Form

How to register as a professional user of plant protection products (PPPs) and adjuvants

Updated 30 September 2022

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

Who must register

You must register if you are a business, organisation or sole trader that uses PPPs and any adjuvants professionally in Great Britain (England, Scotland or Wales).

This includes you if you:

• use PPPs and any adjuvants as part of your work
• have PPPs and any adjuvants applied by a third party as part of your work in agriculture, horticulture, amenities or forestry
• are a contractor hired to store or apply PPPs and any adjuvants for others
• are a volunteer and you apply PPPs and adjuvants during your work, for example at amateur sports clubs

You do not need to register if you use amateur PPPs in your garden. This form is for professional users.

Sectors

The form asks you which sector or sectors you work in.

Agriculture and horticulture

This includes work in agriculture or horticulture, such as farming or maintaining arable crops, forage crops or livestock, or treating seeds.

Amenity

This includes work in gardening, landscaping, grounds maintenance, or another role in an amenity setting, such as in:

• parks
• sports grounds, including golf courses
• public or private property
• infrastructure, such as roads, railways and waterways
• utilities, such as transport and water companies

Forestry

This includes work in forests or woodlands, such as in:

• tree management
• tree planting
• use of forests or woodland

Local authorities

Local authorities (LAs) that use or store PPPs must register as professional users. This includes where employees of LAs apply PPPs, and where LAs hire a third party to apply PPPs for them. Contractors hired to apply PPPs for LAs should register independently.

Addresses related to PPP activity

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is recording your business addresses. You must register a main business address where you do one or more of the following:

• use PPPs and any adjuvants
• store them
• keep records

You must also register any additional addresses where you store PPPs and any adjuvants. If you’re a business with over 40 addresses to register, you do not need to use the form. Email ocr-ppp@defra.gov.uk for further guidance.

Do not add addresses where you store or apply PPPs for clients on their land.

Temporary addresses

You must register at least one permanent business address. You do not need to register temporary addresses, for example addresses you will only use for up to 2 years.

Use of PPPs

The form asks you to estimate the quantity of undiluted PPPs you use in a typical year. This includes the PPPs that you apply, and any PPPs you have applied for you by third parties.

If the amount you use changes year by year, enter an amount that you would use in a typical year. If you use PPPs during some years but not others, give the typical amount that you would use in a year that you do.

If you use seeds treated with PPPs, do not include this when calculating the quantity of PPPs that you use in a typical year.

If you are a seed treatment business that applies PPPs to seeds, include the amount of PPPs that you apply to seeds when calculating the quantity of PPPs that you use in a typical year.

Assurance schemes

The form asks if you are a member of any assurance schemes that cover the use of PPPs.

Assurance schemes are voluntary schemes that establish production standards. Examples include Red Tractor, Organic Farmers and Growers, Leaf Marque, Soil Association, Amenity Assured and RSPCA Assured.

If you are not part of any assurance schemes, leave this question blank.

How to register

Download and fill in a form to register as a business, organisation or sole trader that uses professional PPPs and any adjuvants in Great Britain.

Downloading the form

The form is in a spreadsheet format. You need spreadsheet software such as Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice or Mac OS Numbers on your device to open and fill in the form.

The form is available in 2 different file types:

• OpenDocument format (.ods)
• Excel format (.xlsx)

If you’re using an Apple device and have OpenOffice or LibreOffice, use the OpenDocument (.ods) file type. If you’re using Numbers, you’ll need to export and save your completed file in Excel (.xls or .xlsx) or OpenDocument (.ods) format.

Filling in the form

The form contains instructions for how to fill it in.

Returning the form

Save the completed form as an OpenDocument (.ods) or Excel (.xls or .xlsx) file.

Email your .ods, .xls or .xlsx file to GB-OCR-notification@defra.gov.uk.

Defra can only process forms saved in these formats. If you send your form in a different file format, such as a PDF or word document, it will not be processed and you will be asked to resubmit.

If your company closes after registering, you must notify GB-OCR-closures@defra.gov.uk.

Paper forms

To request a paper form, email ocr-ppp@defra.gov.uk. Include your name and the address where the form should be sent. Defra will send you a paper form with a prepaid return envelope.

Paper forms will take longer to process. You’ll get an email from Defra when they have processed your form.

Help with the form

For help with the form you can:

• email: defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk (use the subject line ‘OCR-PPP registration enquiry’)

• call the helpline: 03459 33 55 77

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm.

Find out about call charges.

To contact Defra about a complaint, follow the complaints procedure.