How to choose a pest control company in Pennsylvania

Updated November 10, 2026 · KeystoneProGuide editorial team

What is the first thing to check?

The license. In Pennsylvania a company that applies pesticides at your home must hold a state pesticide application business license, and the person treating your home must be a certified applicator or a registered technician. Penn State Extension's Pesticide Education Program, in its guide to choosing a qualified company, says to verify both a current applicator certification or technician card and the business license, and notes that the business license requires liability insurance specific to pesticide work. All of these, it says, are required to apply pesticides commercially in the state.

The EPA gives the same instruction in its rodent control tips: ask to see the company's license, and call your state pesticide regulatory agency if you have concerns. In Pennsylvania that agency is the Department of Agriculture.

What the license covers, and how the state lookup works, is set out in Pennsylvania's rules for exterminators.

Does the license cover the job you need?

Check the category, not only the card. Pennsylvania certifies applicators by type of work, and the regulation lets a business work only in categories in which it employs a certified applicator. Penn State gives the example that termite work in a home needs category 12. General household pests and rodent baiting fall under category 11.

The National Pesticide Information Center puts it as a question to ask every company: do technicians have current licenses, and is the license the correct classification for the job?

How many companies should you talk to?

More than one. NPIC says not to rush, and to talk with several companies even when the problem is urgent. For termites, Penn State's fact sheet says to get estimates from at least three or more licensed companies, since it is common for companies to offer different treatments and warranties.

Penn State's choosing guide also says not to decide on the phone. A company that confirms what your pest is from a description over the phone, without a visit, is on its list of warning signs, because correct identification typically requires seeing the site.

What separates a careful company from a careless one?

A careful company starts with identification and explains its choices. The EPA describes integrated pest management as a series of evaluations and decisions rather than a single method: identify the pest, decide whether action is needed, prevent, and only then choose the least risky control that works. The EPA says less risky controls are chosen first and broadcast spraying of non-specific pesticides is a last resort.

In practice, a company that works this way will:

• show you the pest or the evidence of it;
• tell you what is causing the problem, such as moisture, gaps or food sources;
• say what you can do to prevent a return;
• explain which products it would use, where, and why;
• tell you how soon the treated area can be used again.

For bed bugs, the EPA says to request an IPM approach and to choose a company with a good reputation. Penn State says to beware of representatives whose answers contradict the product label.

How do you check a company's record?

NPIC suggests asking family, friends and neighbors for recommendations, avoiding reliance on advertising, and contacting the Better Business Bureau or the state pesticide regulatory office about recent violations or complaints. Both NPIC and Penn State say to ask for local references and call them.

Ask how long the company has been in business and how much experience it has with your kind of pest. NPIC lists both questions, along with whether new applicators train alongside experienced ones.

What does the trade association advise?

The National Pest Management Association, the industry's trade body, publishes its own tips on finding a professional. Several match the public agencies: ask to see licensing, get bids from several companies when the sum is large, and understand the pest and the work before signing. It also advises asking about a guarantee: what it covers, how long it lasts and what you must do to keep it in force. It recommends companies that belong to pest management associations and promotes its own credential; those are the association's claims. Penn State's termite fact sheet says members of the national and Pennsylvania associations have access to specialized training.

What should the contract say?

Get the estimate in writing and compare like with like. NPIC suggests asking:

• Is a written estimate available?
• Is a long-term contract required, and what does it cost over its full term?
• Is there a guarantee, and on what terms?
• Does the company carry insurance that covers you, your property and its employees?

Penn State adds that once you choose, you should ask about expected outcomes and how the agreement can be cancelled if needed. For termite warranties, its fact sheet warns that coverage does not extend to other wood-destroying insects and may be limited where the soil by the foundation has been disturbed.

What are the warning signs?

Penn State's choosing guide lists them. Be wary of a company that:

• has an unlisted phone number;
• has no BU license number on its vehicles;
• claims a secret formula or a more potent pesticide;
• claims endorsement by a university, the EPA or the Department of Agriculture;
• pressures you to decide immediately or uses scare tactics;
• identifies your pest from a phone description.

Contract terms can be a warning sign too. Delaware's Attorney General settled in 2026 with a door-to-door pest company over high-pressure pitches and undisclosed termination fees.

How should you make the final decision?

Slowly. Penn State says you may need several days to read the company's documents, and that cost should not be the most important factor. What you pay for typical services is in the cost guide, and businesses serving your area are on the pest control directory page.

Sources

1. Choosing a Qualified Pest Management or Lawn Care Company, Penn State Extension
2. Selecting a Pest Control Company, National Pesticide Information Center
3. Tips for Hiring a Rodent Control Professional, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
4. Termites: How to Identify and Control Them, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
5. Top Ten Tips to Prevent or Control Bed Bugs, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
6. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Principles, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
7. Eastern Subterranean Termites, Penn State Extension
8. Find Local Exterminators: tips on finding a pest control professional, National Pest Management Association (trade association)
9. 7 Pa. Code Chapter 128. Pesticides, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania Code)
10. AG Jennings obtains court order protecting Delaware consumers against pest control company, Delaware Department of Justice