Academy · Licensing · OH
Ohio pest control licence requirements
How do you get a pest control licence in Ohio?
Ohio applicator licences are issued by Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) — Division of Plant Health, Pesticide & Fertilizer Regulation. Requirements are set per category rather than as a single general licence, so the exam you sit and the hours you carry depend on which categories you intend to work. Details below are published only once verified against the agency.
Reviewed by LTK editorial team
- Issuing agency
- Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) — Division of Plant Health, Pesticide & Fertilizer Regulation
- Exam structure
- A general core examination plus an examination for each pesticide-use category sought (ORC 921.06, OAC 901:5-11-08). Category 10 is "Domestic, institutional, structural, and health-related pest control". Trained servicepersons work under a licensed commercial applicator without their own licence after reading the ODA "Safety Training Guide for Trained Servicepersons" or equivalent employer training, verified in writing before first exposure.
- Application fee
- $35
- Cycle length
- 12 months
- Agreements
- Confirm with the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Pesticide & Fertilizer Regulation (614-728-6987).
Reciprocity is the most commonly misunderstood part of moving states. We publish only agreements confirmed by the agency, never inferred ones.
Licence categories
| Code | Category |
|---|---|
| 6a | General ornamental pest control |
| 6d | Greenhouse pest control |
| 7 | Vertebrate animal control |
| 8 | Turf pest control |
| 10a | General pest control |
| 10b | Termite control |
| 10c | Fumigation |
| 10d | Mosquito, house fly, and other vector control |
| 12 | Wood-destroying insect diagnostic inspection |
| 4b | Wood preservation |
| 5 | Industrial vegetation control |