The Illinois Department of Agriculture has announced that rulemaking related to an amendment to the Illinois Pesticide Act, enacted in 2023, is now open for public comment. This amendment focuses on regulating residential barrier mosquito treatments, beyond what exists for most other types of applications. Additionally, a separate law concerning restricted use pesticide applications near schools was included in this rule-making process. The proposed rules were published on November 7, 2025, and will remain open for comment for 45 days, closing on December 22, 2025. Stakeholders are encouraged to review the proposed rules and submit comments before the deadline.
Key topics in proposed rules
While many of these topics are already written into the Illinois Pesticide Act, rulemaking acts to clarify what is already in place. Below is a summary of the proposed rules.
Residential mosquito barrier treatment
- Certification requirements
- Applicators and operators who aim to apply residential barrier mosquito control must first receive a certification from the Illinois Department of Agriculture by completing a department-approved residential barrier mosquito control training program (currently only offered by Illinois PSEP). Certification of this type is valid for 3 years.
- Training must be at least one hour and cover topics such as inspection, identification, mosquito behavior, application techniques and equipment, environmental protection, and mosquito-borne diseases.
- Timing and location restrictions
- No residential barrier mosquito treatment is to be applied between October 16 and April 14, unless made for a public health purpose on behalf of a specified unit of local government.
- No residential barrier mosquito treatment is to be performed when wind speeds equal or exceed 10 MPH.
- Lawn notifications
- Lawn markers must be posted following an application. Rules articulate the exact specifications of that marker as follows:
- Size: 4” x 5” sign, vertical or horizontal, with the bottom of the marker extending no less than 12” above the turf.
- Color: White background with contrasting letters.
- Text: Must state one of the following in letters at least ⅜" high:
- “LAWN CARE APPLICATION – STAY OFF GRASS UNTIL DRY – FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: [Name and number of applicator or operator]”
- “BARRIER MOSQUITOCIDE APPLICATION – STAY OFF TREATED SURFACE UNTIL DRY – FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: [Name and number of applicator or operator]”
- Lawn markers must be posted following an application. Rules articulate the exact specifications of that marker as follows:
- Notification of treatment
- Neighbors whose property abuts or is adjacent may request prior notification at least 1 day before application.
- If prior notice is not possible, a written notice must be left at the requesting neighbor’s residence.
- Regulating equipment
- “No person shall install or use any mosquito mister or residential automatic pesticide misting system.”
Restricted-use pesticide near schools
- “Any person who applies a restricted use pesticide on or within 500 feet of school property during normal hours, except for whole structure fumigation.”
Access and Comment Submission
You can find the most recent version of the Illinois Pesticide Act here, and the complete proposed rules concerning residential barrier mosquito treatments and restricted-use pesticides near schools here. If you wish to submit a comment, it must be done so in writing by December 22, 2025 and sent to:
Shauna Collins
Illinois Department of Agriculture
State Fairgrounds, P.O. Box 19281
Springfield, IL 62794-9281
(217) 782-3256
Shauna.Collins@illinois.gov
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: John Schepis provides subject matter expertise and training in pesticide safety with an emphasis on entomology.