How to Choose a Pest Control Company ($100 to $600 Visit)

How five states license pest control companies, plus the EPA's rule of thumb for termite work. Each state names its own agency; look yours up before the visit.

Is it urgent, or do you have time to compare pest control companies?

• Same day: you woke up with a bat in the bedroom. The CDC says you may have been exposed to rabies and should see a doctor or call the health department even if you did not feel a bite. That call comes before the pest company.
• Within a day or two: rats or mice in the attic. UC IPM says roof rats in attics can cause electrical sparks and fires by gnawing wires. A hornet nest by a door also belongs here; the University of Kentucky says hornet nests are harder and more dangerous to control and are often best left to a professional.
• This week, with two or three bids: termite swarmers on a window sill, ants, roaches, bed bugs or mice in the kitchen. NC State says swarmers indoors suggest an infestation in or under the home, which is a reason to get inspections, not to sign the first contract.
• Can wait: a wasp nest away from doors and paths. The University of Kentucky says that if a nest is away from frequently used areas you can wait and do nothing.

How do I check a pest control company's license?

Ask for the state license number, then look it up on the state agency's site before the visit; the EPA's guide to choosing a pest control company says to confirm the license is current before anything is signed. Every state above runs a public lookup: the Texas Department of Agriculture posts current business licenses, Georgia's Department of Agriculture uses the kellysolutions.com lookup. North Carolina's NCDA&CS has a License Search page, New York's DEC runs NYSPAD and Colorado runs a Pesticide Applicator Search. Colorado moved its licensing to a new system on July 1, 2026, so if a record is missing, call the department at 303-869-9000 before you assume the worst.

Check what the license covers, not just that it exists. North Carolina licenses by phase, and NC State Extension says a license ending in P covers household pests only and cannot treat termites; termite work needs the W phase. In Georgia the company must show you its business license when asked and its vehicles must carry its full name, and in North Carolina technicians carry an NCDA&CS ID card with the employer's license number, according to NC State. In New York, a business that offers pesticide applications for hire must register with the DEC, carry $1,000,000 in liability insurance and employ a certified applicator or technician for each category it works in. City pages for Austin, Charlotte and New York walk through each lookup step by step.

What questions should I ask a pest control company before hiring?

Ask what the license covers, what the inspection found, which products go where, and what the guarantee includes; the EPA and NC State Extension both publish these questions for consumers.

• What is your state license number, and does it cover this pest? In North Carolina a P-only license cannot treat termites (NC State).
• Will you inspect before you quote? The EPA says the company should inspect first, then outline the pests found and how far they have spread.
• Which products and active ingredients will you use, and where? NC State says to get a written proposal naming the insecticide, its concentration and the amount; the EPA says to ask to see the label.
• What is the least toxic method that will work? The EPA suggests asking for it and for any nonchemical alternatives.
• What precautions do we take for children, pets, older relatives and allergies? The EPA says to write these into the contract.
• Can you send proof of insurance? The EPA notes most states do not require pest control companies to carry insurance, so ask; New York's DEC registration is an exception, with $1,000,000 in liability coverage.
• What does the guarantee cover, and what voids it? The EPA's example: a termite guarantee can be voided by structural changes made without telling the company.
• For a termite bond, does the yearly fee include an inspection, and how much can it rise? Alabama's 2020 Terminix settlement turned on annual inspections that did not happen and renewals raised by up to 1,000 percent.
• For bed bugs, will you show me a live one from my home before treating? NC State advises not to accept a treatment until the technician does.
• Will I get a service record after each visit? Georgia requires one listing the pesticide, its EPA registration number, the amount, the target pest, the areas treated and the technician.
• Is this a one-time visit or a plan, and how do I cancel? Get the cancellation terms in writing before the first treatment.

What are the red flags? Warning signs when hiring an exterminator

Walk away from a company that will not show a license, will not explain the treatment, or pushes you to sign today; the EPA, the FTC and state agriculture departments all list these signs.

• No guarantee, no proof of insurance, or a bargain price. These are the EPA's own warning signs.
• Will not explain the treatment or name the product (EPA).
• Knocks on the door because it is "in the area" and wants a decision on the spot. The FTC lists both as signs of a home service scam.
• Asks for full payment up front or cash only (FTC).
• Cannot show a license, or the truck is unmarked. Georgia requires the company to show its license on request and to put its full name on its vehicles.
• Wants to treat bed bugs without showing you one. NC State says to ask for a live specimen first.
• A termite renewal with no cap on increases or no written inspection each year, the pattern behind Alabama's $60 million Terminix settlement.
• Offers termite work on a license that does not cover it, such as a P-only license in North Carolina (NC State).

How much should a pest control company charge for the first visit?

A pest inspection costs $50 to $200 and a one-time treatment visit $100 to $600 in HomeGuide's January 2026 guide, and some companies credit the inspection against the treatment.

National figures from three cost guides, shown side by side and not averaged.

Fixr's typical one-time range is $158 to $288 with a $223 average, and This Old House puts the average appointment at $171. A quote far below these ranges for a termite or bed bug job deserves a second look, since the EPA counts a bargain price among its warning signs. Full price tables by pest are on pest control cost, termite work on termite treatment cost and termite inspection cost.

What should be in the written pest control contract?

The contract should name the pests, the products, the areas treated, the visit schedule, the guarantee and what voids it, and how to cancel; Georgia requires a written contract for every structural pest control service.

• The company's name, address, phone and license number, plus start and completion dates, which the FTC says belong in any home service contract.
• The treatment plan: pests found, products and active ingredients, methods and prevention steps (EPA).
• Household precautions for children, pets, older relatives and allergies (EPA).
• The guarantee: what it covers, how long, and what voids it (EPA).
• For termite bonds: the yearly fee, whether an inspection is included, and how renewals are priced. HomeGuide puts bonds at $500 to $2,000 a year.
• Cancellation: NC State says North Carolina termite contracts give you 3 days to cancel, and the FTC's Cooling-Off Rule gives 3 days to cancel many sales of $25 or more made at your home.
• No blank spaces. The FTC says to make sure every blank is filled in before you sign.

Payment terms vary by company. The FTC's general advice for home services is not to pay the full amount up front and not to make the final payment until the work is done.

Where do I complain if a pest control company does a bad job?

Complain first to the company in writing, then to the state agency that licenses it; the FTC also points consumers to the state attorney general or a local consumer protection office.

• Texas: the Texas Department of Agriculture's SPCS complaint process.
• Georgia: the Structural Pest Office at (404) 656-3641, which takes inspection requests for unlicensed operators and for an incomplete or inaccurate termite letter on a home purchase.
• North Carolina: the NCDA&CS Structural Pest Control and Pesticides Division, 984-236-4625.
• New York: the DEC Bureau of Pesticides Management, 518-402-8748.
• Colorado: the Department of Agriculture Pesticides Program, 303-869-9000.
• Anywhere: your state attorney general's consumer protection office, as the FTC advises.

The call line on this page connects you to an independent local pest control company that serves your area and pays us for the referral; hours vary. We do not license, inspect or rate these companies, so run the same checks on whoever answers. How calls work. Ask for its license number on the call and look it up before the visit.

What to do before you hire a pest control company

1. Photograph what you see and, if you can, bag a dead one. The price and the license phase depend on the pest.
2. Find your state pest regulator and its license lookup; the table at the top lists five.
3. Call two or three companies, as the EPA suggests, and ask each for its license number and inspection fee.
4. Look up each license and check that it covers your pest.
5. Ask for the written plan: products, areas, precautions, guarantee.
6. Sign only a contract with every blank filled in and the cancellation terms written down.