Which treatment fits which termite
UC IPM names the subterranean termite as California's most important termite pest. It nests in soil and reaches wood through earthen shelter tubes. The western drywood termite ranks second, with colonies that usually hold fewer than 1,000 individuals and take years to mature, and the sighting UC IPM gives is daytime swarmers in summer and fall.
The Board's brochure says fumigation isn't always required for drywood termites or wood-boring beetles. A local application can treat a small infested area but won't eradicate hidden infestations elsewhere, and subterranean termites need their own treatment, a barrier between the structure and the ground nest.
What termite treatment costs in California
Our estimate for termite treatment in California is $245 to $1,875 per treatment. Two national ranges sit behind it, adjusted by California's pest control wage ratio of 1.09, and it's an estimate, not a quote.
No California company price for termite work is in our count. Ask whether the price covers the whole structure or one local area, and what the notice of completed work will list as not done.
| Item | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range, not a quote | $245 to $1,875 per treatment | Built from 2 national published ranges, 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 | Wage figure from BLS, May 2025; it measures pay, while the treatment price is the company's. |
| State fee, Field Representative license | $45 to license, $45 to renew | The person pays the Board this fee; no line on your bill adds it. In force since July 1, 2025. |
| Board filing fee, each inspection or completed work | $5 per activity | Filed by the company through the Board's online system for each inspection or completed job. |
Estimated range. Built from national published ranges (2 sources), 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.
Swarmers, do-it-yourself products and carpenter ants
UC IPM says do-it-yourself termite pesticides are generally not effective and that the products drywood control needs aren't available to the public. It recommends inspections every 3 to 5 years to catch an infestation before it becomes damaging.
Carpenter ants excavate wood to nest and don't consume it the way termites do, and they're particularly common in forested foothill and mountain communities, according to UC IPM. A winged insect you can't name should be photographed first, and the ants and roaches page covers the other candidates.
Whole-house claims worth questioning
A Board fact sheet dated July 1998 says spot and local methods, including pesticides, electric current, extreme cold, localized heat and microwave, aren't designed for whole-house eradication. It says a company claiming whole-house results from them "is guilty of false advertising and should be reported," and that whole-house eradication of drywood termites is by fumigation or heat. Ask the company what its method covers and where it stops.
What the inspection and the contract put in your hands
B&P 8516(b) bars a registered company from starting work on a contract, or issuing a document on whether wood destroying pests are present, until a Branch 3 field representative or operator employed by the company has inspected. The written report goes to the requester and the owner within 10 business days of the start of the inspection and before any work starts. Before contracting, the company must also give you the Board's Notice to Owner on mechanics lien rights under B&P 8513.
When the work is finished, B&P 8518 requires a notice within 10 business days listing the work completed and not completed, with the cost of the completed work and the estimated cost of the rest.
Does a termite find need a same-day call
- Live swarmers or fresh damage in wood: photograph them and book an inspection, since UC IPM says a professional inspection is usually needed to confirm an infestation.
- One swarm of winged insects, which UC IPM says doesn't always mean the home is infested.
- Wood you suspect that shows no shelter tubes, holes or live insects.
Steps before the inspection
- Photograph the insects or the damage with a coin beside it.
- Write down the room, the date and whether the spot touches soil.
- Put a few swarmers in a sealed container for the inspector.
- Skip the consumer termite products, which UC IPM calls generally not effective.
- Ask for the written report before you agree to any work.
Registration and branches for termite work
Branch 3 of the Board's licensing covers wood destroying pests or organisms by insecticides or structural repairs and corrections, excluding fumigation, and Branch 1 covers fumigation. A registered company needs a Qualifying Manager who is a licensed Operator in each branch it's registered in, so ask which branches the company holds. Ask also who inspected your house, because B&P 8516(b) names a Branch 3 field representative or operator employed by the company.
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 do you get rid of termites in California?
It depends on the termite: subterranean termites need a barrier between the structure and the ground nest, while drywood termites may take a local application or fumigation. The Board's brochure says fumigation isn't always required for drywood termites, and that a local treatment won't eradicate hidden infestations elsewhere. UC IPM says the products needed for control aren't available to the public.
Are there termites in California?
Yes: UC IPM names the subterranean termite and the western drywood termite as the two main pests. The drywood termite is the second most important, and its swarmers are usually seen in daytime in summer and fall.
Will a buyer's lender want a termite report in California?
Most lending institutions require an inspection for wood destroying pests and organisms before financing a home loan, the Board says. You can search any California address in the Board's database to see whether an inspection was filed in the last two years.
Which Board branch should a California termite company hold?
Branch 3 for the inspection and for work without fumigation, since B&P 8516(b) has a Branch 3 field representative or operator of a registered company inspect first. Fumigation falls under Branch 1. Search the company by name or number in the Department of Consumer Affairs license search.
Is it a termite or a flying ant?
UC IPM says swarmers alone don't prove an infestation, so let the inspector identify the insect. Carpenter ants excavate wood to nest and don't eat it. Keep a few of the winged insects in a sealed container and photograph them for the inspection.
What does termite work cost in California?
About $245 to $1,875 per treatment by our model, which is an estimate and not a quote. That span comes from national ranges adjusted for California pay. Ask each company whether the price covers a local area or the whole structure.
- 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.
- UC IPM Pest Notes: Termites (pn7415) Read Oct 20, 2026.
- UC IPM Pest Notes: Drywood termites (pn7440) Read Oct 20, 2026.
- SPCB brochure: Fumigation Read Oct 20, 2026.
- SPCB fact sheet: Exterminating Termites (1998) Read Oct 20, 2026.
- UC IPM Pest Notes: Carpenter ants (pn7416) Read Oct 20, 2026.
- SPCB: How do I become a licensee (three branches); B&P 8560 Read Oct 20, 2026.
- B&P 8516 Read Oct 20, 2026.
- B&P 8513 Read Oct 20, 2026.
- B&P 8518 Read Oct 20, 2026.
- SPCB: How do I start a pest control company Read Oct 20, 2026.
- SPCB: WDO property search; How do I search for termite inspection information Read Oct 20, 2026.
- SPCB: Search for a licence (DCA License Search); search.dca.ca.gov tested Read Oct 20, 2026.