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🔎 Key takeaways
The professional use of biocidal products (e.g. disinfectants, rodent-control products, wood-treatment products) has been governed by the “Certibiocide” order since 1 July 2015. These products present significant health and environmental risks, at a time when many pest species or viruses regularly proliferate across our territory. The aim of Certibiocide is therefore to ensure professionals have a better understanding of these products and to make the handling of these chemical substances safer.
What is Certibiocide?
Certibiocide is a mandatory individual certificate for anyone using biocidal products as part of their professional activity as a decision-maker, buyer, distributor or user. It is issued by the Ministry responsible for the environment and is tailored to the professional's activity and the types of products used.
Note that Certibiocide and Certiphyto (which concerns plant protection products such as pesticides) are entirely separate. Holding one no longer exempts you from the training required for the other.
Biocidal products are classified into 22 Product Types (PT).
Note: the BioCID - Declaration - https://biocid-anses.fr/ website lets you look up a product and find out its PT.
Who is affected by Certibiocide?
Certibiocide comes in three distinct categories:
- Certibiocide disinfectants: mandatory since 1 January 2026 for people acting as a decision-maker, buyer or distributor with products of the following types:
o Type 2: Disinfectants and algaecides not intended for direct application to humans or animals
o Type 3: For veterinary hygiene
o Type 4: Surfaces in contact with food and animal feed
- Certibiocide pest control: mandatory for people acting as a professional user, distributor or buyer with products of the following types:
o Type 14: Rodenticides. Products used to control mice, rats or other rodents
o Type 18: Insecticides, acaricides and products used to control other arthropods. Products used to control arthropods (such as insects, arachnids and crustaceans)
o Type 20: Control of other vertebrates. Products used to control vertebrate pests
- Certibiocide other products: mandatory for people acting as a professional user, distributor or buyer with products of types 8, 15 and 21:
o Type 8: Wood preservatives. Products used to protect wood from sawmills, including during the processing stage at the sawmill, or wood products, by controlling organisms that destroy or deform wood. This product type includes preservation products and treatment products.
o Type 15: Avicides. Products used to control birds
o Type 21: Antifouling products
Professionals holding the “pest control” Certibiocide do not need a “other products” Certibiocide to buy/use/sell PT8, PT15 and PT21 products reserved for professional use.
Note that the certificate is always issued to an individual and not to a company.
The professional user is the person who handles the products on a day-to-day basis. The buyer is the person who chooses and orders the purchase of the biocide for the company.
The distributor sells to and advises customers.
The concept of decision-maker exists specifically for the Certibiocide disinfectants category. This person defines the usage protocols within the establishment. They approve the services provided and raise awareness among field operators who are not subject to this certificate.
Which products and activities are exempt from Certibiocide?
The certificate requirement does not apply to:
- biocidal products purchased and used exclusively in a food and animal feed production, processing and distribution process;
- products purchased and used exclusively in an industrial production system;
- biocidal products used by fire and rescue service personnel, officers responsible for health inspection missions at borders, and military personnel of units permanently assigned to civil security missions, provided that such personnel have completed training on the risks associated with the use of these chemical products and on suitable individual or collective protection;
- personnel recruited as reinforcements by vector-control services during epidemics of insect-borne diseases, who use insecticidal products for the interventions provided for in Articles R. 3114-9 et seq. of the French Public Health Code, provided that they have completed training on chemical risks, the use of chemical products, and individual or collective protection;
- for the disinfectants Certibiocide, personnel working in the fields of human and animal health, provided that they can demonstrate ongoing training (aligned with periodic certification for human health*, at least every five years for animal health) covering chemical risks, the use of disinfectant biocidal products, and individual or collective protection. These health professionals must notify this training to the Directorate General for Risk Prevention before 1 July 2027. The Directorate will assess whether the notified training meets the objectives of this order. The list of suitable training courses will be published in the official bulletin of the ministry responsible for the environment no later than 1 January 2028.
* Each health professional must meet the following periodic certification requirements:
- every 9 years for professionals already practising as of 1 January 2023, then every 6 years,
- every 6 years for those who start practising after 1 January 2023.
The explanatory notice for the Certibiocide order provides further details on these exemptions.
How do you obtain your Certibiocide?
Certibiocide is obtained by completing training with a training organisation approved for “Certibiocide”. Training can take place in person or via video conference.
You must create an account on the CERTIBIOCIDE platform in order to register for a training session, after contacting one of the approved training organisations.
The length of the training varies depending on the category chosen. It is 7 hours (i.e. one day) for disinfectants and other products. It is 21 hours (i.e. three days) for pest control. A 30-question test validates the skills acquired. You must get 20 correct answers to pass the exam. Candidates who do not achieve a score of 20/30 must complete additional training to consolidate their skills: 2 hours for the “disinfectants” and “other products” Certibiocide, and 7 hours for the “pest control” Certibiocide.
Once the training has been completed and validated by the training organisation, the certificate is sent by email to the candidate and remains available for download on the CERTIBIOCIDE platform.
The certificate is valid for 5 years and is renewed under the same conditions as its initial issue. The employer bears the full cost of this training.
What are the employer's obligations?
The employer must ensure that new employees subject to Certibiocide are trained within 6 months. During this time, the employee must be supported by a mentor.
Companies whose staff must hold a Certibiocide to use, purchase or sell biocidal products must also submit an annual declaration to the Ministry responsible for the environment before 31 March, via the CERTIBIOCIDE platform - https://certibiocide.din.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/
This declaration must include in particular:
- the company's name, legal name and SIRET number;
- the number of people at the company carrying out activities subject to Certibiocide (including new arrivals not yet certified) and their individual certificate numbers.
Distributors, for their part, are required to keep a sales register listing the products and quantities sold, along with each buyer's certificate number.
Note: If you use contractors who use biocides (e.g. for pest control), we recommend checking whether they are subject to Certibiocide depending on the product used and, if applicable, obtaining a copy of their certificate.