When researching Florida Pest control licenses the best place to start is Florida’s Department of Agriculture. They have information on how to obtain a Florida pest control license, the different types of licenses that are available and how to become an upper level certified Florida pest control license holder as known as a Certified Operator.
One may ask the questions: What is a certified Operator? How do I obtain a Florida Pest control license? For starters, a certified operator is an individual that has passed an examination administered by the Department in any of four (4) certification categories.
Florida Pest Control License Categories
The 4 categories are (Remember: a person can be certified in just one or all four categories):- General Household and Rodent Control
- Lawn and Ornamental Pest Control
- Termite and Other Wood-Destroying Organisms Control
- Fumigation
Certified Applicator
How does one become a Florida certified pest control operator with a Flordia Pest Control License? Well,
a person must first meet the qualification requirements to take any of the certification exams. Section 482.132, F.S., Qualification for examination and certification – states the minimum qualification requirements.
- Examinations are offered quarterly. If qualified, you make application directly to this office. You can request and print an Application for Examination. The application must be completely filled out and requires a photograph to be attached. Your application must be postmarked by midnight of the application deadline date established for each exam.
- Prep courses are also offered through independent businesses, you can call the department and ask for a list of companies providing the Florida pest control license prep courses or you can research them online
- Remember to pay all your fees associated with Florida pest control licenses and any additional fees each category may have. If you want to qualify a business and act as the qualifying Manager/Operator, you’ll need to obtain a Certified Operator license.
The OTHER Option
There is a second option to obtaining a Certified Operator License. If you are starting your businesses or currently lost your Certified Operator a cost efficient and timely solution to finding yourself a quality Florida pest control license holder, also known as a Certified operator is to hire a Qualifying Manager. A qualifying Manager is an individual who currently holds all the licenses that you need to open or keep your doors open. Typically you hire them on as a part-time employee, saving you money but still gaining access to their experience, time and resources.
Many companies are doing this now to save money and make more money as business owners don’t have the time to take away from their busy schedules to study for the test, take the test, get the license, and then wait for the approval. Also, you have to renew your Florida pest control license regularly which includes additional fees.
Finding Qualifying Managers
Your next question is probably where do I find these Florida pest control license holders that can act as my qualifying Manager? This the tricky part. It is hit or miss. Sometimes you can just find one through networking. Other times you’ll have to get a bit more creative. Luckily there is a company that does just this. They are a co-op community of upper level license holders and their sole purpose is to help these upper level license holders (in the state of Florida – Certified Applicators), businesses to work for.
There is a company called PEST START. Pest Start is a Co-op community and network of upper level pest control and termite licensed individuals. Their sole purpose is to help these upper level license holders find quality companies to qualify and in turn help companies find the cream of the crop in the industry of licensed commercial applicators to work with. So whether you are in the market for a Florida pest control license, or any other state, Pest Start is a good option if you are looking to get up and running quickly.