Application for the Registration of Pesticides in Tennessee

What makes a product a pesticide is that it makes a pesticidal claim. The claim is that through some implied chemical or biochemical action, the product will help control a pest, and not necessarily by killing it. The vast majority of pesticides sold and used are known as Section 3 products. Section 3 products are those who have undergone Federal registration by the EPA. The Agency as reviewed the product as to safety and to some degree efficacy, and in turn has approved what is known as the Section 3 label. This enables the registrant to in turn apply to individual states so that the product may be used and sold there.

In Tennessee, all Section 3 products offered for sale must be registered. TIFRA allows no-fee registration for Manufacturing Use-Only products. TIFRA also requires the registration of what is known as adjuvants. Adjuvants are products mixed in with pesticides (almost always for agricultural use) that help enhance the pesticidal action. Adjuvants are subject to the same fee and expiration date. The most notable difference is that since they have no EPA registration number, they are denoted by ADJ in the field for EPA registration number in the browser.

The EPA has the 25(b) rule which allows certain chemicals to be used as pesticides but exempt of Federal registration requirements. These are generally “natural” ingredients like oils. The most current list is posted on the EPA OPP website. Due to language in TIFRA, these products are exempt from registration at the State level in Tennessee as well, though this is not the case in all states.

Products may be registered throughout the registration year, which runs from July 1 through the following June 30. Since renewal invoices are mailed in May it has been the policy of TDA to register any product whose application arrives after May 14 through June 30 of the following year. Otherwise, applications that arrive from January 1 – through May 14 are processed for June 30 the same calendar year. The blank application is available on the Department’s website as a download.

Submit one (1) pesticide label for each product renewal and each new product, or an existing product whose label has changed. We do not require product data sheets, MSDS, or the EPA stamped label. Copies of labels are acceptable. If you are submitting more than 10 labels, please have them alphabetized to facilitate the processing of your application.