EPA registration number lookup for pesticide product labels
Look up an EPA registration number in PPLS, check federal status in APPRIL, and distinguish product registration from establishment numbers on labels.
For an EPA registration number lookup, enter the label's EPA Reg. No. into EPA's Pesticide Product and Label System (PPLS). Then check federal registration status in APPRIL, rather than treating an online label as proof of active registration.
On a pesticide label, EPA Reg. No. is the product registration. If the label says EPA Est. No., that number identifies a production location, not a registered product. EPA says an establishment number does not signify that the pesticide or device is in compliance with FIFRA.
How to look up an EPA registration number
1. Search the label's registration number in PPLS
Open PPLS. Find the field labeled "EPA Registration, Distributor Product, or Special Local Need Number."
Enter the entire registration number, including hyphens, without leading zeroes. Select Search. If the number has three parts, start with all three. PPLS supports full distributor product numbers.
Don't have the number? Search by product or alternative brand name, company, active ingredient, CAS number or PC code. These are search options in EPA's PPLS guidance.
2. Review the label documents
PPLS contains current and historical labels. Open the PDFs, not just the search row. Several PDFs and subsequent correspondence may be needed to establish the complete registration terms, according to the PPLS page.
But a stamped label does not, by itself, prove that the registration is still active. EPA describes that historical coverage on its PPLS information page.
3. Check federal registration status in APPRIL
Open APPRIL. Enter the number in "Registration Number(s)."
APPRIL covers active and canceled Section 3 and supplemental registrations. It updates daily and defaults to active registrations. If nothing appears, review the "Status Group" and "Status" filters before concluding that the registration is absent.
EPA warns of possible delays in posting labels, site and pest information, and alternate brand names. If a record shows canceled status, check that product's cancellation terms before you decide what to do with existing containers. Canceled status is not, by itself, a ban on sale or use of every container already packed.
4. Check the labeling supplied with the product
Do not automatically replace your container's directions with the newest online PDF. PPLS warns that its labels differ from marketplace labels.
Read the labeling that came with the product, plus relevant registration actions and state restrictions. EPA states that pesticide labels are legally enforceable. The label introduction quotes the line on the label: "It is a violation of Federal law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling."
What is an EPA registration number?
An EPA registration number identifies a registered pesticide product. It consists of a company number followed by a product number. Distributor products add the distributor's company number as a third part, as explained in EPA's registration manual.
| Number form | Meaning |
|---|---|
company-product | Basic product registration |
company-product-distributor | Distributor product associated with that basic registration |
The parts do not have a fixed number of digits. If a full three-part search does not resolve your question, search the first two parts to find the underlying registration. PPLS help supports both routes.
PPLS excludes supplemental distributor product labels, even though distributor records are searchable. Don't expect every distributor's marketplace label PDF to appear beside its record.
EPA registration number versus establishment number
Look at the identifier's wording before choosing a database. EPA Reg. No. points to the product registration. EPA Est. No. points to the registered location where a product was produced.
An establishment number combines a company number, a two-letter US state abbreviation or a three-letter country abbreviation, and a facility number. EPA's registration manual gives forms such as xxxx-PA-xx and xxxxx-CHN-xxxx.
Use the national establishment list for a facility lookup. An establishment listing is not product approval and does not replace a product search.
Check California registration separately
Federal registration does not settle California authorization. California DPR says it must register a pesticide before it can be sold or used in California.
Go to Registered Products in California. Choose "Search for Pesticide Products by Label," then "Registration number." The form accepts full or partial numbers and has an "active products only" option.
For distributor products, California's form instructs you to enter the first two parts of the number. That differs from PPLS, which accepts the complete three-part number.
DPR currently warns that registration search results may not be fully up to date during the transition to CalPEST. Its database page points users to the Public Records Act for the most recent information. Don't treat a routine database result as current while that warning is up.
What if no product appears?
Check whether you entered an establishment number, omitted a hyphen or left leading zeroes in the registration number. Try the basic two-part registration for a distributor product, or use another PPLS search field. In APPRIL, check the status filters too.
A missing result alone does not establish that a product is unlawful. Devices are generally outside FIFRA Section 3 product registration, although other requirements apply, as EPA explains.
RegAffairs AI discusses these identifiers in its answer on EPA registration number lookups, but does not hold the full EPA pesticide register.