Sale of Restricted Use Pesticides to Unlicensed Pest Control Companies

Dealers of Sulfuryl Fluoride, Chloropicrin, Avitrol (R), and Other Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs) for Structural Pest Control Uses

During the 2007 legislative session, Act 71 was passed, which prohibits the sale of restricted use pesticides to Pest Control Operators (structural) unless that person holds or is employed by a company with a valid pest control (business) license.  

The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), Professional and Vocational Licensing Division has the following website where the current status of business licensees may be verified: http://pvl.ehawaii.gov/pvlsearch/app.

To assist dealers, the DCCA provides the Pesticides Branch with a periodic update of companies whose PCO license has become inactive.   The Pesticides Branch conducts a database search for certified applicators employed by those companies.  Attempts are then made to contact the applicator, verify the information, and to retrieve the certification card if necessary.  If a card cannot be retrieved, it is “expired” in the certified applicator database and is then considered invalid.  These invalid cards and the information printed on them are posted at the link below.   RUPs must not be sold to listed individuals unless he or she can provide documentation or proof that the company now holds or has held a pest control license within the past 120 days. 

RUP dealers must also be aware of purchases that do not follow the normal purchasing patterns of the pest control company.  This includes purchases with cash, personal check or personal credit card.  In these cases, it would be prudent to verify that the person is still employed by the company identified on the certification card and that the company’s PCO license is still active. 

To minimize unauthorized sales, dealers must verify that purchasers possess a valid commercial applicator certification card issued by the Department of Agriculture at each purchase.   (Active or unexpired cards reflecting unlicensed companies or names of a previous employer are considered invalid.)

If there are any questions related to an applicator’s certification card, please contact the Pesticides Branch, Certification/Education Section in your district.   

For questions related to the licensing status of a particular company, please contact the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Pest Control Board at (808) 586-2705. 

List of Unlicensed Pest Control Companies (updated 11/2/2009)