What fumigation covers
The Board defines Branch 1 as control of household and wood destroying pests by fumigation with poisonous or lethal gases. Its brochure says fumigation isn't always required for drywood termites or wood-boring beetles, because a local application can treat a small infested area.
Drywood termites can live up to a week after a lethal dose, the brochure says, and reinfestation can occur. Subterranean termites need a separate treatment, a barrier between the structure and the ground nest, so ask whether a fumigation quote covers them.
What fumigation costs in California
Our estimate for a whole-home fumigation in California is $1,850 to $9,975 per home, about 2,000 square feet, and the table adds a per-square-foot estimate. The per-square-foot figure and the whole-home figure come from one national range that California's pest control wage ratio of 1.09 adjusts, and neither is a quote.
No California company price for fumigation is in our count. Ask what the price includes for the warning agent, the notices and a second visit if drywood termites remain.
| Item | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range, not a quote | $1,850 to $9,975 per home, about 2,000 square feet | Built from one national published range, adjusted by the California pest control worker wage ratio (1.09). Five California companies (Sacramento and Fresno) advertise a starting monthly plan price and one prices a one-time treatment, but the units differ company to company, so no company price anchors a plan estimate. One company prints a regular price for a one-time treatment, too few to move that estimate. Basis: no state company sample (no counted California company price for this job), national estimate only. |
| Estimated range per square foot, not a quote | $1 to $5 per square foot | Built from one national published range, adjusted by the California pest control worker wage ratio (1.09). Five California companies (Sacramento and Fresno) advertise a starting monthly plan price and one prices a one-time treatment, but the units differ company to company, so no company price anchors a plan estimate. One company prints a regular price for a one-time treatment, too few to move that estimate. Basis: no state company sample (no counted California company price for this job), national estimate only. |
| Pest control worker wage, California mean | $24.21 an hour | Worker pay from BLS for May 2025, unrelated to the fumigation price itself. |
| State fee, Operator license | $150 to license, $150 to renew | Charged to the person who holds the license, not to you. In force from July 1, 2025. |
| County fee, fumigation in Los Angeles, Orange and Santa Clara counties | $8 per location | Paid by the company to the county agricultural commissioner; repealed as of January 1, 2029. |
| Minimum liability insurance, registered company | $500,000 injury plus $500,000 property | Under B&P 8692 these are two limits of $500,000, one for bodily injury and one for property loss. |
Estimated range. Built from national published ranges (1 source), adjusted by California's pest control worker wage ratio to the US (1.09, BLS May 2025), with no permit fee added because pest control has no city permit. Not a quote. Five California companies (Sacramento and Fresno) advertise a starting monthly plan price and one prices a one-time treatment, but the units differ company to company, so no company price anchors a plan estimate. One company prints a regular price for a one-time treatment, too few to move that estimate. We have no counted California company price for this job, so the range is our national estimate alone. Full method. Prices as of Oct 23, 2026.
Who may run a fumigation in California
A fumigation business needs a registered company with a Qualifying Manager who is a licensed Operator in Branch 1 (B&P 8506.2). The Board's licensees are Applicators, Field Representatives and Operators, and the Board says each may work only for a registered company. Applicators are licensed in Branch 2 and Branch 3 only, so ask who the Branch 1 person on your job is.
Notices owed before the gas goes in
B&P 8505.5 requires the fumigator to tell the local fire department the date, place and chemicals not less than two hours before fumigation begins, with no fee, and to notify the county agricultural commissioner at least 24 hours before. B&P 8505.13 makes the company keep a log of every fumigation job for at least three years. The commissioner is where the Board points fumigation questions.
In Los Angeles, Orange and Santa Clara counties a company pays the commissioner $8 per fumigation location under B&P 8698.1, due by the 10th of the following month, and that provision is repealed as of January 1, 2029.
The warning agent, the sign and re-entry
Structural fumigants are odorless, so a warning agent, chloropicrin, is released. A sign naming the licensee, the date and the fumigant must be posted permanently in the attic or subarea, a rule in law since 1961.
Re-entry follows the fumigant label and the company's clearance process. Ask for the required steps in writing and who confirms the structure is safe to re-enter. A Board advisory says notice rules changed January 1, 2025: pre- and post-application requirements differ by branch, and an authorized post-application notice may be emailed, except after an interior application in a multi-unit residential building, when written notice must be left at the unit door.
The paperwork after fumigation
When a Branch 3 report finds a wood destroying organism that fumigation can eradicate and a Branch 1 company fumigates, B&P 8519.5 has the Branch 1 company send the Branch 3 company a certification with the address, date and target pest within five working days. Ask the Branch 3 company for a copy.
Fumigation: what can wait
- Flu-like symptoms within 24 hours of the fumigation: call your physician or poison control and the company, as the B&P 8538 notice says, then report it on DPR's 1-87PestLine, 1-877-378-5463.
- Choosing between fumigation and a local treatment after an inspection.
Before the fumigation
- Ask who the Branch 1 person on the job is.
- Ask when the fire department and the county agricultural commissioner will be notified.
- Ask what the company needs you to remove, since the brochure says people, pets and plants must be out.
- Ask where the permanent sign will be posted.
- Ask for the clearance steps and who signs off.
Registration and notices for fumigation
Branch 1 is the Board's fumigation branch, and a registered company needs a Qualifying Manager who is a licensed Operator in that branch. A company must carry at least $500,000 in liability insurance for bodily injury and $500,000 for property damage per loss, and a $12,500 bond. Ask for the registration number and the branches it covers.
Ask for the company's state pesticide business license number and the applicator's name, and look both up with your state's pesticide regulator before any work starts.
Questions people ask
How long does fumigation take in California?
The Board's brochure says from six hours to one week. People, pets and plants must be out for that time. Ask the company for the label's clearance steps and who decides when you can go back in.
Is fumigation safe for people in California?
Structural fumigants are odorless, so a warning agent, chloropicrin, is released, and people, pets and plants must be out. EPA lists sulfuryl fluoride as a restricted use pesticide and the only structural fumigant with residential uses.
What does fumigation treat?
The Board's Branch 1 covers household and wood destroying pests by fumigation with poisonous or lethal gases. Fumigation isn't always required for drywood termites or wood-boring beetles.
Which California companies can tent and fumigate a house?
A company registered with the Board with a Branch 1 Qualifying Manager who is a licensed Operator. Look the company up in the Department of Consumer Affairs license search, and ask who the Branch 1 person on your job is.
Will one fumigation clear out every pest?
Not necessarily: drywood termites can live up to a week after a lethal dose and reinfestation can occur. Subterranean termites need their own treatment, so a quote for fumigation alone doesn't cover them.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Pest Control Workers (SOC 37-2021), California, mean hourly wage Read Oct 23, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Pest Control Workers (SOC 37-2021), United States, mean hourly wage Read Oct 23, 2026.
- PestControlMatch: how we estimate costs, California (editorial policy) Read Oct 23, 2026.
- SPCB industry advisory: fee changes effective July 1, 2025 Read Oct 20, 2026.
- B&P 8698, 8698.1 Read Oct 20, 2026.
- B&P 8692; SPCB: start a pest control company Read Oct 20, 2026.
- SPCB: How do I become a licensee (three branches); B&P 8560 Read Oct 20, 2026.
- SPCB brochure: Fumigation Read Oct 20, 2026.
- B&P 8505.5, 8505.13 Read Oct 20, 2026.
- EPA: Sulfuryl fluoride Read Oct 20, 2026.
- SPCB industry advisory: pesticide application notices (2025) Read Oct 20, 2026.
- B&P 8519.5 Read Oct 20, 2026.
- DPR: Report a pesticide incident; B&P 8538 Read Oct 20, 2026.
- B&P 8538 Read Oct 20, 2026.
- SPCB: How do I start a pest control company Read Oct 20, 2026.
- B&P 8697 Read Oct 20, 2026.
- SPCB: Search for a licence (DCA License Search); search.dca.ca.gov tested Read Oct 20, 2026.