically using CalPEST. Applications submitted through CalPEST will allow for electronic payment and faster processing. Additionally, users will be able to view their submission status in real-time.
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Write a cover letter (Optional)
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Fill out the appropriate application.
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Pay the application fee.
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Prepare a copy of the proposed label.
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Submit data to support pesticide product labels.
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Provide necessary U.S. Environmental Protection Agency paperwork.
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Share agent letter of authorization.
Registration Contacts
If you need assistance, or have questions through the registration process, please contact the registration ombudsperson or an assigned registration team. Each active ingredient has an assigned registration team ready to assist you. All new product registration and amendment applications received by the Pesticide Registration Branch (PRB) are assigned to a team based on the active ingredients (AIs) contained in the pesticide product. The four teams are Cedar, Oak, Maple and Redwood.
AI Assignments
Our Chemical Ingredient Application helps you search the chemical ingredient database by chemical name, chemical code, or Chemical Abstract Service (CAS) number. The search function will display which team an AI is assigned to. This application also shows how many active and total (active and inactive) registrations are linked to an AI.
AI Contacts
Each AI is assigned a team contact. For products containing multiple AIs, the Decision Tree and Example Scenarios resource can help you find your team assignment.
Contacts
Registration.Ombudsperson@cdpr.ca.gov
New Product Registration
There are both federal (U.S.) and state laws that govern the manufacture, sale, distribution, and use of pesticide products.
The federal authority to regulate pesticides is in the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Code of Federal Regulations Title 40 (40 CFR), Parts 150 to 189. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) is responsible for regulating pesticides at the federal level.
A State’s authority to regulate pesticides is in FIFRA, section 24(a) and reads, “A State may regulate the sale or use of any Federally-registered pesticide or device in the state, but only if and to the extent the regulation does not permit any sale or use prohibited by this Act.” DPR is given further authority to regulate pesticides with various California laws and regulations.
Adjuvants are considered pesticides under California law. Therefore, DPR must register adjuvants (e.g., water modifiers, wetting agents, stickers, spreaders, pH modifiers, etc.) as new products as well. Adjuvants are considered pesticides under California law.
To get started with registering a new pesticide product, see the “How to Register or Amend a Pesticide Product” section above. If you are electronically submitting, complete a New Product Submission in CalPEST. If mailing a hard copy submission, provide the Application for Pesticide Registration form (DPR-REG-030).
Pesticide Registration Forms and Guidance
Global Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) for Adjuvants
For pesticide products that require registration in California but do not require federal registration (e.g., adjuvants), DPR instructs registrants to adhere to both GHS label features and California labeling requirements. Please specify in the cover letter that the label incorporates or has been updated to incorporate appropriate GHS elements and please provide a completed Certification of Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Global Harmonized System Compliance Template. Where there is a conflict, registrants may follow GHS labeling. However, it is acceptable for registrants to use further restrictive Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act language. See California Notice 2015-05 for additional information.
Concurrent Submissions with U.S. EPA
In most cases, an applicant must first register their product label and formulation with U.S. EPA before submitting it to DPR for acceptance. However, we do allow some submissions to be submitted concurrently with U.S. EPA. Concurrent submissions to U.S. EPA and DPR are allowed for new pesticide products containing new active ingredients and for products that meet the criteria in California Notice 2015-03. For these submissions, the U.S. EPA approved label and letter are not available at the time of application, but must be submitted before DPR registration can be granted.
Structural Pest Control Device Registration Forms and Guidance
We register structural pest control devices intended to control termites, carpenter ants, powder post beetles, and other wood-destroying pests. Structural pest control devices requiring registration by DPR typically use heat, microwave, or electrical treatments. DPR does not require registration of devices manufactured solely for export outside of California.
An applicator using a structural pest control device for hire must be licensed by the Structural Pest Control Board. To get started with registering a structural pest control device, see the “How to Register or Amend a Pesticide Product” section above. If you are electronically submitting, complete a New Product Submission in CalPEST. If mailing a hard copy submission, provide the Structural Pest Control Device Registration Application form (DPR-REG-032).
Changes After Product Registration
Once we register a product, a registrant can revise a product using three different methods provided certain criteria are met:
- Amendment
- Notification
- Non-notification
In most cases, the applicant must first amend their product label and formulation with the U.S. EPA before submitting it to us for acceptance.
All types of label and formulation revisions may be submitted to us through the amendment process. However, only a limited number of minor changes/revisions may be submitted through the Notification process. Some revisions do not require any notification to us (also known as non-notification).
Amendments
We must review and accept label or formulation amendments prior to releasing products for shipment in California. To get started with amending your pesticide product, see the “How to Register or Amend a Pesticide Product” section above. If you are electronically submitting, complete an Amendment Submission in CalPEST. If mailing a hard copy submission, provide the Application to Amend Pesticide Product form (DPR-REG-035). The Product Formulation Information Sheet linked below can be used to provide alternate or revised formulations for California-only registered products.
Notification of Minor Changes
Once we receive notification, the registrant can release the revised product label/formulation for shipment. For this reason, we limit the number of revisions allowed through this process. The product formulation information sheet is for alternate or revised formulations for California-only registered products.
Non-Notification
Read California Notice 2002-1 carefully, to determine whether your revision must be submitted to us or if the revision can be made without notifying us. If you have questions on types of revisions and how to submit to us, contact: Registration.Ombudsperson@cdpr.ca.gov.
Company Name Changes
Company name change requests can be submitted through CalPEST. There is no fee required for a change in company name when the company confirms no change in company ownership occurred for the company’s California product registrations. Otherwise, a new product application fee is required. Companies have the ability to either change their name for all products registered with us at once or change the name on a product-by-product basis. See California Notice 2022-07 for additional information.
If you are mailing your company name change request, please refer to the following documents:
Email: PRBLicensingMail@cdpr.ca.gov
Company Address Changes
Registrants are responsible for informing us of a company address change. A change in the primary address does not necessarily mean a change in address on the pesticide product label(s).
The name and address on the pesticide product label may differ from that of the primary company address. Companies who wish to update the address on their pesticide product label(s) must submit the change as a label amendment. Registered CalPEST users authorized in an administrator role may make an address change (without a change to the product label) within their company profile in CalPEST.
For those who are not administrators in CalPEST and would like to submit a company address change, you must submit a written letter requesting the change to the assigned Regulatory Scientist Team or the Licensing Unit. You may also submit a PDF of the signed letter via email to the assigned Regulatory Scientist Team or to the Licensing Unit. Alternatively, you may write in the company address change on their signed Application for Renewal (DPR-REG-090).
Pesticide Registration Branch
1001 I Street
Sacramento, California 95812-4015.
Email: PRBLicensingMail@cdpr.ca.gov
Alternatively, submit a PDF of the signed letter via email to the assigned Regulatory Scientist Team or to the Licensing Unit.
Company Ownership Changes
A certificate of registration (product license) in California cannot be transferred if there is a change of business ownership. A change in business ownership is the transfer of a U.S. EPA company number from one legal entity to another, even if the same company owns both entities. This applies to basic manufacturing companies and all supplemental distributor companies when the basic manufacturer changes ownership.
Products under the old ownership may be possessed and sold by a dealer/distributor for two years from the last date of registration. Persons who legally purchased or obtained the product during this time can continue to use the product indefinitely (provided the U.S. EPA or DPR has not taken action that would affect existing stocks). Alternatively, the new company and dealers/distributors can continue to sell the previous company’s existing stock provided the old product continues to be registered.
Under a company ownership change, each affected product is processed as a new product registration. A new license is issued to the new company owner. To get started with an ownership change, see the “How to Register or Amend a Pesticide Product” section above. If you are electronically submitting, complete a Company Change Submission in CalPEST. If mailing a hard copy submission, provide the Application for Pesticide Registration (DPR-REG-030).
Product Transfers
A product transfer may occur when a company chooses to sell one or more product ownerships to another company. The product transfer is specific and does not involve the sale or purchase of the company itself. Since a certificate of registration cannot be transferred in California, it is subject to registration as a new product. To get started with a product transfer, see the “How to Register or Amend a Pesticide Product” section above. If you are electronically submitting, complete a “company change” submission in CalPEST. If mailing a hard copy submission, provide the Application for Pesticide Registration (DPR-REG-030).
Voluntary Cancellation of Pesticide Product Registration
A company may request to voluntarily cancel a pesticide product registration at any time during the calendar year. If a company chooses to voluntarily cancel a product at a time other than the renewal period, the company may submit a Product Inactivation Request (PIR) through CalPEST. Only registered CalPEST users authorized in an administrator role can submit a PIR.
For those who are not administrators in CalPEST, the company can submit a completed Request for Voluntary Cancellation of a Pesticide Product Registration (DPR-REG-033) by emailing the completed form to the Licensing Unit at PRBLicensingMail@cdpr.ca.gov.
For more information on requesting a voluntary cancellation request, refer to California Notice 2022-07.
Application Fees, Renewals, and Mill Assessment
Fees
To submit applications, you must pay the following fees. Paying your fee does not guarantee the registration of the product.
Fees are not refundable (even if a registrant voluntarily withdraws its application, DPR returns the application, or DPR denies the application). Fees can be paid electronically in CalPEST by credit card and Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), or a check can be mailed. Credit card payments include a 2.3% processing fee. For product submission mailed in, DPR can only accept check.
Make checks payable to “Cashier, Department of Pesticide Regulation.”
| Application Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| New Products | $1,500 |
| Amendments | $300 |
| Notification of Minor Changes | $300 |
| Product Registration Renewal | $2,300 |
| Late Product Registration Renewal | $2,760 |
| Structural Pest Control Device | $200 |
| Section 18 Emergency Exemption | No fee |
| Section 24c Special Local Need | No fee |
| Research Authorization | No fee |
Renewal
A pesticide product certificate of registration (license) expires on December 31 of each year. Each product registered in California requires an annual renewal fee.
In October of each year, we send each registrant an Application for Renewal of Registration with a list of their currently registered pesticide products. You should send the signed renewal form and renewal fee(s) to us as soon as possible, and no later than January 31 of the following year. You can also renew pesticide products in CalPEST.
Email: PRBLicensingMail@cdpr.ca.gov
Mill Assessment
After a pesticide product is registered, a Mill Assessment fee is required on all pesticide sales into the State. Please see DPR’s Mill Assessment Office for current fee information. For Mill Assessment questions, please call (916) 445-4159 or e-mail MillAssessment@cdpr.ca.gov.
Registration Resources
We actively work with registrants and stakeholders to provide them with comprehensive resources that help navigate and understand the registration process effectively.
These resources are designed to clarify regulatory requirements and make the registration process run smoother.
The Pesticide Registration Evaluation Committee
The Pesticide Registration Evaluation Committee (PREC) fosters communication and understanding on pesticide issues among the parties represented on the committee and DPR. This interagency committee provides advice and guidance to DPR on the proposed registration, renewal, and reevaluation of pesticide products. The PREC may also provide advice to DPR on proposed regulatory development and reform initiatives, evolving public policy and program implementation issues, environmental monitoring data related to pesticide use, and science issues associated with evaluating and reducing risks from the use of pesticides.
Other Registration Actions
Research Authorizations or Experimental Use Permits (EUP)
Before federal or state regulators register a pesticide, they must have data on how it behaves under field conditions, including product efficacy, environmental fate, and potential worker exposure. We require this data to be collected under California-like conditions. Because companies must conduct field studies to collect these data, federal and state law allows companies to apply for limited, experimental uses of pesticides through either a Research Authorization or Experimental Use Permit (EUP).
Research Authorization Resources
A Research Authorization (RA) is a short-term permit that allows researchers to collect field data regarding the use of a product under California conditions. An RA typically allows a small amount of acreage to be used for the collection of field data. It is most commonly obtained to collect data on currently registered pesticides to test effectiveness on different commodities. DPR’s RA process does not replace the separate, independent evaluation and registration process required prior to pesticide sale or use in California. Any pesticide must be submitted to DPR for registration prior to sale or use in California, which includes a rigorous evaluation by DPR for efficacy, phytotoxicity, and potential harm to human health or the environment.
Once received, any research authorization request is rigorously reviewed by DPR to assess any potential hazards to handlers, field workers, public health, or the environment. During its review process, DPR also assesses whether the requested research is necessary and appropriate for data development and collection. Based on the results from this evaluation, DPR may approve or deny an RA or require additional conditions or restrictions under which the research must be conducted. DPR communicates the results of its evaluation to the public.
Additionally, for all RAs, a copy of the approved authorization and a notice of application that includes information about the location and property owners of the areas to be treated, the application methods, and a map, must be submitted to the local County Agricultural Commissioner. Applications can only be made under the conditions of the approved RA, including limited or restricted acres for treatment, length of time the research can be conducted, etc. These restrictions are based on DPR’s evaluation of the RA prior to approval.
Email: RAs@cdpr.ca.gov
EUP Resources
DPR can issue an Experimental Use Permit (EUP) to allow for research and experimental use of a pesticide in California. The U.S. EPA must first approve the EUP, which DPR reviews and evaluates for hazards to handlers and field workers, public health, and the environment. An EUP allows for researchers to collect the necessary data to initiate a registration for a product in California. EUPs provide opportunities for public participation through the 30-day public comment period on the proposed decision published in DPR’s Notice of Decision. An EUP is not the same as the issuance of a product registration.
Our EUP resources help you understand experimental use permits as well as how to apply for one.
Email: Evaluation.EUP@cdpr.ca.gov
Section 18 Emergency Use Exemptions
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Section 18 authorizes the U.S. EPA to allow a federal or state agency the ability to grant the use of a pesticide product without registration if an emergency condition exists. The issuance of an Emergency Exemption is not the same as the issuance of a product registration.
An Emergency Exemption can be submitted electronically in CalPEST. Alternatively, you can mail the submission using the Application for Section 18 Emergency Exemption (DPR-REG-003).
Emergency Use Exemption Resources
Our Emergency Use Exemption Resources provide detailed information about exemptions as well as offer an exemption application.
Still Have Questions About Emergency Use Exemption?
Email: PRB.section18@cdpr.ca.gov
Section 24(c) Special Local Need (SLN) Registration
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Section 24(c) authorizes DPR to register an additional use of a federally registered pesticide product or a new end-use product to meet a special local need if certain conditions exist. The U.S. EPA reviews SLN registrations within ninety (90) days and may require additional use directions or restrictions. Additional information is also available on Enforcement Letter 2003-35.
A Special Local Needs can be submitted electronically in CalPEST. Alternatively, you can mail the submission using the Application for Section 24(c) Special Local Needs (DPR-REG-004).
Email: PRB.24c@cdpr.ca.gov
Section 25(b) Exempt Pesticide Products
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Section 25(b) and California Code of Regulations Sections 6145-6168 exempt minimum-risk pesticide products from registration, provided the product meets certain criteria. The following links provide additional information regarding pesticide products and ingredients that meet the U.S. EPA and DPR requirements. Additional information is also available on Enforcement Letter 2003-29.
Email: minimumrisk@cdpr.ca.gov
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