Arizona pest control licensing at a glance
Agency
AZ Dept. of Agriculture - PMD
Business license
$185
Exam
$50 each
75% to pass
Financial security
$500K
+ termite/WDI bonds
License types and fees
| License | Who needs it | Key requirements | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certified Applicator (CA) | Individuals who apply general or restricted-use pesticides while employed by a PMD-licensed business or a political subdivision. | At least 18 for initial certification (A.A.C. R3-8-203(C)); application + fee; evidence of lawful presence; fingerprint background check or AZDPS fingerprint clearance card (A.R.S. 3-3614(C)-(D)); pass Core exam and at least one category exam with 75% or higher (R3-8-211(D)). No experience requirement. | $55 application/certification fee (R3-8-103(A)(1)(a)); broadening to add categories $0; plus $50 per exam paid to the exam vendor |
| Certified Qualified Applicator (QA) | Individuals who want to be registered as the Qualifying Party of a business licensee or school district; holds all CA privileges. | Application + fee, lawful presence, fingerprints; pass Core + category exams at 75%+; experience: 24 months certified as an applicator in the category within the preceding 10 years, OR 12 months certified plus 12 semester hours of pest management courses (or a bachelor's in agricultural/biological sciences or pest management with 12 related semester hours), OR 24 months verifiable pest management experience in another state where licensure was not required (A.A.C. R3-8-204(C)). | $75 application/certification fee; QA broadening $15 (R3-8-103(A)(1)(c)-(d)) |
| Qualifying Party (QP) registration | Required for every category in which a business engages in pest management; the QP is responsible for training, equipping and supervising all applicators and for keeping the business's proof of financial security on file (A.R.S. 3-3616). | Must be a certified Qualified Applicator and register with PMD; may qualify only one business licensee or school district (R3-8-205(F)(3)). Temporary QP (a certified applicator) valid 90 days, renewable once; not more than 180 days in any 12-month period. | $0 if registered with the business license application/renewal; $35 if registered at another time; broadening $15; temporary QP $75 (R3-8-103(A)(2)) |
| Business License | Any person engaging in, offering to engage in, advertising for, soliciting or performing pest management (unless exempt under A.R.S. 3-3611 to 3-3613). | Business license + QP registration application, trade name certificate, articles of organization/incorporation, proof of financial security (A.R.S. 3-3615). | $185 (R3-8-103(A)(3)(a)); federal entity $0; applicator registration $0 per applicator |
| Applicator Registration | Every applicator (certified or uncertified) of a business licensee or political subdivision must be registered to that business before providing services (R3-8-207(A)). | Uncertified applicator must be at least 18 (R3-8-207(C)); an uncertified applicator may not apply pesticides more than 120 days after registration; $150 civil penalty per unregistered applicator (R3-8-207(G)). | $0 per applicator (R3-8-103(A)(3)(c)) |
| Branch Office / Branch Supervisor Registration | A business licensee operating from a branch office (the branch supervisor must be a certified applicator). | A branch supervisor may supervise one physical location (R3-8-206). | $35 per branch office; branch supervisor $0 if registered with the branch, otherwise $15 (R3-8-103(A)(4)) |
License categories
- Statutory:
- Industrial, institutional, structural and health-related pest management
- Wood-destroying organism management
- Ornamental and turf pest management
- Right-of-way pest management
- Aquatic pest management
- Fumigation
- As listed by PMD:
- Ornamental and turf pest control
- Aquatic pest control
- Right-of-way pest control
- Industrial, institutional, and structural pest control
- Public health pest control
- Non-soil fumigation
- Wood-destroying organism treatment
- Wood-destroying insect inspection
- Wood preservation
Exams
- Vendor: Metro Institute (exam facilitator); schedule by phone or online after PMD approves the application
- Format: In-person at statewide testing sites (Clarkdale, Flagstaff, Glendale, Kingman, Phoenix, Prescott, Tucson, Yuma); picture ID required
- Passing score: 75% on Core and on each category exam (R3-8-211(D))
- Retake rule: Must wait at least 7 days; no more than 2 retakes in a 6-month period; scores valid 12 months (R3-8-211(E)-(F))
- Exam fee: $50 per exam
Business license and insurance
Business license
- Requirement: Required for anyone engaging in, advertising or soliciting pest management; must have a registered QP in each category offered (A.R.S. 3-3615, 3-3616).
- Fee: $185
Insurance / bond
- General liability: At least $500,000 financial security (deposit, liability insurance, self-insured retention, surety bond or certified check) for bodily injury/property damage, maintained at all times; license suspended if it falls below the minimum
- Termite treatment: $100,000 surety bond or $100,000 liability insurance policy rider per business license covering termite damage due to negligent treatment
- WDI inspection reports: $100,000 surety bond or liability insurance rider per business license for errors and omissions in wood-destroying insect inspection reports
- Deductible cap: Insurance deductible may not exceed 1% of total financial security per occurrence
- Required endorsements: Pesticides and herbicides, fumigation, care custody and control, rights-of-way, WDIIR errors and omissions, pollution transit (as applicable)
Renewal and continuing education
- Value: All licenses, certifications and registrations expire May 31; renewable for one or two years (applicant’s choice); renewal due May 1; renewal fee paid for each year renewed, with a 10% reduction for two-year renewals; late fee 10% of renewal fee plus monthly late fees after 30 days
- Continuing education:
- Certified applicator: 6 CEUs to renew for one year, or 12 CEUs for two years
- Qualified applicator: 12 CEUs to renew for one year, or 24 CEUs for two years (also satisfies the CA requirement)
- Unit definition: 1 CEU = 50 minutes of participation; excess CEUs do not carry forward
Application recordkeeping
- Service record contents:
- Customer name and address
- Specific site where pesticide was applied
- Date and time of service
- Target pest or purpose of service
- Trade name of pesticide applied
- EPA registration number of any restricted-use pesticide
- Amount applied (percent active ingredient and volume of diluted mix, or total amount of concentrate/RTU/granular/bait stations)
- Name and certification number of applicator (or uncertified applicator’s name plus supervising applicator’s name and certification number)
- Retention years: 3
- Retention detail: Service records, pesticide purchase/disposal records, inspection reports, contracts, QP training records and personnel records: 3 years. Applicators must provide records to the business within 5 business days. TARFs must be filed with PMD within 30 days of termite pretreatments, new-construction, final grade and initial corrective treatments and WDIIRs.
Free log with these fields: pesticide application record template.
Worth knowing
- Three-credential system: a business needs a Business License, a registered Qualifying Party (a certified Qualified Applicator) in every category offered, and certified or registered applicators.
- Minimum $500,000 financial security, plus separate $100,000 bonds/riders for termite treatment and for wood-destroying insect inspection report errors and omissions.
- Termite work is tracked statewide via eTARF: businesses file a Termite Action Report Form ($2 electronic fee) within 30 days, and consumers can search a property’s termite history.
- Structural pest control rules were recodified into the Department of Agriculture’s rules (from former A.A.C. R4-29) effective June 30, 2017; agricultural pest control is regulated separately by the Department’s Environmental Services Section.
Official links
Law: A.R.S. Title 3, Chapter 20 (A.R.S. 3-3601 et seq.); A.A.C. Title 3, Chapter 8 (R3-8-101 et seq.)
- PMD Pest Management FAQs (licensing requirements)
- PMD Certification & Licensing Information (PDF)
- PMD Certification Examination Procedure (PDF)
- A.A.C. Title 3, Chapter 8 - Pest Management Division rules (PDF)
- A.R.S. 3-3615 Business license; financial security
- A.R.S. Title 3 index (Chapter 20 Pest Management)
Last verified 2026-09-23 against Arizona Department of Agriculture, Pest Management Division (PMD) 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.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I get a pest control license in Arizona?
Apply to the Pest Management Division, pass the core and category exams (75% required) through Metro Institute, and obtain Certified Applicator certification; to run a business you need a Qualifying Party registered in each category plus a $185 business license.
When do Arizona pest control licenses expire?
All licenses, certifications and registrations expire May 31 and can be renewed for one or two years.
Where can I verify Arizona pest control license requirements?
Directly with Arizona Department of Agriculture, Pest Management Division (PMD) - see the official links on this page. We last checked on 2026-09-23.
Sources
- PMD Pest Management FAQs (licensing requirements) (accessed 2026-09-23)
- A.A.C. Title 3, Chapter 8 - Pest Management Division rules (PDF) (accessed 2026-09-23)
- Arizona - statute / administrative code (azleg.gov) (accessed 2026-09-23)
- PMD Certification Examination Procedure (PDF) (accessed 2026-09-23)
- A.R.S. 3-3615 Business license; financial security (accessed 2026-09-23)
- PMD Certification & Licensing Information (PDF) (accessed 2026-09-23)
- A.R.S. Title 3 index (Chapter 20 Pest Management) (accessed 2026-09-23)