User of Plant Protection Products

If you use plant protection products (produits phytopharmaceutiques) in your professional activity, you must hold a personal Certiphyto certificate. This applies to farmers, landscapers, forestry workers and any other professional who applies pesticides, whether as an employer, self-employed operator or employee.

There are three certificate categories depending on your role: operator (OPE), decision-maker in a business subject to approval (DESA), or decision-maker in a business not subject to approval (DENSA). You obtain the certificate through training or by passing a test. If your business provides application services to third parties, it must also hold a company-level agrément from the regional prefect. Using phytopharmaceutical products without a Certiphyto is punishable by up to six months in prison and a 50,000 euro fine.

Requirements

  • Individual Certiphyto certificate: The professional must hold an individual certificate for "professional use of plant protection products" in one of three categories: decision-maker in non-accredited company, decision-maker in accredited company, or operator in company.
  • Accreditation for legal entities: Companies applying plant protection products must obtain accreditation (agrément) issued by the regional prefect, along with professional liability insurance and certification by a third-party organization.
  • Product register: The user must maintain a register showing the date of acquisition, quantities used, and batch numbers of products, kept for five years.
  • Nationality: Must be a French national or a citizen of an EU or EEA Member State.

Procedure

  • Obtaining the Certiphyto certificate: The certificate is issued after completing training with a written test, passing an exam, or holding a recognized diploma obtained within the past five years. Applications are made online via service-public.fr to the regional directorate for food, agriculture and forestry (DRAAF) of the place of residence. The certificate is valid for five years and renewable under the same conditions.
  • Accreditation application (legal entities): The accreditation application is submitted to the regional prefect of the registered office, accompanied by an insurance certificate, third-party certification, and a monitoring contract. Micro-distributors must also provide specific supporting documents. A provisional six-month non-renewable accreditation may be granted at the start of activity.
  • Prior declaration (EU/EEA nationals under LPS): EU or EEA nationals exercising temporarily and occasionally must make a prior declaration to the DRAAF, renewed annually or in case of change of situation.

Restrictions and Obligations

  • Compliance with usage rules: The professional must respect deadlines between application and harvest, maximum wind speed, and provisions relating to spreading or emptying of phytopharmaceutical effluents.
  • National reduction plan: Obligation to comply with the national plan setting objectives and measures to reduce the effects of the use of these products on human health and the environment.
  • Sanctions: Operating without accreditation or certificate is punishable by six months' imprisonment and a fine of €150,000. The national health safety agency may prohibit or regulate use in protected areas.
  • Public spaces: Public authorities may not use plant protection products for maintaining public spaces, except in cases of serious health hazard or for products posing no environmental or health threat.