- In Georgia, applying pesticides, including herbicides, for hire requires a license from the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
- "Weed killer" is a pesticide under the law.
- Licensed applicators are trained in product selection, rates, safety, and record keeping.
- Ask for license information and a certificate of insurance before work starts.
Most people don't think of weed control as pesticide application. Legally, it is. Herbicides are a type of pesticide, regulated at the federal level by the EPA and in Georgia by the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Anyone applying them on someone else's property as a business needs the appropriate state license. Many landscaping companies don't have one.
What Georgia requires
Under Georgia's pesticide laws, businesses that apply pesticides for hire and the individuals making the applications must be licensed or certified through the Georgia Department of Agriculture, in categories that match the type of work, such as ornamental and turf. Getting licensed involves passing exams on pesticide safety, label interpretation, and the specific category. Keeping it requires continuing education.
Structural pest control, the kind of work our sister company Hanco Exterminating does, is licensed through a separate path. Lawn and landscape weed control falls under the Department of Agriculture's commercial applicator rules.
The label is the law
Every pesticide product carries a label that specifies where it can be used, on which plants, at what rate, how often, and with what precautions. Using a product in a way that's inconsistent with its label is a violation of federal law. Licensed applicators are trained to read and follow labels precisely. That matters because:
- The wrong product or rate can damage your turf. Some herbicides that are safe on Bermuda injure Centipede.
- Over-application wastes money and increases runoff risk to streams, lakes, and wells.
- Labels set re-entry intervals for people and pets.
Why it matters to property owners
Liability
If an unlicensed contractor damages turf, harms a neighbor's plants through drift, or causes an environmental problem, the property owner may be pulled into the dispute. For commercial and public properties, using unlicensed applicators can create real exposure.
Insurance
Standard landscaping insurance may not cover pesticide application. Licensed applicators are more likely to carry coverage that does. Ask specifically.
Records
Licensed commercial applicators keep application records: what was applied, where, when, and at what rate. For schools, municipalities, HOAs, and commercial sites, those records can matter for compliance, complaints, and planning. For homeowners, they answer the simple question, "What did you put on my lawn?"
What to ask any contractor
- Are you licensed to apply herbicides in Georgia? In which category?
- Who on the crew actually makes the applications, and are they licensed or working under proper supervision?
- Can I see a certificate of insurance that covers pesticide application?
- Will you provide records of what's applied?
- What products do you use on my type of grass?
A licensed company answers these easily. If a contractor is vague, or says they "just spray a little Roundup on the cracks," that's a sign.
Why we built it in
Hanco grew out of a licensed pest control company, so licensed, documented applications have been part of how our family works since 2002. When we started the landscape division, it made sense to bring that same standard to lawns and beds. It lets one company install a landscape, maintain it, and keep it weed-free, without a second contractor. See how timing works in our pre-emergent calendar, or how to write licensing requirements into a commercial maintenance spec.