Pest control course

Step 1 of 8

• General BC secondary school curriculum and coursework at the Grade 11 level.

Step 2 of 8

• Minimum age: 16
• Who needs a Structural certificate
• High school completion (employer expectation)
• Alternative first step: assistant applicator

Step 3 of 8

• Minimum 18 years of age (Integrated Pest Management Regulation)
• Study of BC structural pest control core and category manuals

Step 4 of 8

• Purchase the Structural Pest Control Applicator study manual from Crown Publications
• Complete optional exam preparation training through an industry association or college
• Register for an official examination sitting with Service BC
• Pay the provincial licensing exam fee of $90 CAD

Step 5 of 8

• In-depth study of the BC Integrated Pest Management Act and Environmental Management Act
• Pesticide safety, chemical handling, emergency spill response, and personal protective equipment
• Identification and biology of rodents, bedbugs, cockroaches, ants, and structural pests
• Calculation of chemical application rates and bait station placement strategies
• Canadian Pesticide Education Program Applicator Core Manual, British Columbia Edition (2011), 388 pages. The core manual is shared by five categories (Forestry, Fumigation, Industrial Vegetation and Noxious Weed, Landscape and Structural) and must be paired with category-specific materials. Crown Publications lists it at $48.94 per copy (printed on demand, non-returnable).
• The Structural category booklet, 244 pages. Crown Publications sells the 2022 edition at $33.58 (September 2026), printed on demand and non-returnable; it describes the booklet as one of the three required study materials for the Structural exam.. not yet verified
• A 116-page manual written to help structural pest control operators in B.C. use an integrated pest management approach, with IPM programs for pests such as carpenter ants, cockroaches, fleas, rodents, stored-product pests, termites, and silverfish. Crown Publications lists it at $21.00 (September 2026).
• Printed study materials are ordered online from Crown Publications (the King’s Printer bookstore) and paid by credit card. Crown Publications has a "Structural Applicator: General" package grouping the Structural – Integrated Pest Management materials. (A separate listing exists for Structural – Wood Preservation).

Step 6 of 8

• BC Ministry of Environment / Open School BC — 2–3 weeks (Not published)

Step 7 of 8

• BC Ministry of Environment Structural Pesticide Applicator 3-hour certification exam (75% for 5-year certificate; 60% for 1-year certificate)
• Contact Service BC by phone at 1-866-205-2102 (Mon–Fri, 9:00 am–4:30 pm Pacific) or by email at PesticideAdmin@gov.bc.ca. You choose where to write: a Service BC office, a government office, a recognized post-secondary institution, or an approved invigilator. If you do not write within 60 days of the exam arriving at the test location, it is returned and the fee is forfeited.
• The fee to write an exam is $90 (as listed September 2026) and is non-refundable. Independent trainers and private invigilators may charge additional proctoring fees of their own.
• The Structural – General exam is 3 hours and strictly open book. Bring valid government-issued photo ID (such as a driver’s licence), your physical printed study manuals, and a non-programmable basic calculator. Phones and other electronic devices are strictly prohibited. Results take up to 3 weeks.
• A mark of 75% and above earns a certificate valid for 5 years. A mark of 60%–74% earns a certificate valid for 1 year. A mark of 59% and below earns no certificate. Results normally take up to 3 weeks to process.
• If you hold a valid 5-year Structural certificate from another Canadian province, you can write the 1-hour IPM Act and Regulation – Landscape/Structural exam after reading reciprocity materials. You need at least 75% on it. The BC certificate is then valid for 5 years from the date your original out-of-province certificate was issued.
• Scoring 75% or higher on the provincial exam earns a 5-year certificate. Only 5-year certificate holders can renew by collecting continuing education credits (CECs) over the 5-year term instead of rewriting the exam.
• Scoring 60%–74% earns a 1-year certificate. The continuing education credit renewal option is restricted to 5-year certificate holders, so a 1-year certificate holder recertifies by rewriting the exam ($90 fee).
• Once your certificate expires you must recertify to keep using pesticides in B.C. All certificate holders can recertify by writing the exam again; the fee is $90. Arrange it through Service BC (1-866-205-2102 or PesticideAdmin@gov.bc.ca).
• If you hold a 5-year certificate you can recertify by collecting 20 continuing education credits (CECs) over 5 years, with at least 3 credits in each of Pest Management, Application Technology, and Human Health / Pesticide Safety. The fee is $25. For the Structural category the credit program is managed by SPMABC (info@spmabc.com). Credits must be earned in at least 4 of the 5 years.
• Pest control service providers contracted by a land owner or manager need a licence, not just a certified employee. A person or company providing a service for a fee using a non-excluded pesticide needs a Pesticide User Service Licence ($250/yr for 1 address, $500 for 2–3 addresses, $1,000 for 4+). To qualify, the business must employ a certified applicator, hold commercial general liability insurance, and file an annual pesticide use summary report.

Step 8 of 8

• Explore Pest Control Technician wages, job outlook, and career pathways