Ag Commissioner Warns About Unlicensed Pest Control Persons

December 26, 2011

Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner Marilyn Kinoshita announced today residents should be aware of pest control companies or persons who aren’t properly licensed.

Per State law, pest control businesses must register with the County Agricultural Commissioner where work is performed. The Tulare County Ag Commissioner’s Office investigates violations of the Structural Pest Control Act and related laws and regulations and uses administrative civil penalty actions when violations are found.

“Since serious health risks can arise from the improper use of pesticides indoors, there are stringent regulations for licensing, examining, training, and professional practice standards,” Kinoshita said. “Always ask to see proper certification before agreeing to service.”

Kinoshita said the public can visit http://www.pestboard.ca.gov/license.shtml to check to see if a pest control company is licensed.

“Every year more people experience pests that are brought home after vacation trips or from visiting friends and relatives,” Kinoshita said. “We have become a very mobile society, and rapid movement of pests from place to place through human activity has become quite common. Effective control of pests is also rather difficult, and it takes someone with licensed training.”