Disinfectant Use in Florida

As new disinfectants claiming effectiveness against the coronavirus rise in popularity across the United States, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is encouraging consumers and businesses to make sure that the products they choose qualify for use against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, before purchasing or using them at home or in the workplace. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a list of EPA-registered disinfectant products for use against SARS-CoV-2, also known as List N.

People applying registered disinfectant products do not require licensure. However, disinfectants are considered pesticides and must be used in accordance with label directions and kept out of reach of children. The use of any pesticide in a manner inconsistent with its label is unlawful under Section 487.031 (10), Florida Statutes. Further, disinfectants must be registered with EPA and FDACS. These products may be marketed and sold under different brand names, but if they have the same EPA registration number, they are the equivalent product referenced on the EPA List N.

Hand sanitizers are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and will not appear on List N. 

Use the following three-step process to determine if a specific SARS-CoV-2 disinfectant is registered to use in Florida:

1. Locate the EPA registration number located on the product. Look for the words "EPA Reg. No." followed by two or three sets of numbers. Example: EPA Reg. No. # # # # - # # # # - # #
2. Before purchasing or using a disinfectant claiming to be effective against COVID-19, visit the EPA’s List N for products that have qualified for use against SARS-CoV-2. Follow the instructions and enter the first two sets of the EPA registration number. If the disinfectant is listed, move to Step 3.
3. Access the National Pesticide Information Retrieval System (NPIRS) public database to ensure that the disinfectant product brand is registered for use in Florida. Enter the full EPA registration number and select "Search." If the specific product brand is not shown, it is not registered for use in Florida.

Additional Resources

Learn more about SARS-CoV-2 prevention, the various disinfectants that can be used, and their active ingredients:

• Cleaning and Disinfection for Community, Work, Schools and Households (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Disinfectants and COVID-19 (National Pesticide Information Center)
• Disinfectant Use and Coronavirus (COVID-19) (EPA)
• How Do I Prevent and Prepare for COVID-19? (Florida Department of Health)
• Using Disinfectants and Wipes Against COVID-19 [ 497.8 kB ] (FDACS and the National Pesticide Information Center)

Back to Pesticide Product Registration Main Page