If you want to spray chemicals on someone else’s land in a contractor type capacity (for payment), you need to become a Pest Management Technician and either work under a Pest Management Controllers Licence or obtain that licence yourself.
Regulated by SA Health, these licences will cost you approximately:
Pest Controller’s (Business) licence - $394.00 for 1 year or $1182.00 for 3 years (as at 2024/25)
Pest Management Technician’s licence - $97.50 for 1 year or $293.00 for 3 years (as at 2024/25)
Farmer’s are used to completing Chemical Accreditation/re-accreditation in order to spray and purchase pesticides for their own business. This training meets the requirements of the following Units of Competency from the Australian National Agriculture, Horticulture and Conservation & Land Management Training Package:
AHCCHM304 Transport, handle and store chemicals
AHCCHM307 Prepare and apply chemicals to control pest, weeds and diseases
To become a Pest Management Technician – 2 extra courses are required:
1. Control Weeds
2. Control Plant Pests, Diseases & Disorders
1. Control Weeds (approx $200)
The course is based on the national Unit of Competence AHCPMG301 - Control Weeds.
Allow 1-2 days to complete this course depending on experience
2. Control Plant Pests, Diseases & Disorders (approx $200)
The course is based on the national Unit of Competence AHCPMG302 - Control Plants Pests, Diseases and Disorders.
Allow 1-2 days to complete this course depending on experience
Many training providers offer all 3 of these Chemical courses, both on and off-line (i.e. TAFE & Chemcert).
Under the Controlled Substances (Pesticides) Regulations
Apply online: Pesticides regulations and licence applications
Exemption parameters do not apply to your average farmer:
Non-Application of Regulations to Certain Pest Control Work - Section 5 of the Regulations allows for persons carrying out pest control work consisting only of the application of glyphosate by means of –
(i) hand-held equipment with a tank having a maximum capacity of 15 litres of less or
(ii) a brush or similar implement to be exempt from the requirement to hold a licence.