Every Ohio pesticide applicator takes the Core exam, whether commercial or private. It is the general exam that comes before your category exam on turf, crops or pests.

Core is not about one site. It tests what any applicator must know: how to read a label, how to stay safe, how to protect water and bees, and how to do the math for a sprayer.

This guide explains the format and topics from OSU Extension and the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA), which issues the license. This site is an independent practice test site and is not affiliated with ODA or OSU.

In short

  • Core is required for everyone, plus at least one category exam.1
  • The exams are multiple choice, with 25 to 150 questions depending on the exam.1
  • Seventy percent is the passing score. After a fail you wait at least five business days.1
  • Most exams include a pesticide label that comes with the exam.1
  • The exams are not open book and you need photo ID.2 We found no published Core question count or time limit.
Contents
  1. Format and passing score
  2. What Core covers
  3. Reading the label
  4. Calibration and math
  5. How to prepare
  6. Common questions
  7. Sources

Format and passing score

The commercial exams are multiple choice. OSU states that each exam has 25 to 150 questions, depending on the category.1 You must pass Core and at least one category to get a license, and the passing score is 70 percent.1

You register with ODA for a date and location, online or at 614-728-6987.3 Results are posted on the ODA site, which OSU says takes 2 to 4 weeks for commercial exams.3

If you fail, only the exams you did not pass need to be retaken, after a wait of at least five business days.14

The Core question count, the time limit and whether the exam is open book are not stated on the pages we reviewed. Ask ODA before test day rather than relying on a number from a forum.

What Core covers

The private fact sheet describes Core as Ohio laws and regulations, pesticide label comprehension, handling and storage, human toxicity, applicator safety, environmental hazards, calculations, general application principles and equipment.5

The commercial Core course on OSU's site is split into twelve modules, which show how the content is organized:6

  • Pest management
  • Federal pesticide laws
  • Pesticide labeling
  • Pesticide formulations
  • Hazards and first aid
  • Personal protective equipment
  • Pesticides in the environment
  • Storage, transportation and security
  • Emergency response
  • Planning the application
  • Application procedures
  • Professional conduct

Ohio pesticide law sits in the Trained Serviceperson bulletin, whose first and last chapters cover Ohio and federal laws.6 The state's statute is Chapter 921 of the Revised Code.7

Reading the label

Labels are legal documents. Using a pesticide in a way that is inconsistent with its labeling is illegal, and if a crop is not on the label you may not apply the product to it.15

Expect questions that hand you a label and ask for the signal word, the personal protective equipment, the restricted-entry interval, the rate per acre or the storage rule. Practice finding each of these quickly on a real label.

Calibration and math

The Core exam includes pesticide calculations.1 Typical tasks are converting gallons per acre to the amount in a tank, working out area, and adjusting a rate for the product concentration.

Write out units at each step. Most wrong answers come from mixing acres with square feet or ounces with gallons.

How to prepare

  1. Buy the OSU study materials for Core: the Core Student Workbook (Bulletin 825-A) is listed for private applicators, and the commercial guides are on OSU Extension Publishing.51
  2. Try the free online module lists on OSU's Online Pesticide Exam Prep page. Access needs a Canvas account.6
  3. Consider an OSU new applicator workshop. The core class also fulfills the training requirement for trained servicepersons.1
  4. Do practice questions by topic, then a full mock exam.

Common questions

Is the Core exam the same for commercial and private applicators?

No. There is a commercial Core exam and a private Core exam, with separate study materials.15

What score do I need?

Seventy percent.1

How soon can I retake it?

At least five business days after a failed attempt.1

Do I have to take Core again later?

Not unless you choose to retest instead of recertifying. Recertification can be done with training hours.1 See our recertification guide.

Sources

Format details come from OSU fact sheets and PSEP pages. Exams change, so confirm details with ODA. This site is independent and is not affiliated with ODA or OSU. The license is issued by ODA.

  1. Ohio State University Extension: Ohio Commercial pesticide applicator requirements (ANR-0140) (ohioline.osu.edu)
  2. Ohio Department of Agriculture: Private Pesticide Applicator License application (dam.assets.ohio.gov)
  3. OSU Pesticide Safety Education Program: Commercial Testing (pested.osu.edu)
  4. OSU Pesticide Safety Education Program: Commercial Pesticide Applicator Licensing (pested.osu.edu)
  5. Ohio State University Extension: Ohio Private Pesticide Applicator License Requirements (ANR-0141) (ohioline.osu.edu)
  6. OSU Pesticide Safety Education Program: Online Pesticide Exam Prep (pested.osu.edu)
  7. Ohio Revised Code Chapter 921: Pesticide regulation (section 921.12 Examination of applicants) (codes.findlaw.com)