What to expect from a pest control service visit

Before the visit

Know what you're dealing with if you can. UC IPM suggests taking a specimen or photos of a pest you don't recognize to your local Cooperative Extension office or county agricultural commissioner's office, and asking them about management options. NPIC gives the same advice: learn about the pest and your treatment options before you talk to companies.^[1][10]

Some jobs may need a professional. Bed bugs, termites, wildlife and problems in large trees may require special licenses, specialized equipment, professional products and experience, and work that needs repeated applications or complex steps, such as setting traps for wildlife, is worth handing off if you don't have the skills, equipment and time to follow through. California's Structural Pest Control Board says termites and powderpost beetles typically need professional help, and the EPA notes that many people hire professionals for bed bugs because treatment is complex.^[1][12][9]

Get recommendations, contact at least three companies and confirm the license. In California, structural pest control companies are licensed by the Structural Pest Control Board and landscape pest control services by the Department of Pesticide Regulation. The EPA and NPIC both suggest getting estimates from more than one company, and NPIC says you can verify a license through your state pesticide regulatory office. California license status and disciplinary actions can be looked up on the board's website.^{[1][7][10][12]}

Don't let urgency rush the choice. The EPA says most pest problems can wait a few days while you find a competent, reasonably priced company, and NPIC says to take that time even when the problem is urgent.^[7][10]

A service can be one-time, in response to an incidental infestation, or recurring, aimed at managing an existing infestation and preventing future problems over a long period.^[1]

Be wary of routine treatments on a schedule. The EPA says routine pesticide applications in and around a home generally aren't a good idea unless a pest keeps coming back and non-chemical methods have failed; a homeowner's service contract should include periodic inspections, with pesticides applied only when pests are actually present and can't be controlled another way.^[7]

Getting ready for the visit

Ask what the company needs you to do before it arrives, and have it done before the technician gets there. The EPA, NPIC and Minnesota Extension all list preparation as part of the visit.^[7][10][11]

• Clear the floor and cabinets if asked. The EPA's examples are removing personal items from the floor and emptying kitchen cabinets; NPIC mentions putting away clutter, and Minnesota Extension mentions cleaning countertops and putting away toys.^[7][10][11]
• Plan for children and pets to be out of the area. The EPA says to remove pets from the treatment area, and NPIC and Minnesota Extension both mention keeping children and pets away.^[7][10][11]
• Protect aquariums. The EPA says to remove them from the treatment site, or cover them with heavy plastic and turn off the air pump.^[7]
• Tell the company about allergies and sensitivities, infants or elderly people in the home, pets, and any treatment near wildlife or fish. The EPA says those concerns should be noted and reflected in the choice of pesticides.^[8]
• Bed bug jobs take more preparation and more than one visit. The EPA says very few infestations are controlled with only one treatment, and preparation includes laundering and cleaning; the bed bug preparation guide covers the details.^[9]

The inspection and diagnosis

The company may charge for an inspection, and for that fee UC IPM says it should give you a written diagnosis of the problem and an identification of the pest.^[1][8]

The technician should show you where the pest is causing the problem and the source of the infestation, and discuss how they plan to control it. In California, state law requires household and structural pest control companies to identify the target pest before making any pesticide application. NPIC suggests judging whether the employees can identify the pest, explain the extent of the infestation and tell you about the pest and its behavior. The EPA's list of what the inspection should produce includes the pests to be controlled and the extent of the problem.^[1][10][8]

Ask about long-term solutions as well as an immediate treatment. A company that practices IPM will suggest changes that correct conditions conducive to pests, such as reducing irrigation, painting to protect exposed wood, or installing door sweeps, screens and other barriers that keep pests out. Minnesota Extension suggests asking whether the company offers preventive work such as caulking, screening and sealing, and the EPA expects a control program to include steps to reduce pest problems in the future.^[1][11][8]

The treatment plan

You should get the details of the management strategy: the treatments and products to be used, how often they'll inspect and expect to treat, and an estimate of the total cost. The EPA's list adds the active ingredient in each pesticide, the form of the pesticide and how it will be applied, and the non-chemical alternatives, and Minnesota Extension suggests asking how many treatments it will take.^[1][8][11]

The company should be able to tell you about the potential hazards of the products it may apply and any precautions you need to take, such as protecting pets and children. You can request a copy of the pesticide label and Safety Data Sheet for each product, which describe its active ingredients, proper use, known hazards and safety precautions. The EPA expects the company to explain potential health effects and typical poisoning symptoms for the active ingredient, along with instructions to reduce your exposure, such as leaving the house, emptying cupboards or removing pets. Minnesota Extension also suggests asking whether the company has a safety plan in case of exposure or a spill.^{[1][8][11][7]}

Ask how and where pesticides will be applied. Sprays around the perimeter of a building can be washed away by irrigation or rain, especially where concrete walkways surround it, and UC IPM suggests avoiding perimeter sprays where possible because they may contaminate waterways, though some perimeter sprays, other applications or repeated baiting may be needed. NPIC suggests writing down each product's formulation and where it will be used, for example whether it's a gel, a spray or a dust.^[1][10]

You can request monitoring, trapping and baiting as alternatives to routine spray services. Liquid, dust or granular applications are sometimes necessary to knock down a population, especially when pests are present in high numbers or immediately threaten health or the building.^[1]

Ask for the least toxic option that will work. The EPA suggests asking the company to use the least toxic chemical method available that will do the job, NPIC suggests checking that the company will discuss low-toxicity options, and Minnesota Extension suggests asking whether it uses IPM and the least toxic products.^[8][10][11]

IPM service may cost more at first because it takes more time and labor, and monitoring means extra technician visits, but it often gives better long-term control.^[1]

Written notice and posted signs

In California, a registered structural pest control company must give you a written notice before treatment begins that names the pest to be controlled, the pesticide products and active ingredients to be used, and how often applications will be made if more than one is planned. The Structural Pest Control Board's brochure quotes the law: the notice goes to the owner or owner's agent and to the tenant, and it must also carry a state-required statement beginning "CAUTION—PESTICIDES ARE TOXIC CHEMICALS", advice to contact a physician or poison control center and the pest control company if flu-like symptoms appear within 24 hours after application, and contacts for the company, the county health department, the county agricultural commissioner and the board. The board's version ties the frequency to a periodic pest control contract that has been signed.^[1][12]

After a California company applies a pesticide in, around or to a building, it must leave a written notice in a conspicuous place naming each pesticide applied. It can be a door hanger, invoice or billing statement with the company's name, address and phone number; in a multifamily building it may go to the owner or the owner's agent. The company also has to give anyone who asks the name of each pesticide it applied, within 24 hours of the request.^[12]

Texas requires the certified applicator or technician to make the state's consumer information sheet available to the owner for an indoor treatment at a private home that isn't a rental. In a rental property with fewer than five units, each resident can ask for it at the time of each treatment.^[6]

For indoor treatments at Texas rental properties with five or more units, the company supplies a pest control sign and the owner or manager notifies residents in or next to the treated area at least 48 hours before each planned treatment, by posting the sign in a common area or leaving it on or inside each unit. Workplaces, hotels, motels, hospitals, nursing homes, schools and day care centers also post the sign at least 48 hours ahead.^[6][5]

A Texas pest control sign is at least 8 1/2 by 11 inches and lists a phone number to call for information on the pesticides used. It must also list the National Pesticide Information Center hotline, unless a workplace lists its own pesticide information center.^[5]

Texas waives the advance notice in an emergency, defined as an imminent hazard to health, if the customer and certified applicator sign a statement that immediate treatment is needed. The consumer information sheet must still be made available. An emergency treatment is limited to the local area of the emergency. Texas also doesn't count it as a sign violation when the space being treated is vacant, unused and unoccupied.^[6][5]

Identification and paperwork

In Texas, every licensee and apprentice must carry a license or registration card while doing pest control work and show it to a customer who asks, along with a driver's license or other government photo ID to verify identity. A business licensee must show its business license at its place of business on request.^[2]

Texas pest control vehicles used for customer contact or service must show the business license number, permanently attached (magnets don't count), preceded by "Texas Pest Control License #" or "TPCL #", on both front fenders or both front doors, in letters at least two inches tall.^[2]

In California, a licensee should carry a Structural Pest Control Board ID card showing whether the person is licensed as a registered applicator, field representative or operator, the type of license and when it expires. California licenses fall into three branches: fumigation, general household pest control, and termites and other wood-destroying pests, and a person may hold more than one.^[12]

Texas contracts, warranties, service agreements, termite disclosure documents and guarantees must show the business name, license number, address and phone number on their face, plus a statement that the business is licensed and regulated by the Texas Department of Agriculture, with the department's contact information. Invoices must show the business name, license number, phone number and address.^[4]

Texas companies keep records of every pesticide use for two years, including the service address, the pesticide names and EPA registration numbers, the amount applied or the mixing rate, the target pest, the date, and the name and license number of the person who applied it. Those records are kept at the business and made available to the department on request.^[3]

Keep your own record of each visit. NPIC suggests noting the names of the employees doing the work, the date and time of each inspection or treatment, and the names and EPA registration numbers of the products, and Minnesota Extension suggests asking whether the company will leave a statement at the end of service listing its name, address and contact, the date, the product used with its EPA registration number, and precautions.^[10][11]

Between visits

• Keep children and pets out of treated areas until the spray has dried, as the EPA advises; Minnesota Extension suggests asking the company when a space can be used again. The re-entry guide covers this in more detail.^[7][11]
• If the contract includes monitoring, check that it's being done.^[1]
• Tell the company about changes in pest activity you notice between visits.^[1][10]
• Follow the technician's instructions for making your home less pest-friendly, such as cleaning floors and turning irrigation on or off, and keep up your own sanitation and exclusion. The EPA adds that if the technician suggests non-chemical methods along with the pesticides, follow those too.^[1][7]
• Don't apply pesticides yourself while under contract; it may interfere with the company's work.^[1]
• Judge the results. The EPA says hiring a company doesn't end your job: if you think something went wrong with an application, contact the company or your state pesticide agency, and NPIC says to report problems promptly.^[8][10]
• If you feel sick after a treatment in California, the Structural Pest Control Board says to contact your doctor or the California Poison Control System, and to report a pesticide-related illness or possible misuse to your county agricultural commissioner's office as soon as possible, while evidence such as an odor is still there.^[12]
• In Texas, the Department of Agriculture's Structural Pest Control Service takes reports of pesticide exposure or misuse by phone or email, investigates complaints under the Structural Pest Control Act, and does routine inspections of licensed businesses.^[13]
• Unhappy with the service? California's board says to raise it with the company first; if that doesn't resolve it, the board will try to mediate and can compel a company to complete a contract or correct violations, though a financial settlement isn't guaranteed.^[12]

Common questions

Should a pest control company identify the pest before spraying?

Yes. UC IPM says a paid inspection should come with a written diagnosis and identification of the pest, and California law requires household and structural pest control companies to identify the target pest before applying pesticides. The EPA and NPIC also expect the company to inspect and explain which pest it's treating and how big the problem is.^[1][8][10]

Can I ask to see the technician's license?

Yes. In Texas, licensees and apprentices must carry their license or registration card and show it, along with a government photo ID, to a customer who asks. In California, the Structural Pest Control Board says to ask for proof of licensure before work starts, and the EPA says reliable applicators will show their credentials.^[2][12][7]

Why does my apartment complex post pest control notices two days ahead?

In Texas, for indoor treatments at rental properties with five or more units, the owner or manager must notify residents in or next to the treated area at least 48 hours before each planned treatment, by posting a sign in a common area or leaving it at each unit.^[6]

Can I use my own bug spray between visits?

UC IPM advises against applying pesticides on your own while under contract, because it may interfere with the pest control company's work.^[1]

How do I get ready for a pest control visit?

Ask the company what it needs. Typical requests from the EPA and NPIC are clearing items off the floor, emptying kitchen cabinets, putting away clutter, keeping children and pets away from the area, and covering or removing aquariums with the air pump turned off.^[7][10]

How can I find out what was sprayed at my home in California?

Check for the written notice the company has to leave after treatment, such as a door hanger or invoice naming each pesticide. California also requires a company to give anyone who asks the name of each pesticide it applied within 24 hours of the request.^[12]

Sources

1. University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Pest Notes: Hiring a Pest Control Company (Publication 74125).” ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/hiring-a-pest-control-company/ (accessed 2026-11-10)
2. Texas Department of Agriculture (via Cornell LII), “4 Tex. Admin. Code s. 7.141: Identification of Licensees and Apprentices.” www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/texas/4-Tex-Admin-Code-SS-7-141 (accessed 2026-11-10)
3. Texas Department of Agriculture (via Cornell LII), “4 Tex. Admin. Code s. 7.144: Pest Control Use Records.” www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/texas/4-Tex-Admin-Code-SS-7-144 (accessed 2026-11-10)
4. Texas Department of Agriculture (via Cornell LII), “4 Tex. Admin. Code s. 7.145: Contracts and Invoices.” www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/texas/4-Tex-Admin-Code-SS-7-145 (accessed 2026-11-10)
5. Texas Department of Agriculture (via Cornell LII), “4 Tex. Admin. Code s. 7.146: Pest Control Sign.” www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/texas/4-Tex-Admin-Code-SS-7-146 (accessed 2026-11-10)
6. Texas Department of Agriculture (via Cornell LII), “4 Tex. Admin. Code s. 7.147: Consumer Information Sheet.” www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/texas/4-Tex-Admin-Code-SS-7-147 (accessed 2026-11-10)
7. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Tips for Selecting a Pest Control Service.” www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/tips-selecting-pest-control-service (accessed 2026-11-10)
8. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Citizen's Guide to Pest Control and Pesticide Safety (EPA 735-K-04-002, 2005).” www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-08/documents/citizens_guide_to_pest_control_and_pesticide_safety.pdf (accessed 2026-11-10)
9. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Hiring a Pest Management Professional for Bed Bugs.” www.epa.gov/bedbugs/hiring-pest-management-professional-bed-bugs (accessed 2026-11-10)
10. National Pesticide Information Center, “Selecting a Pest Control Company.” www.npic.orst.edu/pest/selectpco.html (accessed 2026-11-10)
11. University of Minnesota Extension, “Hiring a pest control professional.” extension.umn.edu/home-maintenance-and-safety/hiring-pest-control-professional (accessed 2026-11-10)
12. California Structural Pest Control Board, “Household Pests: Questions and Answers (19_088, revised 05/2019).” www.pestboard.ca.gov/forms/household_pests.pdf (accessed 2026-11-10)
13. Texas Department of Agriculture, Structural Pest Control Service, “Structural Pest Control Consumer Information.” texasagriculture.gov/Regulatory-Programs/Pesticides/Structural-Pest-Control-Service/Structural-Pest-Control-Consumer-Information (accessed 2026-11-10)