How to get a Pest Control license in Utah

Step-by-step: how to get your Utah pest-control license

UDAF uses a two-tier system: a company license and individual applicator certifications. You need both before you can legally advertise or bill for pest services. Plan on 30–60 days if you already have qualifying experience.

• Register your business with the Utah Division of Corporations and get an EIN if you haven't already.
• Obtain general liability insurance with a minimum $100,000 per-occurrence coverage and name UDAF as a certificate holder. Some cities require higher limits.
• Earn qualifying experience: 2 years (4,000 hours) of full-time supervised pest-control work for a licensed company, OR a bachelor's degree in a relevant science plus 1 year (2,000 hours) of practical experience.
• Pass the UDAF category exam(s) for each type of work you'll perform: General Pest (7A), Wood-Destroying Organism (7B), Lawn & Ornamental (7C), and/or Fumigation (7D). Each is a separate test.
• Submit the company license application with the $200 annual fee, proof of insurance, and a list of all certified applicators you'll employ.
• Each applicator submits their individual certification application ($50 per category, per year) and maintains continuing education: 8 CEUs per category every 2 years.

Which Utah pest-control license category do you need?

UDAF licenses by pesticide type and application site. Taking every category you might need upfront is cheaper than adding them later, and it prevents you from turning down jobs.

• 7A General Pest Control — ants, roaches, spiders, wasps, rodents, and bed bugs in residential and commercial structures. This is the base license most operators start with.
• 7B Wood-Destroying Organism (WDO) — termites, carpenter ants, and wood-boring beetles. Required for termite inspections that support real-estate transactions. Higher liability; most operators carry separate E&O coverage for WDO work.
• 7C Lawn & Ornamental — turf, tree, and shrub pesticide application for residential and commercial grounds. Popular add-on for pest operators who already visit the property quarterly.
• 7D Fumigation — structural and commodity fumigation. Heaviest regulatory burden; requires a fumigation management plan, buffer-zone calculations, and specialized PPE. Usually a separate business line.
• 7E Right-of-Way — roadsides, railroads, power lines. Niche; few residential pest companies need this unless they have municipal contracts.

Utah pest-control exam: what's on it and how to pass

UDAF contracts exam administration to PSI. Tests are held at PSI centers in Salt Lake City, St. George, and Ogden, plus remote proctoring. Each category exam is 100 multiple-choice questions, 2.5 hours, and requires a 70% score to pass. You can retake after 7 days.

• Federal pesticide law (FIFRA): labels, signal words, restricted-use criteria, and record-keeping.
• Utah state rules: UDAF administrative rules R68, notification requirements, buffer zones near schools and waterways, and organic-certification protections.
• Pest biology & identification: life cycles, harborage, signs of infestation, and IPM thresholds for common Utah pests (ants, spiders, voles, boxelder bugs, elm beetles).
• Application equipment & calibration: sprayer math, droplet size, drift mitigation, and PPE selection.
• Safety & environment: SDS interpretation, spill response, heat-stress protocols (critical in Utah summers), and pollinator protection.

Utah pest-control fees & ongoing costs (2026)

Budget roughly $700–$1,200 in year-one costs for a single-category operator, plus insurance. Renewal is annual.

• Company license: $200/year. Must be renewed by December 31; late renewals carry a $50 penalty.
• Individual category certification: $50 per category, per year, per applicator.
• PSI exam fee: $65 per category attempt.
• General liability insurance: $800–$2,000/year depending on coverage limits and claims history. WDO work adds 15–30%.
• Continuing education: 8 CEUs per category every 2 years. In-person UDAF workshops are $25–$45; online providers range from free to $150.
• Chemical inventory & PPE: initial setup $300–$800 for sprayers, bait guns, dusters, and protective gear.

How long does it take?

Realistic timeline: 30–60 days if you have qualifying experience already. The critical path is scheduling and passing your PSI exam (1–2 weeks), securing insurance (3–5 business days), and UDAF processing the company license (2–4 weeks). If you need to earn experience first, add 1–2 years before you can even sit for the exam.