- In Idaho you cannot work as a professional pesticide applicator, which covers applying pesticides on other people's property for pay, without a professional applicator's license from the State Department of Agriculture.
- Plan for a trade exam.
- Pay runs from about $17.28 an hour for the lowest-paid tenth of pest control technicians to $22.76 for the top tenth.
- Jobs are projected to grow 7.1% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 3.2% projected nationally.
The path in Idaho, step by step
Idaho licenses pest control work at the state level through the Idaho State Department of Agriculture, Division of Agricultural Resources. These are the steps it lays out, in order.
- Study for and pass the department exams in your categories, at 70 percent or better.
- Get proof of financial responsibility, such as liability coverage.
- Apply for the professional applicator's license and pay $300.
- Keep your financial responsibility current, or the license is suspended.
The full license guide, with every fee and form: pest control license in Idaho.
Finding an apprenticeship in Idaho
Idaho 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 Idaho 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 Idaho
The license to aim for: Professional applicator's license.
Trade exam. Department exams in each pesticide category you apply for, passed with at least 70 percent. Each exam category costs $10.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Ornamental Pest (OP) | Pests on ornamental plants and turf. |
What the Idaho license costs
The fees the Idaho State Department of Agriculture, Division of Agricultural Resources lists. Exam fees from a testing company, insurance and any bond come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Professional applicator's license | $300 |
| Exam, per category | $10 |
| Commercial apprentice applicator's license | $120 |
What pest control technicians earn in Idaho
The median pest control technician in Idaho earned $19.34 an hour in May 2025, 37th of 50 states, with 620 on payrolls. The national median was $21.75.
At the bottom of the range, a quarter of pest control technicians in Idaho earned under $18.43 an hour and a tenth under $17.28. At the top, a quarter earned over $22.14 and a tenth over $22.76.
| Pay level | Hourly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $17.28 | $35,940 |
| 25th percentile | $18.43 | $38,340 |
| Median | $19.34 | $40,220 |
| 75th percentile | $22.14 | $46,060 |
| 90th percentile | $22.76 | $47,340 |
Every state, the neighbors and what a business should charge: pest control technician salary in Idaho.
Jobs ahead in Idaho
Idaho's labor market office projects jobs for pest control technicians growing from 280 in 2022 to 300 in 2032, a change of 7.1%. Counting people who retire or change careers, that is about 40 openings a year.
Jobs are projected to grow 7.1% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 3.2% projected nationally, ranking 24th 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 Idaho
To contract on your own in Idaho, the license is the Professional applicator's license.
Insurance. You must keep proof of financial responsibility on file. If it lapses, the license is suspended until you show it again.
Pricing comes next. Paying yourself the Idaho median of $19.34 an hour, the labor rate calculator's starting numbers (one person, 2 unbilled hours a day, $90,000 of overhead, 15% profit) come to $104.55 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 Idaho'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.
- Agricultural Resources, pesticides (checked 2026-10-09)
- Idaho Code 22-3404 (checked 2026-10-09)
- IDAPA 02.03.03 pesticide rules (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.