Commercial Green SnowPro Certification

Individuals who have attended the Green SnowPro Training and passed the exam are eligible to apply for the voluntary NHDES Salt Applicator Certification. To obtain your certification from NHDES and obtain limited liability relief for you and your clients from slip and falls, you must:

1. Complete an Initial/Full Course with exam (available courses are listed below in the Training Requirements section).
2. Complete the Commercial Salt Applicator Certification application
   • Every person seeking certification (Master, Individual or Subordinate) must complete a Voluntary Commercial Salt Applicator Certification application.
   • The check for the associated annual certification fee should be made payable to: Treasurer – State of NH.
   • The application and check should be mailed to:

                            NHDES Watershed Management Bureau
                            PO Box 95, Concord, NH 03302-0095
                            Attn: Green SnowPro.

1. Master Certificate: A Master Certificate is suitable for those who have multiple employees in a company performing snow and ice management. While everyone (Master, Individual and Subordinate Certificate holders) is required to complete the same coursework to receive certification, the Master Certificate holder is responsible for submitting the annual Salt Use Report that includes totals of all material applied by company staff (Subordinates) and for the oversight of all employees certified as NHDES Commercial Salt Applicators.
2. Subordinate Certificate: A Subordinate Certificate holder is required to complete the same coursework as required for all other certificate levels. Subordinate salt use is reported by the Master Certificate holder.
3. Individual Certificate: An Individual Certificate is ideal for those who do not have other employees performing snow and ice management under their direct supervision. Individual Certificate holders are required to submit an Annual Salt Use Report.

All levels of certification are required to complete the required training to receive voluntary NHDES Salt Applicator Certification. See the training requirements section to learn the training required to receive initial certification and to maintain certification.

The annual Green SnowPro certification fee is separate from all course fees. Training course fees go to the course providers. NHDES does not receive any of the training course fees.

1. Master Certificate: $250
2. Individual Certificate: $150
3. Subordinate Certificate: $25 each for the first four subordinates. If more than four subordinates are working under the Master Certificate holder within the same company, there is no extra charge. Whether there are four or fifteen subordinates working under the Master Certificate holder, a maximum of $100 covers the annual Subordinate certificate fee. All subordinates must complete required coursework and exams to receive and maintain annual certification.

Yes. All levels of certification (Master, Individual and Subordinate) are required to complete and maintain training requirements to receive any level of NHDES Salt Applicator Certification and receive limited liability protection under RSA 508:22.

The Commercial Green SnowPro is an annual certification. Certificates expire June 30 each year (e.g., certificates issued for the 2024-2025 winter season expire on June 30, 2025). Certification must be renewed annually. Timely submittal of the renewal application promotes expedited processing and issuance of certificates shortly after completion of coursework. Early renewal may assist securing contracts by meeting bid request deadlines.

To renew Green SnowPro certification and maintain limited liability protection, the following steps are required:

1. Complete and submit a renewal Voluntary Commercial Salt Applicator Certification application.
2. Pay the annual certification fee to NHDES. The check for the associated annual certification fee should be made payable to: Treasurer – State of NH.
3. Submit your Annual Salt Use Report form.
4. Remain current on required coursework:
   • Approved refresher course every two years after initial certification and a full course with exam every six years. 
   • Approved full course with exam at six-year intervals following initial full course and certification.
5. Send the check, Salt Use Report and renewal application(s) to the NHDES Green SnowPro Program:

                            NHDES Watershed Management Bureau
                            PO Box 95, Concord, NH 03302-0095
                            Attn: Green SnowPro.

Commercial salt applicators certified by NHDES Voluntary Commercial Applicator Certification program under RSA 489-C, and property owners or managers who hire them, are granted limited liability protection against damages arising from snow and ice conditions under RSA 508:22. Contractor winter snow and ice record keeping is vital and essential for limited liability protection, and NHDES-certified commercial salt applicators are expected to uphold the following statutory requirement:

"I. No commercial applicator as defined in RSA 489-C:1, II and certified under RSA 489-C:2, or his or her employer or principal, or an owner, occupant, or lessee of land whose premises is maintained by a commercial applicator certified under RSA 489-C:2, whether by contract with the commercial applicator or his or employer or principal, shall be liable for damages arising from insufficiencies or hazards on any premises owned, occupied, maintained, or operated by them, even with actual notice thereof, when such hazards are caused solely by snow or ice, and the failure or delay in removing or mitigating such hazards is the result of the implementation, absent gross negligence or reckless disregard of the hazard, of best management practices for winter road, parking lot, and sidewalk maintenance adopted and published by the department of transportation and the department of environmental services. All commercial applicators, owners, occupants, or lessees who adopt such best management practices shall be presumed to be acting pursuant to the best management practices in the absence of proof to the contrary.
II. In order to receive the liability protection provided in paragraph I, a commercial applicator as defined in RSA 489-C:1, II, or an owner, occupant, or lessee of land shall keep a written record describing its winter road, parking lot and property maintenance practices. The written record shall include the type of de-icing materials used, the rate or quantity of deicing materials used, the dates of treatment, and the weather conditions for each event requiring de-icing. Such records shall be kept for a period of 3 years."