Closing needs a termite letter? Get a WDO-licensed inspector on the phone now.
The WDO inspection — the NPMA-33 “termite letter” — sits on the critical path of nearly every Polk County residential closing. Enter your ZIP and the 24/7 dispatch line matches you with an FDACS WDO-licensed inspector who works real estate deadlines for a living.
Get matched with a WDO-licensed inspector
Enter your ZIP — the line routes you to an independent, FDACS WDO-licensed Polk County inspector.
Free to call. Free to get matched. The licensed inspector gives the quote.
24/7 line · A real person answers · Scheduling and turnaround depend on the inspector’s availability.
What a WDO inspection actually is
In Florida, the wood-destroying organism inspection is a licensed examination of a structure for evidence of termites, wood-decay fungus, powderpost beetles and other wood-boring insects — documented on the industry-standard NPMA-33 form. It is commonly called a termite letter, termite report or WDO report, and in Polk County it is effectively a closing document: the FAR/BAR residential contract used statewide carries a WDO addendum, and most lenders read the report before funding.
Only an inspector operating under an FDACS Wood-Destroying Organisms license may issue the NPMA-33 in Florida — a general pest license is not enough. Every inspector the line routes to holds the WDO credential, and you can verify any of them at the FDACS license search before the appointment.
What the inspector examines
All accessible interior and exterior wood: attic structural members and eaves (Florida’s primary drywood detection zone), baseboards and sills, garage framing, crawl spaces, exterior grade lines and slab joints for subterranean mud tubes. A single-family inspection typically runs 30–60 minutes.
What the NPMA-33 covers
All wood-destroying organisms: subterranean termites (Reticulitermes flavipes), drywood termites (Cryptotermes brevis, Incisitermes snyderi), Formosan termites, wood-decay fungus and wood-boring beetles — live activity, evidence of past activity, and visible damage.
On a closing clock? Say so on the call.
Enter your ZIP — get matched with a WDO-licensed inspector covering your part of Polk County.
Free to call. Free to get matched. The licensed inspector gives the quote.
When lenders require it
| Loan type | WDO requirement in Polk County |
|---|---|
| FHA | Generally required per FHA Handbook 4000.1 in known termite probability zones — all of Polk County qualifies. |
| VA | Required per the VA Lenders Handbook (Chapter 12) in moderate-to-heavy termite probability areas — all of Florida qualifies. |
| USDA | Typically required per USDA HB-1-3550 for Rural Development loans. |
| Conventional | Lender discretion — most Polk County conventional files request it, especially on homes 15+ years old. |
| Cash | Not required — but buyers of older frame homes (Bartow, Lake Wales, downtown Lakeland historic districts) order one anyway, and should. |
Report validity is typically 30 days for most lenders — FHA and VA sometimes hold shorter windows. If the closing slips past validity, a re-inspection is generally required, so time the order against your closing date.
The three possible outcomes — and what each means for closing
Clear report
No visible evidence of WDO activity or damage. The NPMA-33 issues clean and the transaction proceeds. The most common outcome on newer block construction.
Past infestation, treated
The most common finding on older Polk County homes — “evidence of previous infestation” with prior treatment. Usually not a closing barrier when the treatment is documented; a transferable termite bond makes it a non-event. See the bond guide.
Active infestation
Under the FAR/BAR WDO addendum, the seller typically treats at their expense, credits the buyer at closing, or the parties renegotiate. Most deals resolve with the seller arranging treatment by an FDACS-licensed operator and producing the treatment certificate.
Then treatment routes the same way
If the report turns up live termites, the same dispatch line routes the treatment call — by ZIP, to a licensed termite operator. Start with the termite guide to understand the treatment paths before quotes arrive.
How the WDO dispatch works
Straight up: Lakeland Exterminators is a dispatch and matching service, not a licensed pest control operator or inspection company. Here is the exact path your call takes.
Describe the transaction
Closing date, lender type (FHA, VA, USDA, conventional, cash), property type and address area. A real person answers around the clock.
Your ZIP picks the inspector
The call routes to an FDACS WDO-licensed inspector covering your part of Polk County — Lakeland, Winter Haven, Bartow, Plant City, Lake Wales, all of it.
On-site inspection
All accessible areas per NPMA-33 standards, typically 30–60 minutes for a single-family home. Scheduling depends on the inspector’s calendar — tight closings should say so up front.
Report delivery
The signed NPMA-33 goes to the parties the transaction needs — buyer, lender, title, closing attorney. Turnaround and fees belong to the licensed inspector, never to us.
Related reading: how to read the WDO report · what drives WDO inspection cost · pre-listing inspections for sellers · signs of termites.
Polk County WDO questions, answered straight
How fast can the inspection happen?
Honestly: it depends on the inspector’s schedule and your location, but WDO inspectors in this market live on real estate deadlines and short-window requests are normal. State your closing date on the call — urgency changes how the request is routed.
What does a WDO inspection cost in Polk County?
The fee is set by the independent licensed inspector — property size, construction type and access complexity move it, and condo units price differently than 3,000 sq ft two-story homes. We do not set or publish prices. The WDO cost guide explains the drivers.
Does the NPMA-33 cover drywood termites, or just subterranean?
All wood-destroying organisms — subterranean and drywood termites, Formosan, wood-decay fungus, powderpost beetles. In Polk County the inspector pays particular attention to attic members and eaves, the primary drywood detection areas in Florida homes.
The report says “evidence of previous infestation” — is the deal dead?
Almost never. Past-treated findings are the most common result on older Polk homes. With documentation of prior treatment — and ideally a transferable bond — lenders routinely proceed. Ask the seller for the treatment certificate and bond paperwork before panicking.
I am the listing agent — can I order it before we go under contract?
Yes, and pre-listing WDO inspections are a genuinely smart move on older inventory: findings surface on your clock instead of during the contingency window. The pre-listing guide covers the play.
Who actually performs the inspection?
An independent FDACS WDO-licensed inspector — not us. Lakeland Exterminators is the dispatch line that routes your request by ZIP. Verify any inspector’s license at aessearch.fdacs.gov; the good ones expect it.
One number. WDO-licensed inspectors countywide. The line answers now.
Free to call. Free to get matched. The licensed inspector gives the quote.
Free to call. Free to get matched. The licensed inspector gives the quote.
Disclosure
Lakeland Exterminators is a dispatch and matching service. We connect Polk County callers with FDACS WDO-licensed inspectors and structural pest control operators. We are not a licensed pest control operator or inspection company. We do not perform inspections or treatment, set prices, issue warranties, or carry pest control trade insurance. All fees, scheduling, report contents, treatment plans and service terms are determined by the FDACS-licensed professional dispatched to your address under Chapter 482, Florida Statutes.
Same-day and 24/7 emergency services are subject to provider participation, location, technician availability, and demand. Availability is not guaranteed and may vary by market and appointment capacity.
License status of any professional you connect with is publicly verifiable at the FDACS license search.