General FAQs A - C Print
BONDING AND INSURANCE
Every company registered by the Structural Pest Control Board must maintain a bond of $4,000, as well as general liability insurance with a minimum of $25,000 for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage per loss. The bond covers financial injury due to fraud, dishonesty, or damage sustained by any person as a result of a violation of a statute. The liability insurance covers financial loss due to property damage as well as public injury and/or illness as a result of actions by the pest control company.

BRANCH 1: Fumigation License/Registration
Companies or individuals with this classification can perform fumigation of structures. Tarps are put over the entire building and a lethal gas is released inside the structure to eradicate wood-destroying pests.

BRANCH 2: General Household Pest License/ Registration
Branch 2 covers identification and treatment of household pests such as spiders, rodents, cockroaches, weevils, ants and bees, carpenter ants, and carpenter bees, etc.

BRANCH 3: Wood-Destroying Pest and Organisms License/Registration
Individuals or companies within this category are licensed to perform inspections for wood-destroying pests and organisms, issue the inspection report and completion notices, conduct treatments, and perform any repairs recommended on the inspection report.

CELLULOSE DEBRIS
Scattered remains of something that originated from a plant (e.g. wood, paper) found in the sub-area crawl space.

CERTIFICATION
A statement by a pest control company that indicates the property is free of infestation or infection in the visible and accessible areas. Any signs of infestation or infection which have not been corrected will be added as disclaimers to the certification. The certification can be included on an inspection report, reinspection, or completion notice.

COMPLAINT HISTORY
The Board maintains a two-year history of complaints against pest control companies. The Board also has information on company registrations, qualifying managers, and the company’s bond and insurance.

COMPLETION TAG
After a pest control company has completed treatment or repairs, a completion tag is placed next to the inspection tag in the sub-area, attic, or garage. This tag is required by law and will display the name of the company, date of completion, and the name of any chemical(s) used.

CONTROL SERVICE AGREEMENT
A contract between a pest control company and a consumer that covers the treatment of wood destroying pests and provides for regular reinspection of a property after an inspection report has been performed and agreed-upon corrections have been made. The written contract shall be signed by both parties, and addresses:
  1. Wood-destroying pests and organisms that could infest and infect the structure, the wood destroying pest(s) and organism(s) that are covered by the control service policy, and any wood-destroying pest(s) and organism(s) that are not covered by the contract.
  2. The type of treatment to be used to correct the infestations or infections.
  3. The structures covered by the agreement, with specific exclusions of any structure(s) inspected on the original report.
  4. Reference to the original report an agreement.
  5. Frequency of the inspections to be provided and the duration of the agreement.
  6. Fee for each renewal and information as to whether the fee includes structural repairs.
  7. Whether any guarantees are provided, and the terms of the guarantee(s).
  8. A statement that all corrections of infestation or infection covered by the agreement shall be completed within six months of discovery, unless otherwise agreed to in writing by both parties.
Inspections made pursuant to a control service agreement shall be conducted by a Branch 3 licensee. A full inspection of the property covered by the contract shall be conducted at least once every three years from the date of the agreement unless the consumer cancels the contract within three years.

COUNTY AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER
On behalf of the Board, the County Agricultural Commissioners investigate complaints about pest control companies applying chemicals and pesticides in an unsafe or illegal manner.