Academy · Licensing · SD
South Dakota pest control licence requirements
How do you get a pest control licence in South Dakota?
South Dakota applicator licences are issued by South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) — Division of Agriculture & Environmental Services. 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
- South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) — Division of Agriculture & Environmental Services
- Exam structure
- Every tester takes category G — General (core) plus each category exam for the work they will do. Proctored, in person at SDSU Extension Regional Centers and participating county offices, usually on computer; up to four hours per exam, 30 to 70 questions, with the exam references supplied in the room. Passing score 70 percent (ARSD 12:56:05:02). Category 8 covers rodents and birds in or around structures but NOT fumigation — that needs category 14.
- Application fee
- $35
- Cycle length
- 24 months
- Agreements
- DANR reciprocates with the six adjoining states only — Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota and Wyoming — for applicators who TESTED in that state and hold a current licence there. Categories are copied to the SD record, then the $35 licence is paid; allow up to 14 days.
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 |
|---|---|
| G | General (core) |
| 4 | Ornamental & Turf pest control |
| 7 | Right-of-Way pest control |
| 8 | Industrial, Institutional, Structural & Health Related pest control |
| 9 | Public Health pest control |
| 12 | Rodent control |
| 14 | Non-soil Fumigation pest control |
| 15 | Wood Preservative pest control |
