10 exam-style questions with answers and explanations, straight from our 1,030-question bank. Tap an answer to check yourself. When you're ready, take the scored version in the free practice test.
These 10 free WA-PEST questions are organized by exam domain, so you can see how each part of the Washington Pesticide Laws and Safety Exam blueprint is tested. Reveal the answer and explanation under each question.
Domain 1: Knowledge of the state and federal laws governing pesticide use
Question 1
An insecticide label lists commercial apple orchards as an application site and permits airblast application at up to 1 quart per acre. A newly identified aphid is not named on the label, but the label neither limits use to listed pests nor prohibits this target. The applicator holds the required Washington license category and plans to use 0.75 quart per acre. Under FIFRA section 2(ee), which conclusion is most defensible?
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Correct answer: D - The use may be lawful because the site is labeled, the target is not prohibited, and all other directions will be followed
Domain 2: General pesticide label comprehension
Question 2
A pesticide application to a berry field ends Monday, June 1, at 8:00 a.m. The label gives a 24-hour restricted-entry interval (REI) and a 7-day preharvest interval (PHI). A worker who does not qualify for early entry is scheduled to scout Wednesday, June 3, at 9:00 a.m., and harvest is scheduled Friday, June 5, at 8:00 a.m. Which revised schedule complies with both intervals?
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Correct answer: B - Keep scouting on June 3, but move harvest to June 9 at 8:00 a.m.
Domain 3: Safe use of pesticides to avoid or minimize adverse health effects
Question 3
During pesticide loading, a worker develops pinpoint pupils, profuse sweating and salivation, wheezing, diarrhea, and muscle twitching. Which response has the highest priority?
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Correct answer: A - Protect rescuers, stop the exposure, call 911, and begin label-directed decontamination
Domain 4: Environmental fate of pesticides and the potential consequences of the use and misuse of pesticides
Question 4
At dawn, a wind meter reads 1 mph. Smoke from a test source forms a thin horizontal layer near the ground and moves toward a neighboring vineyard. The pesticide label allows winds up to 10 mph but prohibits application during a temperature inversion. What do these observations indicate?
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Correct answer: C - A temperature inversion is present; delay until vertical mixing resumes
Domain 5: Proper identification and effective control of pests
Question 5
Weekly scouting finds 2 larvae per 20 plants. The established action threshold is 8 larvae per 20 plants, crop injury remains negligible, and parasitoids are active in the field. Which choice best follows integrated pest management?
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Correct answer: A - Continue scheduled scouting and preserve the parasitoids
Domain 6: Characteristics of pesticides
Question 6
A soil insecticide must be delivered beneath a dense turf canopy. The label calls for irrigation after treatment, liquid spray drift is a major concern, and the applicator wants to avoid tank mixing. The same active ingredient and use rate are available in several labeled formulations. Which formulation best fits these conditions?
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Correct answer: C - Granule or pellet
Domain 7: Application equipment
Question 7
After cleaning and confirming that its strainer and line are unobstructed, 12 identical boom nozzles average 0.40 gallon per minute at the operating pressure. The calibration standard requires replacement when an individual nozzle differs by more than 10% from the reference. One nozzle still delivers 0.34 gallon per minute with a uniform pattern. What is the best correction?
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Correct answer: B - Replace that nozzle, then recheck the boom at the same operating pressure
A herbicide label specifies 2.4 pounds of product per treated acre. A grower will spray a 12-inch band over rows spaced 40 inches apart across 25 field acres. How many pounds of product are required for the job?
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Correct answer: D - 18 pounds
Domain 9: Knowledge of the responsibilities of certified applicators supervising noncertified applicators
Question 9
A 16-year-old will make a ground application of a nonfumigant federal restricted-use pesticide on family farmland. The supervisor is the youth's aunt, who is a certified private applicator, and any applicable Worker Protection Standard age requirement is met. Does the Washington minimum-age exception apply?
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Correct answer: C - No, because an aunt is not included in the rule's immediate-family definition
Domain 10: Understanding the importance of professionalism
Question 10
A neighbor reports an odor after a nearby pesticide application but has no symptoms and saw no visible drift. The record shows label-compliant use and wind directed away from the neighbor's property. Which response is most professional?
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Correct answer: B - Document it, clarify timing and symptoms, share verified facts, and give Poison Control or WSDA guidance
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