Virginia certifies commercial pesticide applicators by category under 2VAC5-685-70. For work on a house, three matter: 7a for general household pests, 7b for wood-destroying pests, and 7c for fumigation. Category 8 is public health pest control — it is not the termite category, despite appearing that way in several published guides.
Knowing which category your job falls under lets you ask one precise question instead of accepting "we're licensed" as an answer.
This is general information. Category definitions and requirements are set by regulation and can change. Confirm anything specific with the Office of Pesticide Services at 804-786-3798.
The categories that apply to a house
| Category | Scope | Typical work |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Industrial, institutional, structural, and health-related pest control | the umbrella for structural work |
| 7a | General pest control, excluding fumigation | roaches, ants, spiders, rodents, general household pests |
| 7b | Wood-destroying pest control, excluding fumigation | termites, carpenter ants, carpenter bees, wood-boring beetles |
| 7c | Fumigation | whole-structure fumigation |
| 8 | Public health pest control | pests of medical and public health significance |
The regulation defines 7b as covering organisms that destroy structures made of wood. That is the category behind a termite treatment and behind wood-destroying insect work generally.
Why the category question is worth asking
A company holding 7a and not 7b is certified for the roaches in your kitchen but not for the termites in your sill plate.
In practice most established structural companies hold both. But the question is quick, it is checkable, and asking it changes the conversation — you are no longer taking "licensed" as a complete answer.
For a wood-destroying insect report in a real estate transaction, 7b is the relevant category.
The Category 8 mistake
Several published guides state that Virginia requires "Category 8" for wood-destroying insect inspections.
Under 2VAC5-685-70, category 8 is public health pest control — applicators managing pests having medical and public health significance. Mosquitoes carrying disease sit here. Termites do not.
We repeated that error ourselves before checking the regulation. If you see it stated elsewhere, the administrative code is the thing to read.
Two tiers of people, not one
The category tells you what work is authorised. A separate question is who is standing in your crawl space.
Registered technician. Certified under 2VAC5-685-50 after at least 20 hours of on-the-job training under the direct on-site supervision of a certified commercial applicator, plus at least 20 hours of approved training. Once certified, a registered technician may apply general-use pesticides unsupervised, and restricted-use pesticides only under the direct supervision of a certified commercial applicator.
Certified commercial applicator. Has passed the category-specific examination and may work independently in that category. Must complete an approved category-specific recertification course every two years for each category held.
The supervising applicator who trains a registered technician must be certified in the category being trained for, and must provide proof of that training to the department.
What this means for you. "Our technician is certified" is true of both tiers. If restricted-use products are part of the treatment, the supervision requirement is real and worth asking about.
What the business needs, separately
Certification attaches to a person. Licensing attaches to a business.
A pesticide business license is required for any person or business that, for compensation, sells, stores, distributes, mixes, applies, or recommends pesticides. A separate license is required for each business location. The business must have at least one certified commercial applicator on staff as the qualifying applicator, must keep a current certificate of insurance on file with the Office of Pesticide Services, and must renew annually — licenses expire March 31.
Where you stand, by situation
If you are hiring for termites or a transaction report
7b is your category.
Your action: ask whether the company holds category 7b certification and under what name its business license is held, then check the public record.
If you are hiring for roaches, ants, or rodents
7a covers it.
Your action: ask which products will be used and whether any are restricted-use — that determines whether the person on site needs supervision.
If fumigation has been proposed
That is category 7c, a different certification, and a considerably more involved procedure.
Your action: confirm the company holds 7c specifically, and ask what alternatives exist before agreeing to fumigation.
If you are a landlord or property manager
Your record of who did the work supports every later argument about whether your response was reasonable.
Your action: record the company, the licensed entity name, and the category — not just the invoice total. More →
Before you call: what costs what
An inspection and a treatment are two separate services with separate prices, and conflating them is the most common way people end up surprised by a bill.
| Typical Virginia range | What it produces | |
|---|---|---|
| Wood-destroying insect inspection and report | $65–$200 | the NPMA-33 form |
| General pest inspection | often free where the company expects to quote treatment | a verbal or written assessment |
| Termite treatment | $500–$2,000; more where damage is extensive | a treatment record |
| Structural repair | quoted by a contractor, frequently the largest of the three | an invoice, not a pest control document |
What is usually free: a quote for treatment, once a company has seen the problem.
What is usually not: the inspection report used in a real estate transaction, and any visit that produces a document rather than a price.
Ask which applies before you book. A company quoting one figure covering both inspection and treatment is not quoting what a sales contract or a lender requires.
Common misunderstandings
"Category 8 is for termites." It is public health pest control. Termites are 7b.
"One certification covers all pests." Certification is category-specific, and recertification is required per category.
"Certified and licensed mean the same thing." People are certified; businesses are licensed.
"A registered technician can do anything a certified applicator can." Not for restricted-use products, which require direct supervision.
"The company's license covers all its offices." A separate license is required for each business location.
"Recertification is annual." Category recertification runs on a two-year cycle; business licenses renew annually on March 31.
What to ask
- Which category covers the work you will do at my property?
- Does your company hold 7b certification for wood-destroying pests?
- Will the person on site be a registered technician or a certified commercial applicator?
- Are any restricted-use products involved, and if so who supervises?
- Under what name and location is your pesticide business license held?
- When was your qualifying applicator last recertified in this category?
The last question is unusual enough that the answer tells you something either way.
What to have ready
The pest and where you are seeing it, the property type and foundation, whether this is for a transaction, and whether any prior treatment has been done.
Frequently asked questions
Where are the categories defined? Virginia Administrative Code 2VAC5-685-70 for commercial applicators; 2VAC5-685-65 covers the registered technician category; 2VAC5-685-50 covers registered technician certification procedures.
Can I see which categories a company holds? VDACS maintains a public pesticide search and publishes a weekly list of licensed businesses. Ask the company directly as well — the answers should match.
Does a certified applicator have to be on site? For general-use products a registered technician may work unsupervised. Restricted-use products require direct supervision by a certified applicator.
Are homeowners treating their own property regulated the same way? The business licensing requirement applies to work performed for compensation. Treating your own home is a different situation.
What about wildlife removal? Trapping and removing animals is regulated separately from pesticide application, and the licensing questions differ.
Verify before you pay anyone
VDACS maintains a public pesticide search at pesticidesearch.vdacs.virginia.gov, and the Office of Pesticide Services publishes an updated list of licensed pesticide businesses weekly.
Ask which name the license is held under — companies frequently trade under a name different from the licensed entity.