- Missouri law says no one may be in the business of using pesticides on someone else's property without a certified commercial applicator's license from the Department of Agriculture.
- For the structural categories 7A, 7B and 7C, you show experience using pesticides in those categories, or an associate degree or equivalent.
- Plan for a trade exam.
- Pay runs from about $14.35 an hour for the lowest-paid tenth of pest control technicians to $23.35 for the top tenth.
- Jobs are projected to grow 4.6% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 3.2% projected nationally.
The path in Missouri, step by step
Missouri licenses pest control work at the state level through the Missouri Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Pesticide Control. These are the steps it lays out, in order.
- Pass the Core exam and your category exam at Pearson VUE.
- For structural work, gather proof of experience or a qualifying degree.
- Send the application and proof of insurance or bond by mail or through MOPlants.
- Pay the $65 yearly license fee and renew each year.
The full license guide, with every fee and form: pest control license in Missouri.
Finding an apprenticeship in Missouri
Missouri 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 Missouri 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 Missouri
The license to aim for: Certified Commercial Applicator license.
Trade exam. The General Standards of Competence (Core) exam and at least one category exam, taken at Pearson VUE.
Keeping it. Every year. Send the $65 fee and a signed renewal, or renew online through MOPlants.
What the Missouri license costs
The fees the Missouri Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Pesticide Control lists. Exam fees from a testing company, insurance and any bond come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Certified commercial applicator license, yearly | $65 |
What pest control technicians earn in Missouri
The median pest control technician in Missouri earned $20.53 an hour in May 2025, 33rd of 50 states, with 1,440 on payrolls. The national median was $21.75.
At the bottom of the range, a quarter of pest control technicians in Missouri earned under $17.94 an hour and a tenth under $14.35. At the top, a quarter earned over $22.35 and a tenth over $23.35.
| Pay level | Hourly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $14.35 | $29,850 |
| 25th percentile | $17.94 | $37,320 |
| Median | $20.53 | $42,690 |
| 75th percentile | $22.35 | $46,490 |
| 90th percentile | $23.35 | $48,560 |
Every state, the neighbors and what a business should charge: pest control technician salary in Missouri.
Jobs ahead in Missouri
Missouri's labor market office projects jobs for pest control technicians growing from 1,520 in 2022 to 1,590 in 2032, a change of 4.6%. Counting people who retire or change careers, that is about 210 openings a year.
Jobs are projected to grow 4.6% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 3.2% projected nationally, ranking 29th 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 Missouri
To contract on your own in Missouri, the license is the Certified Commercial Applicator license.
Insurance. Proof of financial responsibility: a proof of insurance form, a surety bond, or the department's form.
Pricing comes next. Paying yourself the Missouri median of $20.53 an hour, the labor rate calculator's starting numbers (one person, 2 unbilled hours a day, $90,000 of overhead, 15% profit) come to $106.64 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 Missouri'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.
- Pesticide Control (checked 2026-10-09)
- Missouri Pesticide Use Act (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.