Georgia pesticide record keeping requirements
The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) regulates lawn pesticide applications. Individual applicators hold a Commercial Applicator License, Category 24 Ornamental and Turf; the business needs a separate Pesticide Contractor License.
Use TurfTechAdvisor software to organize pesticide application details in a digital record form. Review the state guidance below and your agency’s requirements when deciding which fields and additional records your work needs.
Published July 31, 2026 · Last reviewed October 21, 2026
Record keeping in Georgia
Retention: 2 years. Under Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 40-21-5-.03, the licensed business must keep records of ALL pesticide applications, including general-use applications, for 2 years. The supplied rules do not specify a record-completion deadline.
Notification & posting rules
Rule 40-21-9-.02 requires a physical CAUTION / PESTICIDE APPLICATION / KEEP OFF sign at least 4 by 5 inches at entry points, left until the next day.
After EACH application, leave a written statement with the customer containing the address and areas treated, company name and phone, applicator, full product brand name, and date.
Required record fields in Georgia
- Date and time.
- Customer name and address; what was treated.
- Area size or total amount.
- Product and target pest.
- Equipment type.
- Any spill, drift, or exposure and the response.
- Pesticide disposal details.
Good practice, not required: EPA registration number is good practice, NOT a required field for these lawn records.
Licensing in Georgia
GDA issues the individual Commercial Applicator License, Category 24 Ornamental and Turf. The business must hold a separate Pesticide Contractor License, renewed yearly with proof of financial responsibility.
How TurfTechAdvisor helps — and what remains your responsibility
TurfTechAdvisor provides product, EPA registration number, rate, treated area, target pest, application method, applicator identification, and regulatory notes fields, with saved application records and PDF/CSV exports. Entries still need operator review for accuracy and completeness.
Customer name and address are copied from the linked customer. Application date and time can use job clock data or a fallback; check the actual application time. Application method is not a dedicated equipment-type record.
Spill, drift, exposure, response, and disposal details have no dedicated fields in the reviewed record form. Free-text notes are not a complete state-specific workflow.
Physical sign printing and a Georgia-compliant post-application written statement are not verified outputs. Arrange the sign and leave the required written statement yourself; app records, exports, portal summaries, and emails are not verified substitutes.
Official Sources
Frequently asked questions
How long do Georgia applicators keep pesticide records?
The licensed business keeps records of all applications, including general-use products, for 2 years under Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 40-21-5-.03. These rules do not specify a record-completion deadline. EPA registration number is good practice, not a required field for these lawn records.
Who licenses pesticide applicators in Georgia?
GDA issues the individual Commercial Applicator License, Category 24 Ornamental and Turf. The separate business Pesticide Contractor License renews yearly with proof of financial responsibility.
Does Georgia have customer notification requirements?
Yes. Rule 40-21-9-.02 requires a CAUTION / PESTICIDE APPLICATION / KEEP OFF sign at least 4 by 5 inches at entry points until the next day, plus a written statement left with the customer after each application: address and areas treated, company name and phone, applicator, full product brand name, and date. Do not treat an app export or email as verified fulfillment of these duties.
Educational summary, not legal advice — verify current requirements with Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA).
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Related state guides
Compare record-retention and notification requirements in these states with similar compliance profiles:
Maine · Maryland · Mississippi · Montana · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Mexico · Oklahoma · Rhode Island · South Carolina