HONEY BEE CONTROL AND REMOVAL OPERATOR
Effective 1 January 2023, companies and individuals providing honey bee control and removal services from structures in the State of Georgia must be certified and licensed under rules amended in 2021 under the Georgia Structural Pest Control Act.
The new rule establishes minimum competency training standards and a state certification process. Training curriculum and exams have been prepared by representatives of industry, the Georgia Department of Agriculture, Georgia Structural Pest Control Commission, and the University of Georgia. The inaugural training for this certification will be offered on Wednesday, May 18 at this year’s Young Harris Institute.
Licensing to perform bee removals in Georgia will require each applicant to:
- Attend 8 hours of approved training
- Pass a written exam on required material at a score of 70% or higher
- Sign a sworn affidavit describing at least three bee removal jobs previously performed
- Pay operator certification fee directly to Georgia Department of Agriculture
The Young Harris Beekeeping Institute will be providing training only (#1 above) on May 18, 2022; students will receive a certification of completion at the end of the day and be provided complete information for completing the rest of the requirements. The fee of $45 for the Wednesday training applies solely to the Institute and cannot be applied toward the state certification fee.
Includes details on the Honey Bee Control and Removal Operator certification program and its requirements for licensing and recertification.