- Plan for a trade exam.
- Every two years. Recertify and renew by the last day of February in the year it expires.
Do you need a state license in South Dakota?
South Dakota licenses pest control work at the state level through the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Pesticide Program. Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
Steps to get licensed in South Dakota
- Book a certification exam at one of the state's testing sites.
- Pass the category G core exam and your category exams.
- Send the commercial applicator license application and pay $35.
- Recertify and renew every two years by the end of February.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
The license to apply for. Commercial pesticide applicator license.
South Dakota pest control exams
Trade exam. The commercial category G (General, the core) exam plus the category exams for the work you do.
Business and law exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
What it costs in South Dakota
The board lists one fee for this license. These are the state's own numbers. Insurance, any bond, exam prep and your business registration come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Commercial applicator license | $35 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Bond. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Every two years. Recertify and renew by the last day of February in the year it expires.
Reciprocity. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Good to know in South Dakota
- South Dakota does not allow supervised applications. Each person who applies pesticides needs their own license.
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 South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Pesticide Program 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.