Trade · Starting a company · CA
Start a pest control company in California
What do you need to open a pest control company in California?
Get the Operator's licence in each branch you'll offer. That person becomes the qualifying manager (Field Representative licence first, plus 2 or 4 years of experience with a registered California company). Then: Form the business, then file the Request for Approval of Registered Company (form 43L-6) to reserve the company name for 60 days. Line up $500,000/$500,000 per-occurrence liability insurance on the Board's Certificate of Insurance, a $12,500 surety bond, and workers' comp or an exemption.
Key fact$120 company registration application fee (SPCB 'How do I start a structural pest control company?').
California registers the company with the Structural Pest Control Board and needs a qualifying manager, a surety bond and workers’ comp as well as liability insurance.
Company Registration with the Structural Pest Control Board (B&P Code s.8610: every company that engages in structural pest control must be registered with the Board). On approval the company gets a principal registration (PR) number. Branch offices are registered separately.
$120 company registration application fee (SPCB 'How do I start a structural pest control company?'). Name approval is filed first on form 43L-6 and holds the name for 60 days. LiveScan fingerprinting for unlicensed owners, partners or officers is $49 plus the rolling fee.
A qualifying manager: a licensed Operator designated to supervise the company's daily business, licensed in every branch the company works in (B&P s.8506.2, s.8610). One operator can't be qualifying manager for more than two registered companies. Operator licence experience (B&P s.8562): actual experience in the employ of a registered California company in the branch sought, for 2 years for Branch 1 or 2 and 4 years for Branch 3 (1 year = 1,600 hours of field experience). You must also have held a Field Representative licence in that branch for at least 1 year (Branches 1 and 2) or 2 years (Branch 3). Minimum age 18.
Insurance policy with minimum liability coverage of $500,000 for bodily injury, sickness, disease or death per occurrence and $500,000 for property injury or destruction per occurrence (B&P s.8692). Evidence goes on the Board's Certificate of Insurance form, with 10-day cancellation notice to the Board; a certificate of deposit or other undertaking doesn't satisfy it (s.8690). A company may not operate without the policy in force (s.8691). Also a $12,500 bond from an admitted surety insurer (B&P s.8697). Workers' compensation insurance, or a filed exemption, is also required (B&P s.8693, per SPCB). Errors and omissions insurance isn't required for inspection activities (s.8692).
Step by step
- 01Get the Operator's licence in each branch you'll offer. That person becomes the qualifying manager (Field Representative licence first, plus 2 or 4 years of experience with a registered California company).
- 02Form the business, then file the Request for Approval of Registered Company (form 43L-6) to reserve the company name for 60 days.
- 03Line up $500,000/$500,000 per-occurrence liability insurance on the Board's Certificate of Insurance, a $12,500 surety bond, and workers' comp or an exemption.
- 04File the company registration application with the $120 fee, incorporation or fictitious-name paperwork, and LiveScan fingerprints for unlicensed owners or officers.
- 05Once you have your PR number, register any branch offices separately and put WDO reports on the Board-approved form.
Also on the list
- Supporting documents: Articles of Incorporation (corporations) or a Fictitious Business Name Statement (sole proprietors and partnerships).
- WDO inspection reports must be prepared on a Board-approved form, delivered to the person requesting the inspection and the owner within 10 business days of the start of the inspection, and filed with the Board within 10 business days after the inspection or completed work begins (B&P s.8516).
- Keep all inspection reports, field notes and activity forms for three years (B&P s.8516).
- A company can't be registered if an officer or controlling person holds a licence revoked or suspended by discipline (B&P s.8610).
Opened a shop in California? Owners in the LTK Discord trade notes on insurance brokers, routing software and first hires.
Ask owners in the Discord(opens Discord in a new tab)Sources
- SPCB — How do I start a structural pest control company?
- B&P Code s.8610 — Company registration; qualifying manager
- B&P Code s.8562 — Operator's licence qualifications
- B&P Code s.8690 — Evidence of insurance before registration
- B&P Code s.8691 — Insurance must be maintained
- B&P Code s.8692 — Insurance minimums
- B&P Code s.8697 — $12,500 bond
- B&P Code s.8516 — WDO inspection reports
Fees and forms change. This is a summary of the state’s published rules, not legal advice — confirm with the agency before you file.
