Before you hire

How to check a pest control company's license

Checking a license takes a few minutes, and it's worth it. In Texas, a business with a pest control license answers to the state. It must keep insurance or a bond on file and employ a certified applicator who passed state exams.

Why the license matters #

Texas law calls it the "business of structural pest control" when someone does any of these for pay:

Inspects a home for pests or tries to identify an infestation
Gives a written or spoken inspection report, recommendation, estimate, or bid
Treats for pests with pesticides or devices

Anyone doing that work needs a structural pest control business license from the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA). The law covers insects, spiders, ticks, termites and other wood pests, rodents, weeds, and nuisance birds in and around buildings.

A licensed business must also:

Employ a certified commercial applicator at all times
Keep liability insurance on file with TDA, or a bond or other proof of funds that TDA accepts. Insurance must include at least $200,000 in bodily injury and property damage coverage, and at least $300,000 in total for all claims.
Answer to TDA, which inspects licensed businesses and investigates complaints

If you hire someone without a license, you lose all of that.

The kinds of licenses #

Business license: the company itself. This is the number you look up first.
Certified applicator: a person who passed TDA's exams and can supervise others.
Technician: a person licensed to do the work under a certified applicator.
Apprentice: a registered trainee working toward a technician license.

Licenses also come in categories. Make sure the company is licensed for your kind of job:

Pest control: ants, roaches, flies, mosquitoes, rats, mice, and other pests in and around buildings
Termite: termites and other wood-destroying insects (not by fumigation)
Lawn and ornamental: pests and diseases of lawns, trees, and shrubs
Weed control: weeds around homes and other buildings
Structural fumigation: fumigating a building, like tenting a house for drywood termites
Commodity fumigation and wood preservation: mostly commercial work

Step 1: Get the license number #

Ask for it. A licensed company should give it to you without fuss. You can also find it in these places:

On the truck. Texas rules require the business license number on every vehicle used for customer service. It must be on both front doors or both front fenders. It must start with "Texas Pest Control License #" or "TPCL #". The numbers and letters must be at least 2 inches tall, and the number must be permanent. A magnetic sign doesn't count.
On the paperwork. Contracts, warranties, service agreements, and termite disclosure documents must show the business name, license number, address, and phone number. They must also say the business is licensed and regulated by TDA, with TDA's contact information. Invoices must show the name, license number, phone, and address.

Step 2: Check the person at your door #

Every licensed person and apprentice must carry their license or registration card while working. You can ask to see it. You can also ask for a driver's license or other government photo ID to confirm who they are.

Step 3: Look it up with TDA #

TDA posts lists of structural pest control license holders. Go to TDA's Structural Pest Control Reports: Current Licenses page. You'll see five files:

Commercial Business (start here for most companies)
Noncommercial Business
Applicators
Technicians
Apprentices

The files are CSV spreadsheets. Here's how to use them:

Download the Commercial Business file. It opens in Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers, or another spreadsheet app. A computer is easier than a phone.
Use Find (Ctrl+F on Windows, Command+F on a Mac) to search for the license number. TDA's numbers have 7 digits and often start with 0. Spreadsheet apps may drop that 0, so if nothing comes up, search again without it. Searching the company name works too, but try a short part of the name.
Check the legal business name and the DBA (the name the business goes by, if it has one; this column is often blank). The name on the truck and contract should match one of them.
Check the license expiration date and the insurance expiration date. Both should be in the future.
Check the categories. They appear as letter codes. Ask the company which category covers your job, and ask TDA if a code isn't clear.
Note the county and the responsible applicator, the certified person in charge.

To check a technician or applicator by name, use those files.

TDA updates the files about once a week, usually on Mondays. A brand-new license may not show up yet. The files can also list businesses whose license or insurance date has already passed. If a date is in the past, you can't find the company, or something doesn't match, contact TDA Licensing (below) before you sign.

Step 4: Look at the company's record #

TDA publishes a Structural Pest Control Enforcement Report with recent enforcement actions. Find it on TDA's Structural Pest Control Business Publications page.
To ask about a company's complaint history, send a written request to TDA's Structural Pest Control Service, Attention: Public Information Officer, by mail (address below), fax (888-232-2567), or email ([email protected]). TDA says responses take about 7 to 10 business days.
Ask neighbors and friends about their experience with the company.

Step 5: Read before you sign #

How to check a pest control company's licensePest Control Helper

Before you sign

Termite jobs: Texas requires a written estimate with disclosure documents before any treatment starts. See the termite guide.
Door-to-door sales: If a salesperson sold you the service at your home, Texas law generally lets you cancel until midnight of the third business day after you sign. Cancel in writing and keep a copy.
Get it all in writing: price, number of visits, products, warranty terms, and how to cancel.

Contact TDA #

If something goes wrong #

Talk to the company first. If that doesn't work, you can file a complaint with TDA's Structural Pest Control Service by phone, by email, or with the SPCS Complaint Form on TDA's consumer information forms page. TDA can warn a company, fine it, or suspend or revoke its license. TDA can't make a company pay you back or settle a contract dispute. For money disputes, you can file a consumer complaint with the Texas Attorney General or look into small claims (justice) court. Complaints filed with the Attorney General are public records, and that office can't give you legal advice.

If someone without a license offers pest control for pay, you can report it to TDA.

A note on doing it yourself #

You don't need a license to treat your own home, whether you own it or rent it. But anyone you pay to do it, including a handyman, needs a license. See Do it yourself or hire a pro.

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Photo: "Checking door sweep for gaps" by Cornell IPM (New York State Integrated Pest Management), CC BY 2.0, via Flickr. Cropped. All photo credits