How to Order
There is a wide variety of study materials available to help you prepare for the Illinois Pesticide Applicator/Operator Licensure Exams. These materials may be purchased online or by contacting Illinois Extension Distribution Services at 217-333-2007.
Materials Available
Manuals are publications that serve as comprehensive reference texts for their respective types and categories of licensure. The Illinois Department of Agriculture creates licensure exam questions exclusively from the respective manual. Manuals are revised periodically, and the revision date can be found within the first few pages, near the "Issued in furtherance..." statement. The most recent revisions are listed on this page.
Workbooks are publications that serve as self-study companions to their respective manuals (above). Workbooks highlight key points from the manual and use fill-in-the-blank style statements throughout to gauge comprehension of topics. Attendees at in-person training clinics will receive workbooks for trainings they are registered for at no additional fee. Workbooks are revised frequently, and the revision date can be found printed on the cover. The most recent revisions are listed on this page.
Online Training Courses are provided for many categories of licensure as an alternative method of self-study. These are self-paced courses allowing individual access for 30 calendar days from the date of purchase. Direct links are provided here, but further instructions and information can be found on our Training and Testing page.
General Standards
Basic-level pesticide safety training manual for commercial applicators. Discusses integrated pest management, types of pesticides and their formulations, pesticide labels, human pesticide poisoning, pesticides in the environment, safe handling of pesticides, pesticide application equipment and calibration, and Illinois pesticide laws and regulations.
- Manual (SP39): $15.00, Revised October 2012
- Workbook (SP39-W): $5.00, Revised October 2018
- Online Training Course: $45.00, Revised November 2021
- Spanish Manual (SP39-SP): $15.00, Revised 2010
- Spanish (Bilingual) Workbook: (SP39-SPW): $5.00, Revised December 2018
Turfgrass
Discusses integrated pest management and common weeds, insects and diseases of Illinois turfgrasses, as well as turfgrass pesticide application equipment and calibration.
- Manual (SP39-1): $15.00, Revised October 2016
- Workbook (SP39-1/3W: $5.00, Revised January 2021
- Online Training Course: $25.00, Released January 2021
Field Crops
Discusses integrated pest management and common weeds, insects and diseases of Illinois field crops. Field crop pesticide application equipment and calibration is also discussed.
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Manual (SP39-2) $15.00 Revised November 2013
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Workbook (SP39-2W) $5.00 Revised November 2018
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Online Training Course $25.00 Released December 2020
Ornamentals
Discusses integrated pest management and common weeds, insects and diseases of Illinois ornamental plants, as well as ornamental plant pesticide application equipment and calibration.
- Manual (SP39-3) $15.00 Revised July 2020
- Workbook (SP39-1/3W) $5.00 Revised January 2021
- Online Training Course $25.00 Released January 2021
Seed Treatment
Discusses benefits and risks associated with seed treatments, seed and seedling pests, seed treatment products and safe use, and seed treatment equipment and calibration.
- Manual (SP39-4) $15.00 Revised October 2010
Rights-of-Way
Identifies types of rights-of-way areas, the weeds and other pests that are controlled in these areas, methods of control, and reducing pesticide impact on other nontarget areas.
- Manual (SP39-5)* $15.00 Revised September 2015 * There are numerical errors on pages 56 and 57 of this manual. Corrections are available to view here.
- Workbook (SP39-5W) $5.00 Revised October 2018
- Online Training Course $25.00 Released December 2020
Aquatics
Covers Illinois aquatic weeds, growth conditions, nonchemical and chemical controls, aquatic herbicides, and aquatic weed herbicide application equipment and calibration. Fish control and fish-related problems are also discussed.
- Manual (SP39-6) $15.00 Revised November 2015
- Workbook (SP39-6W) $5.00 Revised January 2017
- Online Training Course $25.00 Released February 2021
Private
Discusses integrated pest management; common weeds, insects and diseases of Illinois field crops; types of pesticides; their formulations; pesticide labels; human pesticide poisoning; pesticides in the environment; safe handling of pesticides; field crop pesticide application equipment and calibration; and pesticide laws and regulations. For use by farmers and other private pesticide applicators.
- Manual (SP39-7) $15.00 Revised December 2021
- Workbook (SP39-7W) $5.00 Revised October 2018
- Online Training Course $45.00 Released November 2021
- Spanish Online Training Course $45.00 Revised November 2020
Grain Facility
Discusses proper management of stored grain and the identification and control of important insect, fungus, rodent and bird pests of Illinois stored grain. For use by commercial and private applicators.
- Manual (SP39-8) $15.00 Revised November 2006
- Online Training Course $25.00 Revised 2006
Plant Management
Discusses integrated pest management and common weeds, insects and diseases of Illinois interiorscape plants, as well as interiorscape plant pesticide application equipment and calibration.
- Manual (SP39-9) $15.00 Revised October 2007
- Online Training Course $25.00 Revised 2007
Forest
Designed to provide information for persons with pest problems in forests including forest nurseries, Christmas tree farms, windbreaks, wood lots, timber production forests, and recreational forests. It also serves as a study manual for persons wishing to become certified as Commercial or Public Forest Pest Control Applicators. This manual contains silvicultural and integrated pest management suggestions for controlling insect pests, weeds, and diseases of forests. Also included are the types of pesticide application equipment used to treat ornamental trees and shrubs and methods of calibrating this equipment.
- Manual (SP39-10) $15.00 Revised September 2014
Aerial (National)
Covers general pesticide safety information, equipment calibration, drift management, navigation, target calculation, and preparation of spray using dry and liquid formulations.
- Print copy of this Manual (SP39-11)* $15.00 Revised 2014
- * Free downloadable pdf of this Manual
Mosquito
Designed to provide information for persons needing to control mosquitoes in large areas such as municipalities, townships, and housing developments. Discusses the identification and habits of common Illinois mosquitoes, the diseases that they transmit, the survey of mosquitoes to determine the species and numbers present, and the integrated pest management of pest species.
- Manual (SP39-12) $15.00 Revised November 2016
- Workbook (SP39-12W) $5.00 Revised October 2019
- Online Training Course $25.00 Released March 2021
Demonstration & Research
Information for pesticide companies, educators and other professionals conducting research and demonstration studies on pesticides who need certification in the category of demonstration and research. Includes specific rules and regulations, small experimental plot design, calibration of small-plot applicators and diagnosis of pesticide injury.
- Manual (SP39-13) $15.00 Revised January 2002
- Online Training Course $25.00
Dealer
Discusses pesticide labels and labeling. Contains the Illinois Pesticide Act and associated rules and regulations. Dealers must be licensed to sell pesticides in Illinois.
- Manual (SP39-14) $15.00 Revised November 2009
Livestock
Discusses integrated pest management and common insect pests of livestock and livestock barns, as well as pesticide application equipment and calibration.
- Manual (SP39-15) $15.00 Revised July 2001
Sewer Line Root
Discusses the chemical control of roots in sewer lines, as well as pesticide application.
- Manual (SP39-16) $15.00 Revised August 2000
Soil Fumigation (National)
Discusses soil fumigants, safe handling, application methods and equipment, and calibration. Also discusses aerated steam pasteurization.
- Manual (SP39-18)* $15.00 Revised 2012
- * Free to download from NASDA (National Association of State Departments of Agriculture)
Vegetable Crops
Discusses integrated pest management strategies and common weeds, insects, and diseases of Illinois vegetable crops, as well as pesticide application and calibration for those crops.
- Manual (SP39-19) $15.00 Revised January 2019
- Online Training Course $25.00 Released 2014
Fruit Crops
This manual discusses integrated pest management strategies and common weeds, insects, and diseases of Illinois fruit crops, as well as pesticide application and calibration for those crops.
- Manual (SP39-20) $15.00 Revised October 2019