Anyone can print a business card that says exterminator. In New York, a company that applies pesticides for pay has to be registered with the Department of Environmental Conservation, and that registration is searchable by anyone.
What New York requires of every pest control business
NYSDEC’s rules for pesticide businesses, from its business and agency page:
- Registration for every location. Each business location that offers or provides commercial pesticide application registers separately. Registration costs $900 and lasts three years.
- A certified person in each category. The business has to employ a certified applicator or technician for every category of work it does, such as termites or structural pests.
- Its own employees. Applications must be made by the company’s own employees, not by outside contractors.
- Insurance. At least $1,000,000 per occurrence in commercial general liability coverage, with a certificate on file at NYSDEC.
- Truck decals. Every vehicle that carries pesticides shows two “Registered Pesticide Business” decals, one on each side.
The decals are the one thing you can check from the driveway.
Looking a company up in NYSPAD
NYSPAD is the state’s public pesticide database. To find a company:
- Open the NYSPAD search and choose the Pesticides Business/Agencies tab.
- Type part of the company name in Business Name and press Search. Short is better. In an October 2026 search, “A & C” with spaces found A & C Pest Management Corp in East Meadow, and “A&C” without them found nothing.
- Read the result: the business registration number, the categories it is registered for, and the address of the registered location.
Two things trip people up in the results. Many companies are listed under a corporate name with the brand name underneath. In October 2026, Arrow Exterminating Company in Lynbrook appeared under Rentokil North America, and Truly Nolen of New York in Huntington under a different corporate name. And because every location registers on its own, the address should match the office that is serving you.
What the category numbers mean
These are the categories as NYSPAD labels them on the Long Island companies we looked up:
| Category | NYSPAD label | Look for it if you need |
|---|---|---|
| 7a | Structural and Rodent Control | Roaches, mice, rats, bed bugs and other pests inside the house |
| 7c | Termite Control | Any termite treatment |
| 7b | Fumigation | Whole-structure fumigation |
| 7f | Food Processing | Restaurants and food businesses |
| 8 | Public Health | Public health pest work (ask the company what it covers) |
| 3a | Ornamental and Turf | Lawn, shrub and yard applications |
If a company’s record shows 7a but not 7c, it is not registered for termite work.
Checking the technician too
The Pesticide Professionals tab in NYSPAD lists certified commercial applicators and technicians by name, with their certification number, category and county. Ask who is coming to your house and look them up the same way.
NYSDEC sets staggered expiration dates by region. Registrations in Nassau run to October 31 of the renewal year and registrations in Suffolk to December 31, with renewals due at least 45 days before.
Wildlife jobs need a different license
Raccoons in the attic, squirrels in the soffit, a skunk under the deck: trapping and removing wildlife for pay needs a NYSDEC Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator license. The commercial license costs $50, expires every September 30, and DEC keeps a searchable list of licensed operators. A pest control company may hold both, or only one.
Questions worth asking on the first call
- What is your NYSDEC business registration number?
- Will you inspect before you give me a price, and will I get the findings in writing? NYC’s health department guidance says the company should do a full inspection and give you a written report.
- Do you use an integrated pest management approach? Suffolk’s health department recommends asking for one.
- How many visits are included, and what happens if the problem is not solved?
Get more than one price. NYC’s health department guidance says the lowest bid is not always the best, and the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station suggests setting aside the quotes that are far higher or far lower than the rest.
Warning signs before anyone sprays
- No registration number, or one that does not match the company name or address in NYSPAD.
- No decals on the truck.
- A plan built around foggers or bug bombs. NYC’s health department guidance says a company should never use them.
- Routine spraying along every baseboard without an inspection first, which the same guidance says is not integrated pest management.
- Pressure to sign the same day.