The Core exam is the one test every North Carolina pesticide applicator has to pass. It comes before any category exam, whether you spray lawns, crops or rights-of-way.

It tests general knowledge, not one trade. Think labels, safety gear, drift, equipment and the law.

This guide explains the format, the topic areas and a study plan. The license itself is issued by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS). We are an independent practice site, and our questions are our own.

In short

  • The Core exam is required for all applicator licenses and categories, but not for the dealer license or private applicator card.1
  • Everyone gets four hours. In-person exams start at 1:00 pm.2
  • NCDA&CS does not publish the number of Core questions.2
  • The fee is $50, plus $26 if you test online. Online exams are closed book.34
  • Core exams after July 1, 2025 include questions on the new supervision rules.2
  • Bring a calculator. A phone does not count.2
Contents
  1. Exam format
  2. Topics
  3. The 2025 rule changes
  4. Calibration math
  5. How to prepare
  6. Common questions
  7. Sources

Exam format

The Core exam costs $50. The Pesticide Section sets the rules for the room and the screen.3

In person

Sessions begin at 1:00 pm. Plan to arrive about 30 minutes early. You need a government-issued photo ID, pencils and a calculator, and phones cannot be used as calculators.2

Online

The online exam adds $26. It is closed book, recorded and reviewed by a third-party proctor. An electronic calculator is built into the exam. If you use scratch paper, you show it blank to the camera at the start and your work at the end.4 The Core exam is also offered in Spanish.2

Questions and passing score

The exam pages say all testers receive the full four hours. They do not state how many questions are on the exam, so be wary of any site that quotes a number as official.2 Private applicators, who do not take the Core exam, need a 70 percent passing grade under the Pesticide Board rules.5 NCDA&CS grade reports tell Core candidates whether they passed.6

Topics

NCDA&CS points candidates to the Core Manual sold by the NC State Pesticide Safety Education Office.2 The Core areas that national pesticide manuals share, and that our practice questions follow, are:

AreaWhat it covers
Label and labelingSignal words, directions for use, restricted use statements, reentry intervals
Safety and PPERoutes of exposure, protective equipment, first aid, mixing and loading
Environmental concernsDrift, runoff, leaching, groundwater, pollinators and wildlife
Pests and pest managementIdentifying pests, integrated pest management, resistance
Pesticides and formulationsGranules, emulsifiable concentrates, wettable powders, adjuvants
Application equipmentSprayers, nozzles, spreaders, maintenance, cleaning
Application methodsChoosing a method, weather, spot and broadcast treatment
Federal and state lawFIFRA, restricted use pesticides, the NC Pesticide Law of 1971, the Worker Protection Standard
SupervisionTraining and directing noncertified applicators
Professionalism and stewardshipRecords, storage, disposal, customer relations
Calibration and mathOutput per acre, mixing rates, area and volume

North Carolina also expects you to know its own law, and public operators must know the correct name and mailing address of the agency they work for.2

The 2025 rule changes

NCDA&CS states that all Core exams after July 1, 2025 include questions on its updated rules and regulations, and it publishes a summary and a "just the changes" document for study.2 The summary centers on supervision of noncertified applicators (nCA).2

In short, a licensed applicator who supervises an nCA must hold the right category and make sure the nCA is trained within the last 12 months, trained on the equipment, at least 18 years old, and has the product label on hand. The supervisor must also supply working protective gear and give site-specific instructions in a way the worker understands.2

Calibration math

Math is where many candidates lose points. Typical tasks are converting units, finding the area of a field, working out how much product goes in a tank, and checking sprayer output in gallons per acre. Practice with a plain calculator, since that is what the room allows.2

A worked example: a sprayer puts out 20 gallons per acre and you want to treat 5 acres. You need 100 gallons of finished spray. If the label says 2 pints of product per acre, you add 10 pints to the tank.

How to prepare

  1. Read the Core Manual and the two rule documents.2
  2. Take a timed practice test and note which areas are weak.
  3. Study labels from real products. Find the signal word, the PPE and the reentry interval.
  4. Drill the math until it is fast.
  5. Read the NC Pesticide Law basics and the supervision rules last, since they change.

Our questions are our own and are not NCDA&CS questions. Use them to find gaps, not to predict the exam. Start with the free practice test.

Common questions

Do I take the Core exam for a category license?

Yes. Passing the Core is required for all applicator licenses and categories.1

How many questions are on the Core exam?

NCDA&CS does not publish this on its exam pages.2

Can I use my phone as a calculator?

Not in person. You need a separate calculator. Online, an electronic calculator is built in.24

Is the Core exam open book?

The online exam is closed book.4

Sources

All facts come from NCDA&CS pages and rule documents reviewed in November 2026. The topic list follows the common national Core areas and our own question bank.

  1. NCDA&CS: Pesticide Licenses (ncagr.gov)
  2. NCDA&CS: Pesticide Exam Information (ncagr.gov)
  3. NCDA&CS: Pesticide Fees (ncagr.gov)
  4. NCDA&CS: Pesticide Online Exam Guidelines (ncagr.gov)
  5. NCDA&CS: NC Pesticide Regulations, Just the Changes (02 NCAC 09L .1103) (ncagr.gov)
  6. NCDA&CS: Pesticide In-Person Exam Results (ncagr.gov)