California Vineyard Spray Record Format: Required Fields and Submission Standards

By VitiScribe Editorial·August 6, 2025·Updated October 6, 2025

California DPR requires 14 specific data fields on every commercial pesticide application record. This is federal and state law, not a recommendation. Missing even one required field on a pesticide use record can result in a citation from your county agricultural commissioner.

Most vineyard operators who fail DPR audits aren't farmers who didn't spray responsibly. They're farmers who kept records but kept incomplete ones, missing one or two fields that didn't seem important when they were writing in the field.

Here's what every California vineyard spray record must include, what common errors look like, and how to ensure every record you generate meets the standard.

TL;DR

California DPR requires 14 specific data fields on every commercial pesticide application record; missing even one is a citable violation; the three most commonly missing fields are EPA registration number, start and end application times, and applicator license number -- fields that require looking at the label or the license card rather than writing from memory
Start and end time of application is the most commonly missing field in California vineyard spray records -- both start and end times are required; start time matters for REI calculation; end time is where the REI clock begins; recording the date without any time information is a violation
EPA registration number is the second most commonly missing field -- it requires looking at the label and can't be recalled from memory; VitiScribe auto-populates EPA registration from the product library when you select a product, eliminating the most common paper record error
The "pesticide use record" and the "pesticide use report" are two different documents: the PUR is the complete application-level record with all 14 fields that you maintain in your files; the monthly pesticide use report is the standardized submission to the county agricultural commissioner due by the 10th of the following month
Monthly pesticide use reports are submitted to your county agricultural commissioner (not DPR directly); submission formats vary by county -- some require paper, some have electronic portals; confirm your county's preferred format before your first submission of the season
VitiScribe's California record template was validated against the 14-field DPR requirement and will not save a record with any required field blank; 12 of the 14 fields auto-populate from the product database, block profile, applicator profile, and weather station connection

The 14 Required Fields

1. Operator of Record Name and License Number

The operator of record is the licensed agricultural pest control operator responsible for the application program. This is usually your licensed PCA (Pest Control Adviser) or QAL (Qualified Applicator License) holder.

Common error: Recording the farm name instead of the licensed individual's name. The record requires the licensed person's name and their license number, not just the business name.

2. Operator of Record License Type

The type of license: PCA, QAL, QAC (Qualified Applicator Certificate), agricultural pest control dealer, or other applicable category.

Common error: Omitting the license type entirely or writing only the number without the category.

3. Site Location

Site location must be sufficient to locate the specific application site. The standard format in California uses county-specific location codes, often based on section/township/range from the Public Land Survey System, or alternatively a standardized site ID that the county agricultural commissioner recognizes.

Common error: Recording only "Block 3 North" or a ranch name without the formalized location identifier that DPR and the county use for their geographic tracking system.

4. Commodity

The crop or commodity treated. For wine grapes, this is typically "wine grapes" or "grapevines, wine" using DPR's commodity code system.

5. Pesticide Product Name

The full registered product name as it appears on the label. Not just the active ingredient, not an abbreviated name. "Headline" not "azoxystrobin," "Switch 62.5 WG" not "cyprodinil/fludioxonil."

6. EPA Registration Number

The product's EPA registration number as printed on the label. This typically appears in the format "EPA Reg. No. XXXXX-XXXX."

Common error: This field is missing more often than any other in paper-based spray records. Growers write the product name but not the registration number because it requires looking at the label.

7. Amount of Product Applied

The actual amount of product applied, expressed in the units on the label (ounces, pounds, gallons, etc.).

8. Rate Applied Per Acre (or Per Unit)

The application rate per acre. For some commodities, rate per unit (per tree, per linear foot) is appropriate, but for vineyards the per-acre rate is standard.

9. Total Acres (or Units) Treated

The total area treated in the application event. For a block application, the block acreage. For a partial block treatment, the portion treated.

10. Application Method

The equipment type and application method. Common entries: "airblast sprayer," "backpack sprayer," "injection," "soil drench." DPR has application method codes for electronic submission.

11. Date of Application

The calendar date of application. Year must be included, not just month and day.

12. Start and End Time

This is the most commonly missing field in California vineyard spray records. Both the start time and the end time of the application are required. Start time matters for REI calculation. End time is technically where the REI clock begins.

Common error: Recording the date without any time information, or recording a single time without distinguishing start from end.

13. Applicator Name and License Number

The person who actually made the application, separate from the operator of record if different. Their name and license number.

Common error: Listing the PCA who wrote the recommendation but not the QAL or QAC who actually operated the equipment.

14. License Type for Applicator

The applicator's license type: QAL, QAC, or applicator acting under a licensed operator's direct supervision.

Pesticide Use Report vs. Pesticide Use Record

These are two different things, and the confusion between them is common.

Pesticide Use Record (PUR): The complete application record with all 14 fields, maintained by the operator. You keep this.

Pesticide Use Report: The monthly summary of applications filed with the county agricultural commissioner. This is a standardized submission format that aggregates your PUR data into the format DPR uses for its statewide database.

The record is your primary compliance document. The report is the submission to the county. Both are required. The PUR must be completed within 24-72 hours of application (the specific timing is set by the individual pesticide label). The monthly report is submitted to the county by the 10th of the following month.

Submitting to the County Agricultural Commissioner

Each of California's 58 counties has an agricultural commissioner's office that receives pesticide use reports from operations in that county. Submission formats vary by county: some accept paper, some have electronic systems, and some have online portals.

Contact your county agricultural commissioner before your first season to confirm their preferred submission format and any county-specific requirements beyond the state baseline.

Napa County and Sonoma County, given the density of vineyard operations, have well-developed submission systems that experienced vineyard managers know well. Smaller wine counties may have different processes.

How VitiScribe Completes All 14 Fields Automatically

When you log a spray event in VitiScribe, the California record template pre-populates:

Product name, EPA registration number, and active ingredient from the product database
Site location from your block's saved geographic data
Operator of record from your profile
Application method from your saved equipment records
Weather conditions from connected weather station or CIMIS data
PHI and REI from label data

You confirm the rate, volume, and actual application times. The record is complete.

VitiScribe's California record template was validated against the 14-field DPR requirement. The record it generates doesn't require manual review for missing fields because the system won't save an incomplete record.

The California DPR spray record requirements page covers the submission workflow and county-specific considerations in more detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

What fields are required on a California pesticide use report?

California DPR requires 14 specific fields on every commercial pesticide application record: operator of record name and license, license type, site location, commodity, product name, EPA registration number, amount applied, rate per acre, total acres treated, application method, date, start and end times, applicator name and license number, and applicator license type. Missing any of these fields constitutes a violation of California pesticide use reporting requirements.

How does VitiScribe ensure every California required field is completed?

VitiScribe's California spray record template includes all 14 required DPR fields as mandatory fields. The system will not save a record with any required field blank. Product data including EPA registration numbers auto-populates from the product database. Location data populates from saved block profiles. Weather data imports from connected stations. The operator and applicator information populates from saved profiles. The grower confirms rate, volume, and application timing.

What is the difference between a pesticide use record and a pesticide use report?

A pesticide use record (PUR) is the complete application-level document with all required fields, maintained by the operator in their files. A pesticide use report is the standardized monthly submission to the county agricultural commissioner aggregating the month's application data in the county's required format. Both are required in California. The PUR must be created within the timeframe specified on the pesticide label; the monthly report is submitted to the county by the 10th of the following month.

What is the California commodity code for wine grapes in DPR records?

California DPR uses commodity code 5051 for wine grapes in pesticide use records. This code must be used rather than a generic "grapevines" or "grapes" designation in formal DPR-formatted records and monthly report submissions. Using the correct commodity code ensures your records are correctly assigned in DPR's statewide database and prevents classification errors that can cause mismatches during DPR data review. VitiScribe auto-populates commodity code 5051 for blocks set up as wine grape production blocks in your vineyard profile.

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Sources

California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR)
California Code of Regulations, Title 3, Section 6624
California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)
UC Cooperative Extension Viticulture
UC IPM Program

Get Started with VitiScribe

California's 14-field requirement catches growers on the details that seem minor in the field and critical at audit -- EPA registration numbers, start and end times, and applicator license type. VitiScribe auto-populates 12 of the 14 required fields from your profile and product database, with required-field enforcement that prevents saving incomplete records. Try VitiScribe free and generate your first fully compliant California vineyard spray record today.