STATE LICENSE
RequiredKentucky Department of Agriculture — Stru…
KRS 217B.515 bars anyone from engaging in structural pest management or structural fumigation without a license from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA), with separate exams and licenses for commercial structural pest management, commercial structural fumigation, and noncommercial work. An operator license requires two years of verified structural pest management experience — or a degree in entomology — and costs $100 a year; every structural pest management company must have at least one operator license holder.
The company must register with KDA ($75, renewed each January 1) and prove at least $1,000,000 in liability insurance, with a deductible of no more than $5,000; KRS 217B.535 also sets a $50 annual registration fee for each office. Employees who apply pesticides need an applicator's license ($25 a year) and must work for a registered company or under a licensed operator. Licenses expire annually.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
Pest control licensing is statewide through KDA, and KRS 217B.537 prohibits local regulation of pesticides; local governments add only general business licensing. Nonresident operators, applicators, and companies must designate a Kentucky resident agent for service of process (KRS 217B.535(3)).
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Kentucky county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of October 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
Kentucky regulates pest control through the Department of Agriculture under KRS Chapter 217B, not through the building department.
Commercial structural fumigation is its own exam and license category (KRS 217B.515(2)).
Operator applicants need two years of verified structural pest management experience unless they hold an entomology degree (KRS 217B.520(3)).
A practical sequence for a new pest control contractor in Kentucky. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
Violating KRS Chapter 217B, including operating without a license or registration (KRS 217B.550(16)).
Failing to obtain or maintain the required liability insurance cancels the company registration; employees may not do structural pest work until it is reinstated.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
| County · City | Permit office | Portal |
|---|---|---|
| Fayette County Lexington (consolidated gov.) | Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government — Division of Building Inspection ↗ | Lexington-Fayette Permitting Portal (One-Stop Shop) ↗ |
| Jefferson County Louisville (consolidated gov.) | Louisville Metro Government — Construction Review (Department of Codes and Regulations) ↗ | Louisville Metro Business Portal (Accela Citizen Access) ↗ |
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: Number of CEUs required per year for structural operators and applicators (set by KDA regulation; not retrieved) · Exam fees for structural pest management and fumigation categories · How the $75 company registration (KRS 217B.538) and the $50 per-office annual registration (KRS 217B.535(2)) are billed together in practice · Whether wood-destroying insect inspection reports for real estate require a separate KDA category
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.