- Two years licensed as a journeyman with a licensed company before you can become a master. You must be 18.
- Plan for a trade exam.
- Every year. Licenses expire December 31, with yearly recertification. Late renewals pay 50 percent more, and after March 31 you start over as a new applicant.
Do you need a state license in Minnesota?
Minnesota licenses pest control work at the state level through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Pesticide and Fertilizer Management. Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
Minnesota license types for pest control work
Minnesota splits the work into 2 licenses. Pick the one that matches the jobs you take, since working outside its scope is the same as working without one.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| SPCA Journeyman | The first license level, working for a licensed structural pest control company |
| SPCA Master | After two years as a licensed journeyman. A company needs at least one master. |
Steps to get licensed in Minnesota
- Apply and pay the application fees, ideally online before your test date.
- Pass the Core (A) and SPCA Journeyman exams.
- Work two years as a licensed journeyman, then become a master.
- License your company: a master on staff, workers' compensation information and financial responsibility.
- Renew by December 31 each year.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. Two years licensed as a journeyman with a licensed company before you can become a master. You must be 18.
The license to apply for. Structural Pest Control Company license, with an SPCA Master license.
Minnesota pest control exams
Trade exam. The Core (A) exam and the SPCA Journeyman exam, then the master exam later. A fumigation endorsement takes one more exam.
Business and law exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
What it costs in Minnesota
We could not confirm the current fee schedule on an official page. Check with the board before you budget: Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Pesticide and Fertilizer Management.
Insurance and bond
Insurance. The company gives workers' compensation information and meets financial responsibility rules, shown by net assets of $50,000 or more, or a bond or insurance the commissioner sets.
Bond. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Every year. Licenses expire December 31, with yearly recertification. Late renewals pay 50 percent more, and after March 31 you start over as a new applicant.
Reciprocity. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
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 Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Pesticide and Fertilizer Management 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.