ARTICLE 3. Application of the Chapter [8550. - 8557.]

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC 3.

in effect

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 8550. Section 8550.

(a) It is unlawful for any person to advertise, to engage in, or offer to engage in the business or practice of structural pest control, as defined in Section 8505, unless he or she is licensed under this chapter. (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), an unlicensed person may solicit pest control work on behalf of a structural pest control company only if the company is registered pursuant to this chapter, and the unlicensed individual does not perform or offer to perform any act for which an operator, field representative, or applicator license is required pursuant to this chapter. As used in this subdivision, to “solicit pest control work” means to introduce consumers to a registered company and the services it provides, to distribute advertising literature, and to set appointments on behalf of a licensed operator or field representative. (c) It is unlawful for an unlicensed person, soliciting pest control work on behalf of a registered structural pest control company pursuant to subdivision (b), to perform or offer to perform any act for which an operator, field representative, or applicator license is required, including, but not limited to, performing or offering pest control evaluations or inspections, pest identification, making any claims of pest control safety or pest control efficacy, or to offer price quotes other than what is provided and printed on the company advertising or literature, or both. (d) It is also unlawful for any unlicensed person to offer any opinion, or to make any recommendations, concerning the need for structural pest control work in general, or in connection with a particular structure. (e) It is unlawful for any firm, sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, association, or other organization or combination thereof to engage or offer to engage in the practice of structural pest control, unless registered in accordance with Article 6 (commencing with Section 8610).

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 8551. Section 8551.

It is unlawful for any unlicensed person to perform fumigation with dangerous or lethal fumigating chemicals in any public structure, including rooming houses, or households when used as public structures, hotels, apartment houses, or any part thereof.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 8551.5. Section 8551.5.

Except as provided in this chapter, an unlicensed individual in the employ of a registered company shall not apply any pesticides included in Branch 2 or Branch 3. However, an individual may, for 90 days from the date of employment, apply pesticides for the purposes of training under the direct supervision of a licensed field representative or operator employed by the company. This direct supervision means in the presence of the licensed field representative or operator at all times. The 90-day time period may not be extended.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 8552. Section 8552.

It is unlawful for any person to advertise or represent in any manner that any pest control work, in whole or in part, has been done upon any structure, unless the work has been performed by a registered company, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 8553. Section 8553.

Any person who violates any provision of this chapter, or who conspires with another person to violate any provision of this chapter, is guilty of a misdemeanor, and is punishable by a fine of not less than fifty dollars ($50) nor more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 8554. Section 8554.

No individual engaged in the business or acting in the capacity of an operator may bring or maintain an action in any court of this state for the collection of compensation for the performance of any act or contract without alleging and proving that he or she was a duly licensed operator at all times during the performance of such act or contract. No firm, partnership, corporation, association or other organization or combination thereof engaged in the practice of structural pest control may bring or maintain an action in any court of this state for the collection of compensation for the performance of any act or contract without alleging and proving that it was a duly registered company at all times during the performance of the act or contract. Nothing herein shall prohibit the bringing or maintaining an action for the collection of compensation in the event of a suspension or revocation of a license or company registration by the board, if the order of suspension or revocation authorized the performance of the act or work, compensation for which the action is brought or maintained.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 8555. Section 8555.

This chapter does not apply to: (a) Public utilities operating under the regulations of the Public Utilities Commission, except to work performed upon property of the utilities not subject to the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Commission or work done by the utility for hire. (b) Persons engaged only in agricultural pest control work under permit or license by the Department of Pesticide Regulation or a county agricultural commissioner. (c) Pest control performed by persons upon property that they own, lease or rent, except that the persons shall be subject to the limitations imposed by Article 3 of this chapter. (d) Governmental agencies, state, federal, city, or county officials, and their employees while officially engaged. (e) Authorized representatives of an educational institution or state or federal agency engaged in research or study of pest control, or engaged in investigation or preparation for expert opinion or testimony. A professional engaging in research, study, investigation, or preparation for expert opinion or testimony on his or her own behalf shall comply with the requirements of this chapter. (f) Certified architects and registered civil engineers, acting solely within their professional capacity, except that they shall be subject to the limitations imposed by Article 3 of this chapter. (g) Persons engaged in the live capture and removal or exclusion of vertebrate pests, bees, or wasps from a structure without the use of pesticides, provided those persons maintain insurance coverage as described in Section 8692. “Vertebrate pests” include, but are not limited to, bats, raccoons, skunks, and squirrels, but do not include mice, rats, or pigeons. This section does not exempt a person from the provisions of Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 2050) of Division 3 of the Fish and Game Code.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 8556. Section 8556.

(a) Licensed contractors acting in their capacity as such, may remove and replace any structure or portions of a structure damaged by wood destroying pests or organisms if that work is incidental to other work being performed on the structure involved or if that work has been identified by a structural pest control inspection report. Licensed contractors acting in their capacity as such may apply wood preservatives directly to end cuts and drill holes of pressure treated wood, and to foundation wood as required by building codes, as well as to fencing and decking, by brush, dip, or spray method and need not obtain a license under this chapter for performance of that work, provided a disclosure in the following form is submitted to the customer in writing: “The application of a wood preservative is intended to prevent the establishment and flourishing of organisms which can deteriorate wood. If you suspect pest infestation or infection, contact a registered structural pest control company prior to the application of a wood preservative.” These exemptions do not authorize the performance of any other acts defined in Section 8505. (b) A licensed contractor may contract for the performance of any soil treatment pest control work to eliminate, exterminate, control, or prevent infestations or infections of pests or organisms in the ground beneath or adjacent to any existing building or structure or in or upon any site upon which any building or structure is to be constructed, but the actual performance of any such work must be done by a registered structural pest control company.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 8557. Section 8557.

No city, county, or city and county shall prohibit a person or group of persons, authorized by the board by a license, certificate, or other such means under this chapter to engage in a particular business, from engaging in that business, occupation, or profession or any portion thereof as authorized in this chapter.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026