Montana pesticide and fertilizer record rules for lawn care companies

Last reviewed October 11, 2026 · 7 min read

The short answer

In Montana, commercial applicators and their operators keep a record of every pesticide application, general use and restricted use alike (ARM 4.10.207): the certified applicator who made or supervised it, with certification number, and each operator who made it; the date; start and end times; the owner’s or lessee’s name and address and the site; the equipment used; each pesticide’s company name, trade name and EPA registration number; the rate; the area treated; the primary pests; the site treated; and weather conditions such as wind speed, wind direction and temperature, if applicable. Record it no later than 24 hours after the application and keep it two years. Before a restricted use pesticide, tell the owner, lessee or manager its precautions and restrictions. Montana has no statewide lawn sign; a city or county may require one by ordinance.

General information, not legal advice. Rules change and can depend on what you apply and where. Confirm what applies to your business with the Montana Department of Agriculture and the product label before you rely on anything here.

Who regulates lawn care applicators

The Montana Department of Agriculture administers the Montana Pesticides Act (Title 80, chapter 8, MCA), which covers pesticide registration, applicator and dealer licensing and use. The Department’s applicator, licensing and record rules are in ARM chapter 4.10; most of the rules used here, the record rule included, were last amended effective January 25, 2025.

No one may use, or recommend the use of, a pesticide in a way inconsistent with its registered labeling or with the restrictions EPA or the Department has placed on its use. A local government may not regulate the registration, labeling, distribution, use or sale of pesticides, or set notification rules stricter than those the Act allows.

A person convicted of violating the Act or its rules is guilty of a misdemeanor and is fined between $100 and $1,500. The Department may assess a civil penalty of up to $2,500 per offense for a major violation, and a major violation includes failing to keep individual pesticide application records. It may also refuse, revoke or modify a license when the holder neglects to keep the required records or makes false or fraudulent records.

Sources: MCA Title 80, chapter 8, part 1 (80-8-101 to 80-8-121), Montana Code Annotated 2025, ARM 4.10.1501 Definition of Terms (eff. 1/25/25), MDA: Pesticide License Program, ARM 4.10.207 Applicator Records (eff. 1/25/25), ARM 4.10.208 Inconsistent Use (eff. 6/13/86), MCA Title 80, chapter 8, part 2 (80-8-201 to 80-8-214), MCA 2025, MCA Title 80, chapter 8, part 3 (80-8-301 to 80-8-306), MCA 2025

Licenses you need

Commercial applicator: it is unlawful to be in the business of applying pesticides for others without a pesticide applicator’s license from the Department. Anyone who applies pesticides by contract or for hire, other than under the special supervision of a licensed applicator, must be licensed as a commercial pesticide applicator.
Every business location: each pesticide applicator business location must have a licensed pesticide applicator, and the owner remains financially responsible for all pesticide applications of the business. A licensed applicator is responsible for the pesticide use of every operator or employee under the applicator’s supervision or employment.
Classification: lawn care falls under Ornamental and Turf Pest Control, using or supervising the use of pesticides to control pests in the maintenance and production of ornamental trees, shrubs, flowers and turf.
Exams: a commercial applicator must pass a core exam and an exam for each classification, with a minimum score of 80% on each. A person must be at least 18 years old to buy or use restricted use pesticides (with a narrow exception in ARM 4.10.403).
Fees and renewal: the statute sets the applicator license fee at $75 plus an annual $10 fee for the waste pesticide and container program, and the Department lists the commercial applicator license at $85 a year. Licenses run for the calendar year, expire each December 31 and must be renewed before pesticides are applied; a renewal after March 1 costs a $25 late fee.
Recertification: certified applicators requalify on a staggered four-year cycle, either by passing the full exam series again or by earning 12 recertification credits, at least 6 of them from in-person or live webinar training. Approved courses earn 1 credit per 50 minutes of training, at most 6 credits per course, and the applicator must have written verification of attendance. An applicator who does not renew and maintain the license and certification within the qualification period must retake the complete exam series.
Insurance: commercial applicators carry liability insurance of at least $30,000 ($50,000 for aerial applicators), covering the applicator, the operators, all business employees and every pesticide the applicator may apply, in force for the whole licensing period (a seasonal applicator may cancel or suspend it the day after the last application of the season, which ends the license). If the insurance lapses or ends, the license ends with it and all applications stop at once. Proof of financial responsibility is required each year, and physical proof of current insurance on request.
Showing the license: licensed applicators and their licensed employees must show their license when the customer or a Department representative asks.

Operators and supervision:

Employees of a certified applicator who apply pesticides under certain conditions must hold a pesticide operator license, and the federal rule at 40 CFR 171.201 applies to them, including its training and qualification record provisions.
An operator may apply only the pesticides the supervising certified applicator is qualified to use, under that applicator’s direct supervision, and not more than 100 miles from the applicator. (The definitions in the same rules allow a licensed operator beyond 100 miles of the certified applicator when under special supervision, the certified applicator physically present.)
An operator qualifies by passing a Department exam (80% to pass), attending a Department training course, or being trained by a certified applicator of the business, who must certify the training was completed. Operator licenses are renewed each year, by in-service business training or an approved training course, before the operator applies pesticides.
The operator license fee is $25 for each of the first two operators of an applicator business and $10 for each additional operator. Only one certified applicator or licensed operator is required for each spraying equipment unit in operation.
Under direct supervision, the person applies under a certified applicator’s verifiable instructions and detailed guidance; the applicator arranges to be reachable, is responsible for that person, and must be on site when the label requires it.
An unlicensed employee of a certified applicator may apply general use pesticides only under the special supervision of the certified applicator or a licensed operator employed by that applicator; the rules define special supervision as a certified applicator being physically present at the time of use and application.
Before letting a noncertified person use a restricted use pesticide under direct supervision, the commercial applicator must create or verify a record of that person’s qualification (for training: the person’s printed name and signature, the date, who gave the training and what it covered; training within the last 12 months) and have access to it at the principal place of business for two years from the date the person used the restricted use pesticide.
When the supervising applicator leaves, transfers or cancels the license, the operator licenses issued under it end until the business appoints a new supervising certified applicator.

Sources: MCA Title 80, chapter 8, part 2 (80-8-201 to 80-8-214), MCA 2025, MDA: Commercial Applicators, ARM 4.10.201 Pesticide Applicator Licensing Requirements (eff. 1/25/25), ARM 4.10.202 Classification of Pesticide Applicators (eff. 1/25/25), ARM 4.10.203 Competency Standards for Certification of Pesticide Applicators (eff. 1/25/25), ARM 4.10.206 Individuals Requiring a Pesticide Operator’s License (eff. 1/25/25), MDA: Pesticide License Program, ARM 4.10.1501 Definition of Terms (eff. 1/25/25), MDA: Pesticide Training & Recertification, ARM 4.10.101 Financial Responsibilities (eff. 1/25/25), ARM 4.10.102 Conditions of Financial Responsibility (eff. 1/25/25), 40 CFR 171.201 Requirements for direct supervision of noncertified applicators by certified applicators (eCFR)

What to record for each application

Commercial applicators and their operators keep a record of every application, general use and restricted use pesticides alike (ARM 4.10.207). Each record holds:

The name and certification number of the certified applicator who made or supervised the application and, if applicable, the name of each operator who made it
The date of application
The time of application, with both start and end times
The location, including the property owner’s or lessee’s name and address where the pesticide was applied; for nonagricultural applications the site, premises or other identifiable landmarks may be given
The equipment used; equipment used for every application may be listed once, and several pieces may be numbered and then listed by number
Each pesticide used, with the company name, trade name and EPA registration number
The rate of application, including the amount of formulated product per volume or weight applied on a given unit of area
The area treated (acres, square feet or yards and so on)
The primary pest or pests involved
The site or crop treated, and the stage of crop development if applicable
Weather conditions such as wind speed, wind direction and temperature, if applicable

When two or more pesticides are in one tank, every item is recorded for each pesticide in the tank mix. Application information must be recorded daily, no later than 24 hours after the application.

Tip: The Department’s sample Daily Pesticide Application Record asks for the business name, license number, address and phone, the customer and phone, and per application the applicator or operator, date, start and stop time, temperature, wind speed and direction (from), manufacturer, trade name, EPA registration number, rate (product / volume / area), site or crop and stage, pests, equipment, area treated, location and calibration rate.

Sources: ARM 4.10.207 Applicator Records (eff. 1/25/25), MDA: Commercial Applicators, MDA: Daily Pesticide Application Record (sample form, 01/2022)

How long to keep records and who can ask for them

Keep application records for two years.
Records must be open to inspection by Department employees during all business hours, and written copies must be submitted when the Department asks in writing.
On a written request, records must reach the Department within 14 calendar days (or as the Department otherwise asks), may cover a whole calendar year, and must hold every record item. If no pesticides were applied in the period asked about, document that.
Applicator records held by the Department are open to public disclosure unless the Department finds the applicator’s privacy right clearly outweighs the public’s right to know.
An applicator whose pesticide escapes onto the person, land or property of someone other than the customer must file a written report with the Department within 48 hours, naming the location, the pesticide, its formulation, the application method, the customer and the affected person. When reapplying for a license, file a complete record of all settled and pending damage claims from the preceding licensing period.
A license holder who receives a FIFRA section 14(a) or 14(b) penalty in another jurisdiction must notify the Department within 30 days.
A person damaged by a pesticide application is to file a verified report of loss with the Department within 30 days of learning of the loss, naming among other things who applied the pesticide and for whom; failing to file is not itself a violation.

Sources: ARM 4.10.207 Applicator Records (eff. 1/25/25), MDA: Commercial Applicators, ARM 4.10.105 Incident Reports and Records (eff. 1/25/25), ARM 4.10.605 Granting, Renewing, and Denying Licenses, Certificates, and Permits (eff. 1/25/25), MCA Title 80, chapter 8, part 3 (80-8-301 to 80-8-306), MCA 2025

Customer notice, posting and lawn signs

Restricted use pesticides: before applying one, the applicator must tell the property owner, lessee or manager of all its precautions and restrictions, and must give them a copy of the label if asked.
No statewide lawn sign: Montana has no statewide sign or posting rule for outdoor applications. A city or county may adopt an ordinance requiring commercial applicators to post signs, within the limits the statute sets, and must notify the Department and send it a final copy; it may not add fees for commercial applicators, and the Department keeps a register of these ordinances and distributes it on request.
Under such an ordinance, the sign is posted at the time of the application and may not be removed until the pesticide is dry or the label’s reentry interval has expired, whichever is later. It is at least 4 inches high and 5 inches wide, of weather-resistant material for outdoor use, and carries the words “pesticide application” and the phone number of the applicator, property owner or property manager who can give more information.
The sign goes where it is clearly visible from each street or road frontage of the property; for a golf course, in the clubhouse or pro shop or at the first and tenth tees. No posting is required for a spot treatment of less than 100 square feet or for minimum risk pesticides, among other exemptions.
Violating a local notification ordinance brings a written warning for the first violation, a fine of up to $50 for the second and up to $500 for a third or later conviction.
Public buildings and schools: the Act’s posting and two-year record duty for public buildings applies to indoor treatments arranged by the building operator, not to outdoor lawn work. For schools, the Act lets the Department develop a model integrated pest management program; it sets no notice or posting duty for lawn care companies, and work under a school program falls in its own School Pest Control classification.

Sources: ARM 4.10.209 Notification by Applicators (eff. 4/16/10), MCA Title 80, chapter 8, part 1 (80-8-101 to 80-8-121), Montana Code Annotated 2025, MCA Title 80, chapter 8, part 4 (80-8-401 to 80-8-405, school integrated pest management), MCA 2025, ARM 4.10.202 Classification of Pesticide Applicators (eff. 1/25/25)

Fertilizer rules

Montana’s fertilizer law requires each brand and grade of fertilizer to be registered by the manufacturer or supplier before it is distributed in the state ($35 for each specialty fertilizer). A license to distribute fertilizer is required for each distributing facility, except for specialty fertilizer, which is fertilizer distributed primarily for nonfarm use.

Cities, counties and other political subdivisions may not regulate the registration, packaging, labeling, sale, storage, distribution, use or application of commercial fertilizers or soil amendments, and any such local law is void (they may still make a cooperative agreement with the Department and zone or set fire codes for fertilizer facilities). The fertilizer chapter and its rules deal with registration, licensing, labeling, inspection fees and tonnage reports, and set no applicator license, application record, nitrogen or phosphorus limit, blackout dates or setbacks for lawns.

Sources: MCA Title 80, chapter 10, parts 1–3 (Commercial Fertilizers: 80-10-101, -110, -201, -202 and the rest), MCA 2025, ARM subchapter 4.12.6 Fertilizer Regulations (4.12.601 to 4.12.621)

How GroundsQuote’s chemical records line up

GroundsQuote keeps an application record for each chemical a crew puts down on a job. On a job at a property in Montana, Finish job asks the crew for the details Montana lists, and the records export with the columns in Montana’s order. Here is each item Montana lists, set against what the record actually holds. Keeping the record complete and correct is still your responsibility.

Montana record items and GroundsQuote’s chemical application record
Montana asks for	In GroundsQuote	Status
Name and certification number of the certified applicator who made or supervised the application	Applied by and Supervised by (offered on Montana jobs), with license and certification numbers when license-keeping is switched on	Recorded
Name of each operator who made the application	Applied by: everyone riding with the crew that day starts checked, with each person’s standing (certified, operator…)	Recorded
Date of application	Date and time applied	Recorded
Start and end time	The job’s start and finish times, recorded when the crew starts and finishes it, and each chemical’s own start and finish when entered (offered on Montana jobs)	Recorded
Property owner’s or lessee’s name and address; location of the site	Customer name and mailing address; street address, city, state, ZIP and county; where on the property	Recorded
Equipment used	Equipment used, set on the job; required on Montana jobs at Finish job	Recorded
Company name, trade name and EPA registration number of each pesticide	Manufacturer, product name and EPA Reg. No., from the chemical’s setup	Recorded
Rate of application (formulated product per volume or weight per unit area)	Rate applied (per area), and the mix ratio (offered on Montana jobs)	Recorded
Area treated	Area treated (sq ft)	Recorded
Primary pest or pests	Target pest (editable on the job)	Recorded
Site or crop treated	Where on the property (front lawn, beds, fence line… or a description); required on Montana jobs at Finish job	Recorded
Weather: wind speed, wind direction and temperature, if applicable	The nearest weather station’s reading at start and finish, recorded automatically, with an on-site confirm or measurement offered on Montana jobs	Recorded
Each pesticide in a tank mix recorded separately	A chemical line for each product	Recorded
Recorded no later than 24 hours after the application	Finish job saves the record when the job is finished and shows the 24-hour deadline; the Schedule lists Montana chemical jobs finished without a record	Recorded
Business name, license number, address and phone (Department’s sample form)	Business name, address and phone in the records export, and your business license when license-keeping is switched on	Recorded
Calibration rate (Department’s sample form only, not in the rule)	Rate applied; GroundsQuote has no calibration field	Partly
Written statement that no applications were made in a period the Department asks about	Not handled by GroundsQuote: write it yourself	Not recorded

Tell the owner, lessee or manager a restricted use pesticide’s precautions and restrictions before the application yourself (Finish job on Montana jobs reminds you, but after the work), and post signs where a local ordinance requires them: GroundsQuote prints a 4 by 5 inch “pesticide application” sign with your phone, but does not know which cities or counties require it. Outside GroundsQuote, keep operator licenses, the 100-mile limit and training sign-offs, license renewals and recertification credits, the insurance certificate, the 48-hour escape reports and claims record, and send records to the Department yourself when it asks in writing.

Everything a GroundsQuote application record holds

When:: Date and time applied (when the job was finished), job start and finish times (the office can correct them), each chemical’s own start and finish when several go down on one job, and when people may go back onto the lawn (from the label’s re-entry interval)
Where:: Customer name, phone and mailing address, street address, unit number, city, state, ZIP and county of the property, and where on the property it went (front lawn, beds, fence line…)
Who:: Everyone who applied it (the crew riding that day starts checked) and the person supervising, trainees and people who planned it, with each one’s standing (certified, registered technician, trained, not certified or registered), license number, certification or ID number, category and expiry, and the business license when license-keeping is switched on
Product:: Name, type, manufacturer, EPA registration number, state registration number, EUP / Section 18 / 24(c) number, active ingredients, scientific name, concentration, N-P-K and slow-release %, formulation, restricted-use flag, signal word, re-entry interval, the label’s precautions, and copies of the label, safety data sheet and fact sheets on file
Amounts:: Rate applied (per area), area treated in sq ft, total product used (and product and tank mix per acre in the export), mix ratio, use dilution (%), water or carrier (gallons, and the carrier when it is not water), gallons of mix applied, devices placed, lb of N and P per 1,000 sq ft
Job:: Target pest and the equipment used (both set on the job), where the pesticide was bought or supplied from, the vehicle or sprayer’s license plate, where it was mixed and loaded, permit number, other records the label requires, the supervisor’s instructions, whether the drift plan was used, a review sign-off with the reviewer’s license number and corrective action, a map of the treated area attached to the job, service and crew; your business name, address and phone
Weather:: From the nearest weather station at the start and finish (temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, gusts, rain in the last hour, conditions), and the conditions on site: the crew confirms the station reading or enters the wind, direction and temperature they measured
Your state:: Each job follows the rules of the state its property is in: Finish job asks for the details that state lists and waits until they are filled in, and the records export in that state’s column order
Paperwork:: An application statement for each job to print, leave or email (each product with its EPA number, active ingredients, type, purpose, rate, amount and mix, where on the property, the date and time, who applied it, the re-entry time and your notes for the customer, with the state’s own lines), and lawn signs laid out from the state’s rule
Kept beside the records:: Each person’s training, ID copies and certificates and what they are responsible for; neighbor requests and notices, registry notices and attempts, notices given to customers, signed waivers and contracts, each with a copy of the paper; soil tests per property; incidents, disposal and purchases in the chemical logs; totals for a year or a month by county, supervisor or product; whether a customer agreed in writing to get application information by email
Changes:: Corrections are saved as history; the earlier record is kept
Reminders:: Finish job reminds the crew of the state’s own steps (a record deadline, trainee paperwork) and warns when a restricted-use chemical has nobody certified applying or supervising it; the schedule lists chemical jobs left without a record in states with a deadline

See how it works on the job in chemical records and field tools, or read about GroundsQuote for lawn treatment companies.

Official sources

Everything on this page comes from these Montana sources, checked on October 11, 2026. Read them for the full text and any changes since.

Keep application records as the crew finishes the job

Set the chemicals each service uses once. The crew sees the planned amounts for each lawn, and finishing the job saves the record with the product, rate, area, applicator and weather.

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Questions

Do I need records for general use products, or only restricted use?

Both. Commercial applicators and their operators keep a record of every application, general use and restricted use pesticides alike, and when two or more pesticides are in one tank, every item is recorded for each pesticide in the tank mix.

How soon must I record an application, and how long do I keep it?

Record it daily, no later than 24 hours after the application, and keep it two years. On a written request, records must reach the Department within 14 calendar days (or as it otherwise asks), and if no pesticides were applied in the period asked about, document that.

Does Montana require a lawn sign after an application?

Not statewide. A city or county may adopt an ordinance requiring commercial applicators to post signs: at least 4 inches high and 5 inches wide, reading “pesticide application” with a phone number for more information, posted at the time of the application and left until the pesticide is dry or the reentry interval has expired, whichever is later. Spot treatments of less than 100 square feet and minimum risk pesticides need no posting.

What must I tell the customer before a restricted use pesticide?

Before applying an EPA restricted use pesticide, tell the property owner, lessee or manager of all its precautions and restrictions, and give them a copy of the label if asked.

How far from the certified applicator may an operator work?

An operator may apply only the pesticides the supervising certified applicator is qualified to use, under that applicator’s direct supervision, and not more than 100 miles from the applicator. The definitions in the same rules allow work beyond 100 miles under special supervision, with the certified applicator physically present.

Does Montana limit lawn fertilizer?

No. The fertilizer chapter and its rules deal with registration, licensing, labeling, inspection fees and tonnage reports, and set no applicator license, application record, nitrogen or phosphorus limit, blackout dates or setbacks for lawns. Local governments may not regulate fertilizer use or application.