Which license category covers rats and mice?

The pest control category, which covers pests that invade homes and buildings, including rats and mice.

Can I buy the same rat poison professionals use?

No. Second-generation anticoagulants are not sold to retail consumers, and consumer bait must come in a bait station in block or solid form.

A rat with a long, thin tail and large ears crossing damp reddish ground.

How to Verify a Texas Pest Control License

Anyone doing rodent control for hire in Texas needs a Texas Department of Agriculture structural pest control license. Here is how to check one, and what the state and EPA say about rat poison.

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Updated November 4, 2026

In Texas, structural pest control, which includes rats and mice in homes and buildings, is licensed by the Texas Department of Agriculture. A business that does the work for pay needs a business license, a responsible certified applicator and liability insurance, and the people doing the work need their own licenses. Checking takes a few minutes and is worth doing before anyone treats your home.

This guide covers the license types, how to look one up, what questions to ask, and the current rules on rodenticides for professionals and homeowners.

Who needs a license

The Texas Department of Agriculture's Structural Pest Control Service licenses businesses and individuals that perform structural pest control for hire. Its licensing page lists the categories: pest control, termite control, lawn and ornamental, structural fumigation, commodity fumigation, weed control and wood preservation. Rodent work falls under the pest control category, which the department describes as covering pests that invade homes and buildings, including rats and mice. That covers everything from trapping to restaurant programs.

License types, in plain terms

The rules in 4 Texas Administrative Code section 7.121 set out the license types:

Business license: any business doing structural pest control for compensation needs one in its operating name for each location, including branch offices.
Responsible certified commercial applicator: each business license must have one, a certified applicator responsible for training and supervising all pest control at that business. That person can serve only one business location.
Certified commercial applicator: licensed in at least one category and able to work without direct supervision, under the general supervision of the responsible applicator.
Technician: licensed in at least one category and works under the direct supervision of a certified applicator.
Apprentice: a registered employee in training who has not yet passed the technician exam.
Noncommercial applicators: employees of entities like apartment buildings, schools, hospitals or government bodies who treat their own employer's property.

Section 7.121 also says a business may not operate without a responsible certified applicator and current general pest control liability insurance.

How to check a license

The Texas Department of Agriculture publishes downloadable reports of active structural pest control licenses on its Structural Pest Control Reports page. There are separate files for commercial businesses, noncommercial businesses, applicators, technicians and apprentices. Download the commercial business file and search it for the company name, then download the applicator or technician file to check the person who will be at your house.

The department says that for other information, you can email its public information address with a detailed description of your request.

Ask the company for its Texas business license number and the name of its responsible certified applicator
Check that the business appears on the current commercial business report
Ask the technician for their license and check it against the applicator or technician report
Ask for proof of general liability insurance

Questions to ask before hiring

Who is the licensed applicator responsible for my job?
Will you inspect first and give me a written plan and quote?
Will you seal entry points, or only trap and bait?
If you use bait, what product, where, and in what kind of station?
How many follow-up visits are included?

Rodenticide rules for homeowners and professionals

Rat poison is regulated by the EPA, with the Texas Department of Agriculture enforcing pesticide rules in the state. The TDA's rodenticide page summarizes the EPA's 2008 risk decision, which took effect for manufacturers in June 2011:

Second-generation anticoagulants, the strongest common rat poisons, will not be sold to retail consumers.
Consumer products using first-generation anticoagulants or non-anticoagulants are limited to packages of one pound of bait or less and must be sold in or with a bait station.
Pellet bait cannot be sold to the general public; consumer bait must be a block or solid form.
Professional second-generation products come in large minimum package sizes and are not meant for consumer stores.
Outdoor, above-ground applications by professionals require bait stations, which must be tamper-resistant if children or nontarget animals may be exposed, and placements must be within 100 feet of a building.

The EPA's archived restrictions page adds that ready-to-use consumer bait stations are labeled for indoors, or indoors and outdoors within 50 feet of buildings. EPA rules continue to change, so check the current label and the EPA's rodenticide pages for updates.

The CDC recommends snap traps for reducing rodents around the home and says poison or bait stations should be used only for infestations that persist, following label instructions, because poison bait can be dangerous for people and animals.

Red flags

No business name, license number or written quote
Cash only, with pressure to decide on the spot
An offer to spread poison in the attic or living space without an inspection
Bait left in open trays or loose packets where pets or children can reach
No answer to the question of who the licensed applicator is

Any of these is reason to slow down and check the license reports before agreeing to anything.

Keep the paperwork

Ask for a service ticket at each visit showing the date, the technician's name and license, what was done and any products used. Keep it with your home records.

Why it matters in the Killeen area

Plenty of handymen and general contractors around Killeen will seal a gap or set a few traps, and that can be fine for small jobs. Applying rodenticide for pay is different. If someone offers to put poison in your attic or around your house, ask for their Texas license first. For homes with pets, children or neighbors' dogs that wander, ask how bait will be secured, or ask whether traps can do the job instead. The cost guide covers what licensed work usually costs.

Common questions

Who licenses pest control companies in Texas?: The Texas Department of Agriculture's Structural Pest Control Service.
Which license category covers rats and mice?: The pest control category, which covers pests that invade homes and buildings, including rats and mice.
Do Texas pest control businesses need insurance?: Yes. Under 4 TAC 7.121, a business may not operate without a responsible certified applicator and current general pest control liability insurance.
Can I buy the same rat poison professionals use?: No. Second-generation anticoagulants are not sold to retail consumers, and consumer bait must come in a bait station in block or solid form.
How do I look up a license?: Download the current license reports from the Texas Department of Agriculture's Structural Pest Control Reports page and search for the business or person.