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Pest Control Applicator Occupational Licensing

License required in 51 states

36th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations

Average Fee for License:$293

What They Do

Pest control applicators apply or release chemical solutions or toxic gases and set traps to kill or remove pests and vermin, such as mice, termites and roaches, that infest buildings and surrounding areas. This report looks at what is required to run one’s own pest control business only.

Pest Control Applicator Licensing Overview

All 50 states and D.C. require a licence to work as a Pest Control Applicator. On average, these laws require $293 in fees, 329 days of education and about 2 exam. Pest Control Applicator Licenses have the 36th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. Fees for a license exceed $1000 in New York.

Where is a Pest Control Applicator the most regulated?

Out of the 51 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Pest Control Applicator has the highest burden in Louisiana. Louisiana requires $210 in fees, 1 exams, no experience, and 4 years education.

Where is a Pest Control Applicator the least regulated?

Out of the 51 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Pest Control Applicator has the lowest burden in Ohio. Ohio requires $70 in fees, 2 exams, no experience, and no education.

Where is a Pest Control Applicator license the most expensive?

An occupational license for a Pest Control Applicator costs the most in New York. New York requires $2000 in fees, 4 exams, 1 year experience, and 42 clock hours education.

Where is a Pest Control Applicator license the least expensive?

An occupational license for a Pest Control Applicator costs the least in Mississippi. Mississippi requires $0 in fees, 2 exams, no experience, and 2 years education.

Where does it take the longest to obtain a Pest Control Applicator license?

An occupational license for a Pest Control Applicator takes the longest to obtain in Louisiana. It takes 1460 days (4 years). Louisiana requires $210 in fees, 1 exams, no experience, and 4 years education.

Where is it fastest to obtain a Pest Control Applicator license?

An occupational license for a Pest Control Applicator takes the least time to obtain in Alaska, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming (0 days).

What states require exams for a Pest Control Applicator license?

To obtain an occupational license for a Pest Control Applicator there is at least one exam required in: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming. New Hampshire requires 7 exams.

All 50 states and D.C. license pest control applicators. On average, these laws cost aspiring pest control applicators $260 in fees and 274 days in education and experience and require them to pass about two exams—the 50th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. However, because pest control applicators are licensed everywhere, the occupation ranks as the seventh most widely and onerously licensed.

License requirements vary widely. For example, while Louisiana requires four years (1,460 days) of education and another 11 states require two or more years of education or experience, 22 states require no education or experience. Similarly, while Arizona, Maine, New Hampshire and New York require four exams, six states require only one. Fees also vary greatly, from $0 in Mississippi to $2,200 in New York.

States Ranked by Average Licensing Burden for 102 Lower-Income Occupations

More Burdensome Less Burdensome
Based on data released in November 2022

State Licensing Requirements

Select a chart to view:
Burden Rank State Occupations Licensed Fees Estimated Calendar Days Lost Education Experience Exams Minimum Grade Minimum Age
41 Alaska 64 $25 0 None None 2 0 18
27 Alabama 63 $395 365 None 1 years 1 0 0
19 Arkansas 72 $380 365 None 1 years 3 0 18
18 Arizona 68 $625 449 12 credit hours 1 years 4 0 18
5 California 75 $436 741 10 clock hours 40 clock hours & 2 years 2 0 18
13 Colorado 34 $513 728 None 24 months 2 0 0
43 Connecticut 65 $221 0 None None 1 0 18
25 District of Columbia 61 $413 365 None 1 years 3 0 0
15 Delaware 42 $105 730 None 2 years 2 0 0
16 Florida 55 $610 533 24 credit hours 1 years 1 12 18
47 Georgia 41 $190 0 None None 2 0 0
3 Hawaii 64 $530 730 None 2 years 3 0 18
48 Iowa 71 $100 0 None None 2 0 0
37 Idaho 66 $80 0 None None 2 0 18
28 Illinois 41 $375 112 16 credit hours None 2 12 18
49 Indiana 37 $90 0 None None 2 0 0
30 Kansas 35 $230 0 None None 2 0 18
10 Kentucky 38 $250 730 None 2 years 2 0 18
1 Louisiana 77 $210 1460 4 years None 1 0 0
6 Massachusetts 50 $500 730 None 2 years 2 0 18
23 Maryland 58 $225 365 None 1 years 2 0 18
33 Maine 46 $175 0 None None 4 0 0
9 Michigan 48 $285 730 None 2 years 2 0 18
14 Minnesota 35 $400 730 None 2 years 2 0 0
24 Missouri 33 $155 365 None 1 years 2 0 18
12 Mississippi 65 $0 730 2 years None 2 0 18
50 Montana 32 $85 0 None None 2 0 0
4 North Carolina 66 $350 735 8 clock hours 24 clock hours & 2 years 3 0 18
35 North Dakota 65 $100 0 None None 2 0 18
36 Nebraska 61 $90 0 None None 2 0 18
2 New Hampshire 37 $75 1095 None 3 years 7 0 18
29 New Jersey 54 $460 10 4.5 clock hours 40 clock hours 2 0 18
44 New Mexico 66 $185 21 3 credit hours None 2 0 0
22 Nevada 75 $550 294 16 credit hours 6 months 5 0 18
17 New York 41 $2,000 374 42 clock hours 1 years 4 0 17
51 Ohio 40 $70 0 None None 2 0 0
39 Oklahoma 42 $385 0 None None 3 0 0
31 Oregon 69 $206 0 None None 2 0 18
32 Pennsylvania 50 $135 0 None None 2 0 18
38 Rhode Island 70 $45 0 None None 2 0 18
8 South Carolina 60 $375 730 None 2 years 2 0 18
40 South Dakota 32 $35 0 None None 2 0 18
7 Tennessee 69 $440 730 None 2 years 2 0 18
20 Texas 38 $742 379 28 clock hours 40 clock hours & 1 years 3 0 0
11 Utah 64 $175 730 None 2 years 2 0 18
21 Virginia 72 $250 365 1 years None 2 0 18
34 Vermont 31 $105 0 None None 2 0 18
46 Washington 76 $275 0 None None 2 0 0
45 Wisconsin 42 $145 0 None None 1 0 16
26 West Virginia 67 $100 365 None 1 years 3 0 0
42 Wyoming 26 $25 0 None None 2 0 16

License to Work

The data and information here come from IJ’s License to Work report, released in November 2022.

View Report