Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

General Pest Control 7A (Indoors)

All persons using pesticides professionally in Connecticut must possess an up-to-date certificate issued by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. An applicant for a general pest control certificate is expected to possess a working knowledge of the operations performed by a commercial pest control operator and the reasons for performing them.  Outlined below are areas in which an applicant should be proficient.

What can you treat with General Pest (7A)?

Click the following link to see what can be treated with General Pest (7A). This is the information you should know if you are looking to become certified in this category.

Click here 7A General Pest Study and Treatment Material**Click link to view important material

Outlined below are responses to some questions which have arisen concerning what activities are permitted with an indoor (general pest) and outdoor (custom ground) certificate.  

  1. Generally, any spraying indoors is permitted through the indoor certificate.  However, controlling pests on plants indoors is permitted through the Interior Plantscape certificate.

  2. Spraying outdoors with an indoor certificate would be permitted in situations such as:

  1. for termite or rat control if certificate holder also holds a termite or rodent certificate;
  2. for control of indoor pests that enter from outside, such as clover mites or earwigs, on the outside foundation of the house and on grass in the immediate vicinity of the foundation; and 
  3. for wasps if the nest is in the immediate vicinity of the house.

  1. Spraying outdoors with an indoor certificate would not be permitted for insects that are only casually a pest indoors.  For example: a heavy flight of aphids that is bothersome to people on a porch would not allow an indoor certificate holder to spray the plants in the yard from which the aphids came; and wood roaches coming to lights on a porch would not allow an indoor certificate holder to treat the outdoors.

  2. The holder of a custom ground certificate could spray for clover mites or earwigs on the outside foundation of the house, but not within the house. 

Reference Material for General Pest Control   

  1. Required and Additional Study Materials for Pesticide Supervisors

  2. “Scientific Guide to Pest Control Operations”

  3. “Pesticide Applicator Training Manual - Structural and Rodent (Category 7)”
    Available from: Cornell University Cooperative Extension

  4. “Handbook of Pest Control” by Arnold Mallis

Additional Suggested Reference Material

NPMA Field Guide or Field Guide Pro. This is a field guide that had information and pictures on structural pests.

Click here to order the book. 

Click here to view information about the app.

For more information, contact the Pesticide Management Program at (860) 424-3369 or  deep.pesticideprogram@ct.gov 

Pesticide Certification

Content Last Updated on December 2, 2022