How to Choose a Pest Control Company or Exterminator in California: A Homeowner’s Checklist
In California, “exterminator” and “pest control company” mean the same licensed business. Here is how to tell a good one from the rest before anyone sprays anything.
To choose a pest control company in California, confirm its company registration and the operator’s license in the state’s free license search, make sure it holds the right branch (Branch 2 for general pests and rodents, Branch 3 for termites), and get an inspection and a written plan before you agree to a price. State law already requires a registered company to inspect before it starts work or gives an opinion, to give you a written notice naming the pest and the pesticide’s active ingredient before it applies anything, and to carry liability insurance and a bond. Then compare quotes on the same scope, ask what happens if the pests come back, and walk away from same-day pressure, scare tactics, or a termite price given over the phone.
Local help: Check us first: Company Registration 8828, Operator License 13694. Then call or text (626) 409-1584 or get a free quote.
On this page
- How to choose a pest control company: 5 steps
- Step 1: check the license (free, two minutes)
- What California law already requires of every pest control company
- Questions to ask a pest control company, and what good answers sound like
- How to compare pest control quotes
- Do you need a monthly or quarterly pest control plan?
- Red flags: when to walk away
- Exterminator vs. pest control company: is there a difference?
- Sources
- Quick answers
How to choose a pest control company: 5 steps
To choose a pest control company, check its license, insist on an inspection before a price, get the plan in writing, compare quotes on the same scope, and walk away from pressure. Most of what protects you is already written into California law; the checklist below is how to use it.
- Check the license. Search the company and the operator in the state license search; termite work needs Branch 3, general pests and rodents Branch 2.
- Get an inspection before a price. State law bars a registered company from starting work or giving an opinion before it inspects; a firm phone price for termites or rodents is a guess.
- Get the plan in writing. The pest, the areas, the product by name, the re-service terms and the warranty, before you sign.
- Compare quotes on the same scope. Same pests, same areas, same number of visits, same warranty terms.
- Walk away from the red flags. Same-day pressure, scare tactics, no license number, and contracts you cannot read before signing.
Step 1: check the license (free, two minutes)
Every pest control company in California must be registered with the Structural Pest Control Board, and every person who inspects or applies must be licensed by it. The records are public: go to the Department of Consumer Affairs license search, choose Structural Pest Control Board under Board and Bureaus, and search the company name, the operator or the number on the estimate. Then check the branch, because it tells you what the company is allowed to do.
| Branch | What it covers | When you need it |
|---|---|---|
| Branch 1 | Fumigation | Tenting a house for drywood termites |
| Branch 2 | General pests: ants, cockroaches, spiders, rodents and other household pests | Most everyday pest control |
| Branch 3 | Termites and other wood-destroying organisms, including the inspection report | Any termite inspection, opinion or treatment |
To read a record line by line, and to see what an expired or disciplined one looks like, use our step-by-step license lookup.
What California law already requires of every pest control company
California’s Structural Pest Control Act already gives you most of the protection a checklist would. These are requirements, not courtesies.
| Requirement | What it means for you | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Inspection first | A Branch 2 or 3 company may not start work or give an opinion on household or wood-destroying pests until it has inspected | Business and Professions Code 8514 |
| Written pesticide notice | Before application you get a written notice naming the pest, the pesticide and its active ingredient, with a state-required health statement | 8538 |
| Notice to Owner | Before a contract, the company gives you the state’s Notice to Owner explaining mechanics lien rights | 8513 |
| Liability insurance | At least 500,000 dollars per loss for bodily injury and 500,000 dollars for property damage | 8692 |
| Bond | A surety bond of 12,500 dollars | 8697 |
| Same thing | “Structural pest control” and “pest control” mean the same thing under the Act | 8505 |
Questions to ask a pest control company, and what good answers sound like
The best questions to ask a pest control company are the ones that force a specific answer. A good company answers all of these without hesitation.
| Ask | A good answer | A red flag |
|---|---|---|
| What are your company registration and operator license numbers? | Numbers you can look up, given right away | Hesitation, or a number that does not match the business name |
| Will you inspect before you quote? | Yes; for termites, a written inspection report | A firm termite or rodent price over the phone |
| What exactly will you treat, and with what? | The pest, the areas, and the product or active ingredient by name | “Our special formula” |
| What happens if they come back? | A re-service window stated in writing | “Just call us” with nothing written |
| What does the warranty cover? | Retreatment terms spelled out, and whether damage repair is covered, which it usually is not | A “guarantee” with no terms |
| Is this a contract, and how do I cancel? | A written term and cancellation policy you can read before signing | An auto-renewal you learn about later |
| Who will do the work? | A licensed applicator or operator | No answer |
For termite work specifically, our 12 questions to ask a termite company go deeper on reports, treatment choices and warranties.
How to compare pest control quotes
To compare pest control quotes fairly, make every quote describe the same job: the same pests, the same areas (exterior only, or exterior and interior), the same number of visits, and the same warranty or re-service terms. A cheaper quote that covers the outside only, or a single visit with no re-service, is a different product. Ask each company to name the product or active ingredient it plans to use, and read the cancellation terms before comparing monthly prices. What our one-time visits cost near Arcadia is published on our pest control cost page.
Do you need a monthly or quarterly pest control plan?
Not always. Many pest problems, a burst of ants after rain or a few spiders in the garage, are one-visit jobs. Recurring service earns its keep where pressure keeps returning, such as Argentine ants in a yard that borders a block-wide colony, or businesses that need a written service record. A company that will only sell you a year-long plan for a one-time problem is selling the plan, not solving the problem. We offer one-time visits and optional recurring service, and we say which one a house needs.
Red flags: when to walk away
- Same-day pressure. A discount that expires if you do not sign before the technician leaves.
- Scare tactics. Claims that a house is about to fail, without a written report showing why.
- A termite price before an inspection. State law requires the inspection first.
- No license number. Or one that does not match the company on the estimate.
- Vague product claims. “Natural” or “special formula” with no product or active ingredient named; you are entitled to that notice in writing.
- Nothing in writing. No written scope, warranty or cancellation terms before you pay.
Exterminator vs. pest control company: is there a difference?
No. “Exterminator” is the older, everyday word; “pest control company” is what the industry and the state use. California’s Structural Pest Control Act treats “structural pest control” and “pest control” as the same thing, and any company doing it for hire has to be registered with the Structural Pest Control Board, whatever it calls itself.
Sources
Common Questions
Quick Answers.
How do I choose a pest control company?
Check the company registration and the operator license in the state license search, confirm the right branch (Branch 2 for general pests and rodents, Branch 3 for termites), get an inspection and a written plan before agreeing to a price, compare quotes on the same scope, and walk away from same-day pressure or scare tactics.
What is the difference between an exterminator and a pest control company?
None. “Exterminator” is the older everyday word for the same licensed business. California’s Structural Pest Control Act treats “structural pest control” and “pest control” as the same thing, and anyone doing it for hire must be registered with the Structural Pest Control Board.
How do I check if a pest control company is licensed in California?
Go to search.dca.ca.gov, choose Structural Pest Control Board under Board and Bureaus, and search the company name, the operator’s name or the license number. The record shows whether the registration is current, expired or disciplined, and which branch it holds.
What questions should I ask a pest control company?
Ask for the company registration and operator license numbers, whether they inspect before quoting, exactly what they will treat and with what product, what happens if the pests come back, what the warranty covers, how to cancel, and who will do the work.
Should I sign a pest control contract?
Only after reading the term, the renewal and the cancellation policy, and only if the problem actually needs recurring service. Many pest problems are one-visit jobs. For wood-destroying pests, California requires a control service agreement to be in writing.
Does a pest control company have to inspect before giving a price?
For household and wood-destroying pests, yes: California law bars a Branch 2 or 3 company from starting work or giving an opinion until it has inspected. A firm termite price over the phone is a red flag.
Do pest control companies have to tell me what they spray?
Yes. Before application, California requires a written notice naming the pest, the pesticide and its active ingredient, along with a state-required health statement.
How much does an exterminator cost?
It depends on the pest and the house. Termite, rodent and commercial work should be quoted in writing after an inspection. Our one-time general pest visit prices near Arcadia are published on our pest control cost page.
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About the Author
Joshua A. Westad is the owner and licensed operator of ExterMetro Termite and Pest Control in Arcadia, CA. He holds California SPCB Company Registration #8828 (Branch 2 & 3), is a licensed WDO inspector, and has worked San Gabriel Valley homes and businesses for over twelve years — hands-on in the field on every kind of job the valley throws at him.
Think you just found termite evidence?
Bag a few wings or pellets, snap a photo, and text it to (626) 409-1584 — quotes from photos are free, and your job stays under licensed ExterMetro oversight from inspection through follow-up.