Structural pest control in Florida is regulated by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), Bureau of Entomology and Pest Control, under Chapter 482, Florida Statutes, and Chapter 5E-14, Florida Administrative Code. Lawful pest control operators in Florida — whether in Lakeland, Winter Haven, Bartow, or anywhere else in the state — must hold an active FDACS license under one or more service categories. Enter your ZIP in the form on this page and we’ll match you with an independent, FDACS-licensed pest control company serving Polk County.
Enter your ZIP and we’ll connect you with an independent, licensed and insured local company.
This page summarizes the FDACS license categories that apply to residential and commercial pest control work in Florida.
The Four Primary FDACS License Categories
1. General Household Pest Control (GHP)
Covers general structural pest control: cockroaches (German, American/palmetto bug, smokybrown, Asian), ants (carpenter, fire, ghost, white-footed), spiders, silverfish, earwigs, fleas, ticks (inside structure), bed bugs, rodents (mice, roof rats, Norway rats), and other general structural pests. This is the most common category — virtually every Florida pest operator holds GHP.
Required for: Routine residential pest service, bed bug treatment, rodent control, cockroach control, ant control, general indoor pest issues.
2. Termite and Other Wood-Destroying Organisms (WDO)
Covers termite treatment (both subterranean and drywood — except whole-house fumigation), powderpost beetle treatment, wood-decay fungus treatment, and WDO inspection (NPMA-33 reports for real estate transactions).
Required for:
- Subterranean termite treatment (liquid barriers, bait stations)
- Drywood termite spot treatment and heat treatment
- WDO inspection reports for real estate transactions
- Annual termite bond inspection
3. Fumigation
Covers whole-house fumigation with Vikane (sulfuryl fluoride) and other registered fumigants. Required for whole-house drywood termite tenting.
Specialty practice. Not all WDO-licensed operators hold the Fumigation category. Many subcontract whole-house fumigation to fumigation specialists.
Required for: Whole-house drywood termite fumigation, grain/food facility fumigation, soil fumigation for certain agricultural uses.
4. Lawn and Ornamental Pest Control (L&O)
Covers turf grass pests (chinch bugs, sod webworms, armyworms, mole crickets), shrub and tree pests, and ornamental plant pests.
Required for: Lawn pest treatment, shrub treatment, tree pest treatment (excluding tree removal — that’s arboriculture, separate).
Identification Cards (Employee Credentials)
Beyond the company license, every individual applicator (the person physically applying pesticide at a property) must carry an FDACS Identification Card specific to the categories they’re working in. Operators are required to maintain continuing education credits to keep ID Cards active.
When the dispatched operator arrives at a Polk County property, the licensed applicator should be able to present an FDACS ID Card identifying them as an authorized pesticide applicator for the relevant category.
How to Verify an Operator’s License
FDACS maintains a public license search, and these verifications are available at no cost:
Enter the company name to view:
- Active license status (current, expired, suspended, revoked)
- License categories held
- License effective and expiration dates
- Disciplinary history (citations, fines, license actions)
- Operator address and registered agent
For real estate transactions requiring a WDO inspection, verifying the inspector’s WDO category license is part of standard due diligence.
Florida Regulatory Framework Summary
- Statute: Chapter 482, Florida Statutes (Structural Pest Control)
- Administrative rules: Chapter 5E-14, Florida Administrative Code
- Administering agency: FDACS Bureau of Entomology and Pest Control
- Continuing education: Required for license maintenance
- Insurance requirements: Florida-licensed structural pest control operators must maintain liability insurance per regulatory minimum
- Pesticide products: Must be EPA-registered and FDACS-permitted for the specific application
The Bureau of Entomology and Pest Control publishes operator guidance, regulatory updates, and consumer information at fdacs.gov.
Disclaimer
Lakeland Exterminators connects Polk County, Florida residents with FDACS-licensed structural pest control operators. This page is informational only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific regulatory questions, consult FDACS directly or a licensed Florida attorney.
Related Lakeland Exterminators pages
- Pest Control in Polk County
- Termite Treatment in Lakeland
- Drywood Termite Treatment
- WDO Inspection in Lakeland
- Exterminator in Lakeland
Disclaimer: Lakeland Exterminators is a local dispatch and referral service, not a licensed pest-control operator. We connect Polk County, Florida homeowners with independent, FDACS-licensed and insured pest-control companies. All inspections and treatments are performed by those independent providers, who set their own pricing, scheduling, and service terms.
Any reference to same-day, emergency, or 24/7 service describes the typical scheduling of matched independent providers and is not guaranteed; actual response times vary by provider, season, location, and demand.