STATE LICENSE
RequiredMinnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA)…
Minn. Stat. § 18B.32 requires anyone applying pesticides for hire in structural pest control to hold a structural pest control license from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and requires every business to be or employ a licensed master. New applicators start as journeymen (Core plus SPCA journeyman exams); after two years licensed as a journeyman with a licensed company, they can apply for master. A fumigation endorsement is a separate exam.
The company license costs $295 a year ($200 fee, $85 ACRRA surcharge, $10 processing) and each applicator $55; all licenses expire December 31 and renew only after annual recertification. Companies prove financial responsibility — liability insurance of $100,000 bodily injury, $200,000 per occurrence for two or more people, and $10,000 property damage, or $50,000 in net assets — and provide workers' compensation information.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
Pesticide licensing is statewide through MDA; no city license substitutes for it. Local business licensing and zoning where the company operates still apply.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Minnesota 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.
A new company can't license itself without a master — and a master needs two years as a licensed journeyman with a licensed company.
Company and applicator licenses expire December 31 of the year issued; renew late and the fee rises.
Licensees must carry the license ID card to apply pesticides for hire and show it on request.
A practical sequence for a new pest control contractor in Minnesota. 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 ch. 18B is a misdemeanor; a knowing violation, or one that endangers humans, is a gross misdemeanor.
A court may impose a civil penalty for violations of ch. 18B or MDA orders.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: The substance of the 2024 amendments to § 18B.32 (2024 c 126 and c 127) — not compared line by line · Whether Minnesota requires a separate credential for wood-destroying-insect inspections · Whether any Minnesota city may impose its own pesticide-application restrictions on structural pest control
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.