Texas pest control licensing at a glance
Agency
TDA Structural Pest Control Service
Business license
$300/yr
Certified Applicator
$125
+ $64 per category exam
Insurance
$500K / $1M
per occurrence / aggregate
License types and fees
| License | Who needs it | Key requirements | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice (registration) | New employees performing pest control under supervision before obtaining a technician license | Must attend an SPCS-approved Technician Training Course before taking the technician exam; exam must be passed before the apprentice card expires. | $125 original apprentice registration |
| Technician (commercial technician) | Person who performs pest control services under the direct supervision of a certified applicator | 20 hours classroom training in general standards (at least 2 hours in each required subject); 8 hours classroom training in each category sought; 40 hours on-the-job training in each category sought; pass exam in each trained category (retest allowed as many times as needed in a 12-month period). No age requirement stated on TDA page. | $125 technician renewal; $64 per category exam |
| Certified Applicator (commercial; also noncommercial and noncommercial political) | Person responsible for providing pest control services, including inspection and identification, for a licensed pest control business | Held a technician license at least 6 months and worked under a certified applicator 12 of the last 24 months, OR degree in a biological science, OR 12 of past 24 months verifiable pest control employment; pass General Standards exam plus at least one category exam at 70%+; structural fumigation requires 40 hours of training for prequalification. | $125 original; $125 renewal; exam fees paid separately to Metro ($64 per category exam per TDA fee schedule) |
| Business License (commercial; noncommercial / noncommercial political) | Any person engaged in the business of structural pest control, for each business location including branch offices | Designate a commercial certified applicator registered with the business as responsible certified applicator; file ALS-1101 SPCS Insurance Certificate meeting $500,000/$1,000,000 minimums. | $300 original and renewal (commercial); no fee for noncommercial or noncommercial political |
License categories
- Pest Control
- Termite and Wood Destroying Insect Control
- Lawn and Ornamental
- Weed Control
- Structural Fumigation
- Commodity Fumigation
- Wood Preservation
Exams
- Vendor: Metro Institute (Metro)
- Format: In-person at 31+ testing facilities across Texas; register with Metro online after TDA approval
- Exam fee: $64 per category exam (TDA fee schedule; collected by Metro)
- Passing score: 70%
Business license and insurance
Business license
- Requirement: Required for each business location, including branch offices; must designate a responsible commercial certified applicator
- Fee: $300 original and renewal (commercial); $0 noncommercial
Insurance / bond
- Requirement: Liability insurance of not less than $500,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and property damage, minimum total annual aggregate $1,000,000; insurer authorized/registered with Texas Dept of Insurance; 30-day cancellation notice to TDA; carrier must notify within 10 business days if claims reduce aggregate below $1,000,000. No bond alternative in rule.
- Per occurrence: $500,000
- Aggregate: $1,000,000
Renewal and continuing education
- Certified applicator: Annual; expires with the business license
- Technician: Annual (renewal fee $125; 8 hours training each calendar year)
- Business: Annual renewal fee $300 due by expiration date
- Late fees: 1.5x renewal fee if 90 days or less late; 2x if 91 days to one year
- Continuing education:
- Certified applicator: Annually: 2 CEUs in general training plus 1 CEU in each licensed category; at least one general CEU on federal/state laws, pesticide safety, environmental protection or IPM
- Technician: 8 hours verifiable general-standards training each calendar year (up to 2 hours may be on-the-job/hands-on); no course repeated for credit in a year
Application recordkeeping
- Retention years: 2
- Location: On premises of the business facility location (noncommercial: employer premises)
- Required elements:
- Billing name and address of customer (or employer)
- Service address where pesticides/devices used
- Pesticide names and EPA registration numbers; devices used
- Total amount of each pesticide applied (or mixing rate/total amount / active ingredient %)
- Pest control devices used and number of each
- Target pest or purpose
- Date of use
- Name and license number of persons applying, supervising, and receiving training
- Termite extra: Unit of measurement of treated area; physical barrier measurements with installation diagram; application tank details (number, capacity, start/stop times)
- Responsible party: Responsible certified applicator or certified noncommercial applicator
Free log with these fields: pesticide application record template.
Worth knowing
- Texas issues seven structural categories, including Weed Control, Commodity Fumigation and Wood Preservation, beyond the usual pest/termite/L&O/fumigation set.
- A separate $300 business license is required for every location, including branch offices.
- Insurance minimum is $500,000 per occurrence / $1,000,000 aggregate, and the carrier must notify TDA within 10 business days if claims erode the aggregate below $1M.
- Technicians need 20 hours general classroom + 8 classroom and 40 on-the-job hours per category before testing.
Official links
Law: Tex. Occ. Code ch. 1951 (Structural Pest Control Act); 4 Tex. Admin. Code ch. 7, subch. H (Structural Pest Control Service)
Last verified 2026-09-23 against Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), Structural Pest Control Service (SPCS) and the official sources listed below. Fees and rules change - confirm with the agency before you apply. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Licensed and running a route?
PestRouteDesk (in development) keeps state-ready chemical application records, recurring routes and billing for 1-5 tech shops. Founding members lock $49/mo.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a pest control license in Texas?
Register as an apprentice or technician, complete the required training (20 hours general, 8 hours per category classroom, 40 hours on-the-job per category for technicians), pass the exams at Metro Institute, and apply through TDA. A Certified Applicator license requires 6 months as a technician plus supervised experience, or a biology degree.
How much is a Texas pest control business license?
$300, renewed annually, per business location including branch offices.
Who regulates pest control in Texas?
The Texas Department of Agriculture, Structural Pest Control Service.
Where can I verify Texas pest control license requirements?
Directly with Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), Structural Pest Control Service (SPCS) - see the official links on this page. We last checked on 2026-09-23.
Sources
- TDA Structural Pest Control Licensing (accessed 2026-09-23)
- TDA SPCS Fees (accessed 2026-09-23)
- TDA Structural Pest Control Business (accessed 2026-09-23)
- Texas - 4 Tex Admin Code SS 7 124 (law.cornell.edu) (accessed 2026-09-23)
- TDA Structural Pest Control Exams (Metro) (accessed 2026-09-23)
- Texas - SPCS Certified Applicator Licensing (texasagriculture.gov) (accessed 2026-09-23)
- Texas - 4 Tex Admin Code SS 7 123 (law.cornell.edu) (accessed 2026-09-23)
- Texas - SPCS Technician and Apprentice Licensing (texasagriculture.gov) (accessed 2026-09-23)
- Texas - 4 Tex Admin Code SS 7 144 (law.cornell.edu) (accessed 2026-09-23)
- 4 TAC ch. 7 subch. H (LII) (accessed 2026-09-23)
- TDA Licensing Portal (TAP) (accessed 2026-09-23)