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Reporting Pesticide Problems
If this is an emergency and pesticides endanger people’s health, call 911.
In non-emergency situations, you can file a complaint with state or local officials, who will follow up on your concerns:
File a complaint with Cal/EPA
Use this online form (Opens in new window)to file an environmental complaint with the California Environmental Protection Agency.
Community Guide to Recognizing and Reporting Pesticide Problems
What to do in a pesticide emergency, about pesticide drift and odor, potential health effects of pesticides, how to report problems and a form for recording notes on an incident.
Complaints about pesticide use, illegal applications
In non-emergency situations, you should call in pesticide complaints to your County Agricultural Commissioner, who handles local pesticide use enforcement. You can get the number online (California Department of Food and Agriculture page opens in a new window) or by calling 1-87PestLine (1-877-378-5463). This free call will also connect you directly to the Commissioner’s office. A DPR handout (PDF, 557 kb) has more information about how to file a complaint. (Español, PDF, 524 kb)
If you cannot reach your County Department of Agriculture to file a complaint or you feel your complaint was not adequately investigated, ask to speak directly to your County Agricultural Commissioner, or you can call the Department of Pesticide Regulation, (916) 324-4100 or E-mail to CDPRWeb@cdpr.ca.gov.
Illness complaints
Here's what to do if you think pesticide exposure has made you ill.
Complaints about licensees
DPR licenses professional applicators and companies that apply pesticides in most agricultural and nonagricultural settings. However, businesses and professionals that apply pesticides to structures are licensed by the Structural Pest Control Board, part of the Department of Consumer Affairs.
If you have a question or complaint about a person or business that applied a pesticide, you can call your County Agricultural Commissioner (Opens in a new window) to ask questions or file a complaint. If the applicator is a DPR licensee, you can also call DPR’s Licensing and Certification Unit, at (916) 445-4038, E-mail. You can find out if a person or company has a valid DPR license by downloading these lists.
To contact the Structural Pest Control Board (Opens in new window), call (916) 561-8708, or E-mail to pestboard@dca.ca.gov.
Complaints about unregistered or misbranded products
If you believe someone is selling pesticides illegally--pesticides that are unregistered or misbranded--call DPR’s Product Compliance and Mill Assessment Branch, (916) 445-4159, or E-mail to: millassessment@cdpr.ca.gov. For more information see this handout (PDF, 112 kb).