Professional Horticulture Pest Control Operator License Requirements
Compare professional horticulture pest control operator licensing requirements across 46 states. See education, exam, cost, and timeline details for each state.
AI Resilience: 69th — High46
States Covered
$192
Avg. Est. Cost
$43,530
Avg. Median Salary
45 gold
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Requirements by State
Click any state to see full requirements, costs, and step-by-step guide.
| State | Education ↕ | Exam | Est. Cost ↕ | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | N/A | State Written Examination | N/A | 3-12 months (training + exam) |
| Alaska | N/A | N/A | N/A | — |
| Arizona | N/A | Certified Pesticide Applicator Exam | N/A | 2-6 months |
| Arkansas | Specific course required | State Written Examination (per classification) | $400 | 3-12 months (education/experience + exam) |
| California | 12 hrs | Structural Pest Control Board Examination | $175 | 1-6 months (Applicator); 2-4 years (Operator) |
| Colorado | Specific course required | Third-Party Certification Exam | N/A | 3-12 months |
| Connecticut | Specific course required | N/A | N/A | — |
| Delaware | No educational requirements | State exam required | N/A | — |
| Florida | N/A | Third-party exam required | N/A | — |
| Georgia | 10 hrs | State Written Examination (per category) | $225 | 6-24 months (training + experience + exam) |
| Hawaii | No educational requirements | Independent Testing Agency Exam | $230 | 2-3 years (experience + certification + exam) |
| Idaho | No educational requirements | State Certification Exam | N/A | 1-3 months |
| Illinois | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1-3 months |
| Indiana | Specific course required | State exam required | N/A | — |
| Iowa | N/A | State Certification Exam | N/A | 1-3 months |
| Kansas | No educational requirements | State exam required | N/A | — |
| Kentucky | N/A | State Written Examination | $70 | 2-24 months (depending on category) |
| Louisiana | No educational requirements | No exam required | N/A | — |
| Maine | Specific course required | No exam required | N/A | 1-3 months |
| Maryland | N/A | N/A | N/A | — |
| Massachusetts | Specific course required | State exam required | N/A | — |
| Michigan | No educational requirements | No exam required | N/A | — |
| Minnesota | N/A | Core (A) Certification Exam plus Category Exam | N/A | 3-24 months (Journeyman); 2+ additional years (Master) |
| Mississippi | Degree required | State Written Examination (per category) | N/A | 6-24 months (education + experience + exam) |
| Montana | N/A | N/A | N/A | — |
| Nebraska | N/A | N/A | N/A | — |
| Nevada | N/A | State Examination (per category) | $125 | 1-6 months (Operator/Agent); 6-24 months (Principal) |
| New Hampshire | No educational requirements | Written and Oral Examinations | N/A | 5+ years (for supervisory level) or 1-6 months (for operator level) |
| New Jersey | Specific course required | No exam required | N/A | — |
| New Mexico | No educational requirements | State exam required | N/A | — |
| New York | Degree required | State exam required | N/A | — |
| North Carolina | N/A | State Examination | N/A | 3-12 months |
| Oklahoma | No educational requirements | State Certification Exam | N/A | 1-3 months |
| Oregon | N/A | N/A | N/A | — |
| Pennsylvania | Degree required | Third-party exam required | N/A | — |
| Rhode Island | No educational requirements | No exam required | N/A | — |
| South Dakota | N/A | N/A | N/A | — |
| Tennessee | Specific course required | Category and Identification Examination | N/A | 2-3 years (education + experience + exam) |
| Texas | No educational requirements | Technician/Certified Applicator Examination | N/A | 1-12 months (Apprentice to Technician) |
| Utah | N/A | N/A | N/A | — |
| Vermont | No educational requirements | State Certification Exam | N/A | 1-3 months |
| Virginia | N/A | N/A | N/A | — |
| Washington | Specific course required | Structural Pest Inspector Exam + Laws and Safety Exam + Category Exams | N/A | 3-12 months |
| West Virginia | N/A | State Certification Exam | $120 | 1-6 months |
| Wisconsin | Specific course required | State Certification Written Exam | N/A | 1-3 months |
| Wyoming | Specific course required | State exam required | N/A | — |
Showing 46 of 46 states
AI Career Outlook
How resilient is this career to AI automation?
AI Resilience: High
69th percentile among all US occupations
Low resilienceHigh resilience
More resilient to AI automation than 69% of occupations. This career involves hands-on, physical, or interpersonal work that is difficult to automate.
Based on the AI Occupational Exposure Index (Felten, Raj & Seamans, 2021). Measures how much an occupation's core abilities overlap with current AI capabilities.
Salary Overview
Median annual salaries for professional horticulture pest control operators by state.