- Anyone doing structural pest control for hire in Georgia needs a Company License from the Department of Agriculture and a Designated Certified Operator for each category of work.
- Each credential has minimum training, experience and exam requirements. Check the Structural Pest Control Commission rules for the certified operator level.
- Pay runs from about $14.09 an hour for the lowest-paid tenth of pest control technicians to $29.58 for the top tenth.
- Jobs are projected to grow 13.8% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 3.2% projected nationally.
The path in Georgia, step by step
Georgia licenses pest control work at the state level through the Georgia Department of Agriculture, Structural Pest Control Section. These are the steps it lays out, in order.
- Get a certified operator license in each category, or hire a certified operator to be your Designated Certified Operator.
- Fill out the Company License Application with your DCO.
- Send proof of insurance.
- Mail the application with the license fee and the research fee.
- Wait for approval by the Structural Pest Control Commission, which meets monthly. Applications in by the 1st are heard that month.
The full license guide, with every fee and form: pest control license in Georgia.
Finding an apprenticeship in Georgia
Georgia has no recognized State Apprenticeship Agency, so the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship registers and oversees programs there through a state field office. Apprenticeship.gov lists the Georgia Apprenticeship Office as the contact.
Either way, a registered program means paid work with a mentor, raises as you progress, classroom instruction and a credential recognized in every state. Search open spots in the Apprenticeship Job Finder.
Across the country. Pest control is learned mostly on the job rather than in a long apprenticeship. Training can usually be finished in less than 3 months.
License levels and exams in Georgia
The license to aim for: Structural Pest Control Company License, with a certified operator license.
Keeping it. Every two years. All credentials expire June 30 of odd numbered years and are not prorated.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Category 28: Fumigation (FUM) | Fumigating structures or enclosed spaces to control insects, rodents or other pests. |
| Category 29: Household Pest Control (HPC) | Roaches, fleas, ants, rodents, wasps and other pests that get into buildings, without fumigation. |
| Category 30: Wood-destroying Organism Control (WDO) | Termites, powder post beetles, wood boring beetles and wood decay fungi, without fumigation. |
| Honey Bee Control and Removal (HBR) | Removing an established honey bee colony from a structure without pesticides. |
What pest control technicians earn in Georgia
The median pest control technician in Georgia earned $18.20 an hour in May 2025, 45th of 50 states, with 5,770 on payrolls. The national median was $21.75.
At the bottom of the range, a quarter of pest control technicians in Georgia earned under $17.11 an hour and a tenth under $14.09. At the top, a quarter earned over $22.56 and a tenth over $29.58.
| Pay level | Hourly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $14.09 | $29,310 |
| 25th percentile | $17.11 | $35,590 |
| Median | $18.20 | $37,860 |
| 75th percentile | $22.56 | $46,920 |
| 90th percentile | $29.58 | $61,520 |
Every state, the neighbors and what a business should charge: pest control technician salary in Georgia.
Jobs ahead in Georgia
Georgia's labor market office projects jobs for pest control technicians growing from 5,490 in 2022 to 6,250 in 2032, a change of 13.8%. Counting people who retire or change careers, that is about 820 openings a year.
Jobs are projected to grow 13.8% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 3.2% projected nationally, ranking 16th of the 39 states in the file.
These are the state's own long-term projections, published together on Projections Central for the occupation group pest control workers.
Starting your own pest control technician business in Georgia
To contract on your own in Georgia, the license is the Structural Pest Control Company License, with a certified operator license.
Insurance. Proof of insurance is required before the company license is issued. The department's Georgia Insurance Form shows how much you need.
Pricing comes next. Paying yourself the Georgia median of $18.20 an hour, the labor rate calculator's starting numbers (one person, 2 unbilled hours a day, $90,000 of overhead, 15% profit) come to $102.55 per billable hour. Try your own in the labor rate calculator.
The full checklist is in how to start a pest control business. The free Koira Office plan gives you a website on a Koira address, estimates customers sign with a deposit, invoices with card payments and your day's jobs in one place, with no per-person fee. See the plans.
Where this comes from
The license steps, fees and rules are from the official pages below, read on the date shown. Pay is the BLS May 2025 state estimate, the job outlook is Georgia's own long-term projection, and the apprenticeship details are from the U.S. Department of Labor. A detail an official page did not confirm is left out.
- Structural Pest Control Company License (checked 2026-10-09)
- Licensing, certification and employee registration (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 37-2021
- Projections Central, long-term occupational projections 2022 to 2032 (state labor market offices) (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, Apprenticeship System (Office of Apprenticeship and State Apprenticeship Agencies) (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, State Offices (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, Registered Apprenticeship Program (checked 2026-10-09)
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Pest Control Workers (checked 2026-10-09)
Training, schools and certifications for every state: how to become a pest control technician.