- At least one year of practical pesticide application experience as a registered employee in your category, or a degree in a biological field, or an approved course. You must be 18.
- Plan for a trade exam.
- Every year. The license period runs July 1 to June 30, and certified applicators attend recertification training each year.
Do you need a state license in Maryland?
Maryland licenses pest control work at the state level through the Maryland Department of Agriculture, Pesticide Regulation Section. Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
Steps to get licensed in Maryland
- Get a year of experience as a registered employee, or the right degree or approved course.
- Apply for certification at least one month before the exam, with your experience forms or transcripts.
- Pass the Core exam and your category exam.
- Apply for the pesticide business license, pay $150 and file your certificate of insurance.
- Renew each year by June 30 and attend recertification training.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. At least one year of practical pesticide application experience as a registered employee in your category, or a degree in a biological field, or an approved course. You must be 18.
The license to apply for. Pesticide business license, with a certified pest control applicator.
Maryland pest control exams
Trade exam. The Core exam and at least one category exam, closed book, 70 percent to pass. Exams are given every other month in Annapolis, Salisbury and Frederick.
Business and law exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
What it costs in Maryland
The board lists 4 fees along the way. These are the state's own numbers. Insurance, any bond, exam prep and your business registration come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Pesticide business license, yearly | $150 |
| Applicator certification, first category, yearly | $75 |
| Each added main category | $25 |
| Exam retake, each | $10 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. General liability: bodily injury $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence; property damage $15,000 per occurrence and $30,000 aggregate.
Bond. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Every year. The license period runs July 1 to June 30, and certified applicators attend recertification training each year.
Reciprocity. Maryland certifies some out of state applicators by reciprocity. They must still attend recertification training each year.
Good to know in Maryland
- The license covers lawn care companies using weed and feed or organic products, and landscapers using weed killers or animal repellents, not just structural pest control.
After you are licensed
The license lets you take the work. Getting the work is the next job.
- Register the business. If you work under a name other than your own, register it where your state asks (often the Secretary of State, sometimes the county), and keep the name the same on your license, your truck and your invoices.
- Claim your Google Business Profile. It is the listing people see when they search for pest control near them. Fill in your service area, hours and real photos of your work.
- Put up a website that shows the license. Customers look for it before they call. Koira builds a contractor website for you and keeps it current.
- See where you stand. The free Koira report checks how your business shows up in search and on maps against shops near you.
Where this comes from
Every fact on this page comes from the Maryland Department of Agriculture, Pesticide Regulation Section and the official pages below, checked October 9, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.
More for your trade: how pest control companies run on Koira.