How does one become a pest control operator, or "exterminator"?
Asked by Christopher Poe
I live in Florida. Is it as simple as getting a job with an experienced operator and learning the trade, or do I need to get licensed? How do I go about doing this?

Best Answer:
you can do it 2 ways. in both cases, you will need to get a licence to do it. every state requres a licence, and every state has a different requrement for it. im located in CA , and there are different licences for everything.much like drivers licences. i've been told for example, in oregon,there is only one class licence. generaly the pest board ,which will issue any guidelines to the pest companies, is governed by the agricultural department. do a simple web search, on either one, and you will get a lot more curent info. a web site which is almost a "must read" is : pest-web.com. 1st way is to get licenced yourself,and then look for a job, as a lot of companies will hire only licenced folks. those tend to be the smaller companies normaly. you can get a licence,by going to the local county office,and checking to see where,when,and how much it will cost you to do it. here , in CA ,to get the most simple licence,doesnt cost much. costed my company about $15-20 (as of 2004). if you fail the exam,you are allowed to take it again. again,in similar fashion like an ordinary drivers licence. have in mind,that there is a requarement,that,in order to get a licence, when you pass the exam,you will need to get a "live scan". at least thats how its in CA. live scan is,basicaly fingerprinting you digitaly,and geting some basic info,like full name,ect. 2nd way to get a licence is, the way i did. a lot of companies will train and teach you ,untill you are ready to get the exam. have in mind, that in CA , to get the licence, you will need to have certain # of hours experience. i would asume, that this is valid in most other states too. you gain the experience, by working for the company,and generaly they will buddy you up,with an experienced tech. who will work with you in the field. so, in short ,you can get the licence yourself,or find a company who is willing to help you do it. few thoughts in general.... every state has its own laws regarding operators,licences,and chemicals. make sure that you arent planning to move any time soon,otherwise you would have to start all over again.many chemicals arent allowed in every state, so , what you will be learning, will pertain to the state you will be licenced in. i already mentioned pest-web.com. you can find pest companies's web sites , like orkin's ,terminex, ect. a lot of time, they would have some usefull info,as well as job oppenings,and requarements for them. even if you arent sure, book an interview. you loose nothing by going to it,and you will find out for sure whats what. whether you start geting experience, either with a company, or by yourself, i would sujest ,safety first ! dont forget,you will be woprking with chemicals. some are as strong as windex,but others are 10,20 or more times stronger.it may take some time to get used to working with gloves,and or a respirator .those 2 are standart work gear for any pest tech. most companies will want you to work in full uniform,which also includes long sleeve shirt. you mentioned you live in florida. make sure you can work wearing full size pants,long sleeve shirt ,a respirator,gloves,and most likely booths,at the same time, while working in the daylight,while its hot (and humid in your case).while that may seem hard to bare at first, it takes a short time to get used to it. no mather what you do, always follow pest guidelines,set by your state. if you do not,and you get cought,worst case scenario is, that will be doing jail time. pesticides fall under restricted products generaly,and every state is strict and specific about it. i laready mentioned safety first.make sure your gear (respirator,ect) is always functioning properly. after all , you work with chemicals, and improper use , may cause to get sick. i've never personaly heard of anyone geting seriously ill , but its a posibility. much like , if you arent driving safely :) . such job isnt for everyone. make sure you are comfortable with removing dead rats,birds,ect,from people's atticks or basements. also,forget what you know, or think you know, from friends,media,ect. more then 9 out of 10 cases, the info you will get from "conventional" resourse will be untrue. for example, using the so called electronic pest "repelant" devices you see advertized on tv.any ppro will die laughing if you mention one. if you arent at least a little bit of a "people's person" you may have hard time, since you will be interacting non stop with cutomers,and each one of them have their own needs,wants,and ideas about it. thats about it. make sure you visit pest-web . com.know that if you want o be licenced, you will have to submit extensive info ,not just presenting your ID to a future employer. most likely , you will be requared to undergo physical and drug tests on reg basis.
licenced in state of California,and working as an experminator for 4 years.
Answered by none n

apply for a job a rentakill.
Answered by oli

find an experienced owner possible become his full time or part time helper. and get certified - licensed.
Answered by michaelwhite126