About the commercial operators licence

The importance of licensing

Regulating the use of herbicides and other agricultural chemicals is important. Misuse of chemicals can harm:

  • agriculture, including livestock
  • the environment
  • trade
  • human health.

Operator licensing, based on the operator undertaking a training qualification, provides the community and others with confidence that commercial operators are applying herbicides responsibly. In particular, it ensures that product label instructions are followed, minimising or eliminating herbicide misuse.

When you need a licence

Under the Agricultural Chemicals Distribution Control Act 1966, if you intend to use ground equipment (any machine or apparatus other than an aircraft) to distribute herbicides on land that you or a close relative does not own or occupy, you may need a commercial operators licence.

Factors that can determine whether you need a licence include:

  • the type of ground equipment that you are using
  • whether you are carrying out the ground distribution in a declared hazardous area, a regulated area or non-regulated area of the state.

You do not need a licence if the ground distribution is outside the regulated areas in Queensland.

Licence conditions

As a licensed commercial operator, you may only carry out this work:

  • in the course of your usual business
  • or
  • under the direction or authority of a licensed ground distribution contractor or aerial distribution contractor.

You must be at least 17 years of age to be issued a commercial operators licence.

A commercial operators licence is issued for either a 1-year or a 3-year period. You can nominate the period when you apply for a licence.

More information