In Ohio, pesticide application records are kept for three years, and each record names the licensed applicator or serviceperson, the customer's name and address, the date of application, the pest or pests to be controlled, the location and method of treatment, and the product's trade name and EPA registration number. The rule is Ohio Admin. Code 901:5-11-10.
This is a plain-English summary, not legal advice. We last reviewed the Ohio citation on September 4, 2026. Rules change, so confirm the current requirements with the Ohio agency that licenses your applicators before you rely on this page. Our short profile of the same rule is at /compliance/ohio.
What must an Ohio pesticide application record include?
Under Ohio Administrative Code 901:5-11-10, as listed in our state profile, each record includes:
- The licensed applicator or serviceperson's name.
- The name and address of the customer.
- The date of application.
- The pest or pests to be controlled.
- The location and method of treatment.
- The product trade name and EPA registration number.
Read the full rule at the Ohio Administrative Code site before you build a form around this list. Our summary covers the core fields; the rule text is what an inspector will hold you to.
Two fields deserve extra care. "Location and method of treatment" means where on the property the product went and how it was applied, not just the street address. And the EPA registration number has to be the registration number, not the establishment number printed near it on the label. Our guide to pesticide application record keeping explains the difference.
How long do Ohio pesticide records have to be kept?
Three years, under 901:5-11-10. Check the rule text for exactly when the clock starts, and keep the records somewhere you can produce them quickly when asked. If you change software, the three years do not reset: export your old records before you cancel, because the duty to keep them stays with you. How to switch pest control software covers what to export first.
Does Ohio set a deadline for completing the record?
Our Ohio profile does not list a deadline for writing up the record or a routine reporting deadline. That does not mean none applies to your work. Check the rule text and confirm with the state agency. Pennsylvania, by comparison, requires the record to be completed within 24 hours of the application; see Pennsylvania pesticide applicator record keeping.
The safest habit is the same everywhere: finish the record on the job, before the technician leaves the property, while the details are still fresh.
How do federal rules fit with Ohio's?
The federal law behind pesticide use is FIFRA, administered by the EPA (EPA FIFRA overview). Under FIFRA, certified applicators of restricted-use pesticides have a federal recordkeeping requirement under 40 CFR Part 171 (EPA, certification and training for restricted use pesticides). States can and often do add their own rules on top of that federal floor, and those state rules usually cover general-use applications too.
In practice, the day-to-day inspections of a pest control business are run by the state agency that licenses applicators, not the EPA. So for Ohio, the state rule above is the one your records need to meet on routine jobs. Our record audit guide covers how an inspection usually goes.
Checklist: Ohio record fields and where they live in PestShift
| Field (Ohio Admin. Code 901:5-11-10) |
Where it lives in PestShift |
| Licensed applicator or serviceperson name |
Applicator on the record, from the technician on the job |
| Customer name and address |
Customer and property on the job |
| Date of application |
Date and time saved on the record |
| Pest(s) to be controlled |
Target pests field |
| Location of treatment |
Property, plus target areas field |
| Method of treatment |
Application method field |
| Product trade name |
Product field, from your product library |
| EPA registration number |
EPA registration number field |
How does PestShift help with Ohio records?
PestShift records each pesticide application as part of the job. By default, a job can't be marked complete until its chemical application record exists, and you choose which services need one. The record holds the product and EPA registration number, rate and quantity, application method, target pests and target areas, who applied it and when, and the weather at the property. Save your products once in the product library so nobody retypes an EPA number.
Records are add-only: a correction is saved as a new record next to the original, which is what you want when an inspector asks what happened on a given day. Every application record exports to a spreadsheet for any date range, so producing three years of records is a download, not a search through paper. PestShift also tracks applicator licenses and flags visits booked with a missing or expiring license.
What it does not do: PestShift does not file anything with the state for Ohio. If you want a paper version, use our chemical application record template. Compare the rules in other states on our state compliance guides, or, if you are choosing software, see GorillaDesk vs PestPac.
Start a free 14-day trial and have complete records in place before your next inspection.
Frequently asked questions
How long must Ohio pesticide application records be kept?
Three years, under Ohio Administrative Code 901:5-11-10.
What fields does an Ohio pesticide record need?
The licensed applicator or serviceperson's name, the customer's name and address, the date, the pest or pests controlled, the location and method of treatment, and the product's trade name and EPA registration number.
Does Ohio require a routine pesticide use report?
Our Ohio profile, last reviewed September 4, 2026, does not list a routine reporting deadline. Confirm with the state agency before assuming nothing needs to be filed.
Do Ohio records apply to general-use pesticides, or only restricted-use?
The federal 40 CFR Part 171 requirement covers certified applicators of restricted-use pesticides. Most states add their own rule that covers general-use applications too. Read 901:5-11-10 and confirm with the state how it applies to your jobs.
Can I keep Ohio pesticide records electronically?
Our profile does not address the format. Confirm with the state agency, and whatever you use, make sure you can export and print the records on request.
When was this page last checked?
The Ohio citation was last reviewed on September 4, 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the state agency.
Sources
- Ohio Administrative Code 901:5-11-10, reviewed September 4, 2026
- EPA, Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) overview, reviewed September 4, 2026
- EPA, pesticide classification and Restricted Use Product overview, reviewed September 4, 2026
