Article 2. Licensing of California Food And Agricultural Code >> Division 6. >> Chapter 6. >> Article 2.

An application for an agricultural pest control adviser license shall be in the form prescribed by the director. Each application shall state the name and address of the applicant specified on the application and any other information required by the director. The application shall be accompanied by a fee as prescribed by the director pursuant to Section 11502.5 to be paid into the State Treasury to the credit of the Department of Pesticide Regulation Fund. All licenses issued under this article shall expire on December 31 of the year for which they are issued. Licenses may be renewed annually by the date of expiration through application in the form prescribed by the director and upon payment of a fee as prescribed by the director pursuant to Section 11502.5. A penalty as prescribed by the director pursuant to Section 11502.5 shall be assessed against any applicant who applies for a renewal of the license after the expiration date.

Applicants for licensing shall elect to be examined for certification in one or more of the following categories:
  (a) Control of insects, mites, and other invertebrates.
  (b) Control of plant pathogens.
  (c) Control of nematodes.
  (d) Control of vertebrate pests.
  (e) Control of weeds.
  (f) Defoliation.
  (g) Plant growth regulation. The examination shall be prepared and administered by the director.

An agricultural pest control adviser license may be refused or may be revoked or suspended by the director as necessary to carry out the purposes of this division. Cause for refusal, revocation, or suspension shall include, but shall not be limited to the following:
  (a) Failure to put a recommendation in writing.
  (b) The making of false or fraudulent statements in any written recommendation.
  (c) Failure or refusal to comply with any provision of this chapter, or any other regulation adopted by the agricultural commissioner.
  (d) Failure or refusal to comply with any provisions of this division or of Division 7 (commencing with Section 12501) relating to pesticides or regulation of the department adopted pursuant to such provisions.
  (e) Failure to qualify by examination in at least one of the categories in Section 12022.
  (f) Unprofessional conduct, as defined in Section 12023.5.

In addition to any other provision of this code, unprofessional conduct shall constitute a basis for refusal, revocation, or suspension of an agricultural pest control license. "Unprofessional conduct" means either of the following:
  (a) Repeated acts of recommending the clearly excessive use of a pesticide or any method or device for the control of plant, animal, or other pests.
  (b) Repeated acts of recommending the use of an ineffective pesticide or any ineffective method or device for the control of plant, animal, or any other pests.

The director by regulation shall establish the minimum requirement for pest control adviser by education, experience, and examination to carry out the purposes of this division.