In the United States the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates pesticides under the statutory authority of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The registration requirements for antimicrobial pesticides differ somewhat from those of other pesticides. For example, EPA requires special tests to ensure efficacy of public health pesticides when the pests are invisible disease-causing microbes, rather than insects or rodents that may be harboring disease organisms. Similarly, determining human and ecological risks from exposure to antimicrobial pesticides requires different types of measurements and models than those needed for pesticides largely applied to crops and other plants. In view of these and other differences, EPA decided that its regulations governing pesticide registration requirements should also incorporate special antimicrobial sections.

The process of reregistration involves determining the "eligibility" of the active ingredients (a.i.) for all pesticides originally registered before November 1, 1984. These pesticides must be supported with a complete scientific analysis and show that they can be used without causing unreasonable adverse effects to human health or the environment. EPA is responsible for the development and issuance of Reregistration Eligibility Decision Documents (REDs) for all chemicals with mainly antimicrobial uses. The RED documents formally present the Agency's evaluation of the data base supporting the re-registration of a pesticide (some antimicrobials may have their approved uses changed based on the reregistration data received by the EPA.).