Specified certificates recognised under the Plant Protection Products (Sustainable Use) Regulations 2012, relating to the use of products authorised for professional use

Certificates relating to use of PPPs authorised for professional use

Anyone using professional PPPs must either have a recognised specified certificate (previously known as a 'Certificate of Competence') included in the lists below, or be working under the direct supervision, for the purposes of training, of someone who has such a certificate. 

Professional user qualifications are awarded through NPTC by City and Guilds or Lantra.

NPTC by City & Guilds award

Operators must first obtain the foundation PA1 qualification in the Principles of Safe Handling and Application of Pesticides or equivalent.

In addition to PA1, users must hold the certificate relevant to the equipment they use, for example: 

• PA2 Boom Sprayer, Mounted, trailed or self-propelled
• PA3 Broadcast, boom sprayer mounted or trailed
• PA4 Pesticide granular applicator, mounted or trailed
• PA5 Boat mounted applicators
• PA6 Handheld applicators
• PA7 Aerial application
• PA8 Mixer/Loader
• PA9 Fogging, misting and smokes
• PA10 Batch dipping
• PA11 Seed treatment equipment
• PA12 Application of pesticides to material as a continuous process via conveyor, roller tables and other moving equipment
• PA13 Sub surface liquid pesticide applicators

Keep up-to-date on the qualifications available by using the quantification finder tool on the NPTC website.

Lantra qualifications

Operators must first obtain the foundation Level 2 award in the safe use of pesticides’ (equivalent to PA1) or equivalent.

In addition, users must hold the certificate relevant to the equipment they use, for example:

• Level 2 award in the safe application of pesticides using hand help equipment (equivalent to PA6)
• Level 2 award in the safe application of pesticides using vehicle mounted boom sprayer equipment (equivalent to PA2)
• Level 2 award in the safe application of pesticides using granular equipment (equivalent to PA4)
• Level 2 award in the safe operation of hand held pesticide stem injection equipment (equivalent to PA6INJ (specialist module): Hand Held Stem Injection)
• Level 2 Award in the safe operation of pesticide plug equipment (equivalent to PA6PP (Specialist Module): The Installing Pesticide Plugs in Tree Stumps)
• Level 2 Award in the safe application of pesticide using vehicle mounted or trailed wick type applicators (equivalent to PA2F (Specialist Module): Vehicle Mounted or Trailed Wick Type Applicators)

Keep up-to-date on the qualifications available by using the course search tool on the Lantra website