Academy · Licensing · WA
Washington pest control licence requirements
How do you get a pest control licence in Washington?
Washington applicator licences are issued by Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) — Pesticide Management Division. 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
- Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) — Pesticide Management Division
- Exam structure
- Written exams administered by WSDA, both paper-based and computer-based, at sites including Olympia, Yakima, Spokane, Wenatchee and Moses Lake. A Commercial Applicator must be licensed in every category in which they work. Commercial Applicators must also carry proof of financial coverage on record with WSDA. Structural Pest Inspector is its own licence and its own exam, covering WDO identification, damage, and conducive conditions.
- Application fee
- Not verified yet — we only publish it once it is
- Cycle length
- 12 months
- Agreements
- WSDA issues reciprocal licences and maintains its own list of recognised states. WSDA may also waive recertification where the licensee demonstrates comparable standards met through another state or an EPA-approved government agency plan., Confirm any reciprocal arrangement with WSDA before relying on it: https://agr.wa.gov/services/licenses-permits-and-certificates/pesticide-license-and-recertification/pesticide-and-spi-licensing/reciprocal-licenses
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 |
|---|---|
| CA | Commercial Applicator |
| CO | Commercial Operator |
| SPI | Structural Pest Inspector |
| PO | Public Operator |
| PCC | Pest Control Consultant |
| PA | Private Applicator |