Paid removal and the owner exemption
Section 482.211 exempts pest control done by a person on his or her own individual residential property. A yard worker applying the homeowner's own pesticide from a handheld container is exempt too, as long as that person doesn't advertise or hold out as being in pest control.
A business that advertises nest removal falls outside both exemptions. Section 482.071 makes operating without a business license unlawful, and s. 482.165 lets FDACS issue a cease and desist and fine an unlicensed operator at least twice the cost of a business license, even on a first offense.
Wasp and bee removal cost in Florida: what our model says
Our estimate for a wasp or bee job in Florida is $105 to $1,150 per job, and it is not a quote. It rests on one national source, widened 15 percent each side and scaled by Florida's wage ratio of 0.99.
No Florida company wasp or bee price was counted. Ask whether the price covers one nest or several, the pesticide used and any follow-up visit.
| Item | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range, not a quote | $105 to $1,150 per job | Built from one national published range, adjusted by the Florida pest control worker wage ratio (0.99). Four Florida pest control companies publish a price we could count on their own websites; where five or more price the same job, the range is the middle half of their prices, and where two to four do, the estimate is widened to take them in. Coupons, specials and figures a page gives as an average are not counted. Basis: no state company sample (no counted Florida company price for this job), national estimate only. |
| Pest control pay, Florida | $22.15 an hour | Florida mean pay for pest control workers (BLS, May 2025), not a nest removal price. |
Estimated range. Built from national published ranges (1 source), adjusted by Florida's pest control worker wage ratio to the US (0.99, BLS May 2025), with no permit fee added because pest control has no city permit. Not a quote. Four Florida pest control companies publish a price we could count on their own websites; where five or more price the same job, the range is the middle half of their prices, and where two to four do, the estimate is widened to take them in. Coupons, specials and figures a page gives as an average are not counted. We have no counted Florida company price for this job, so the range is our national estimate alone. Full method. Prices as of Oct 24, 2026.
Bee colonies have a rule of their own
Chapter 5E-14 of the Florida Administrative Code lists rule 5E-14.151, titled Removal and Relocation of Bees. If a company takes bee work, ask it whether it follows that rule.
Chapter 482's four operator categories (general household, lawn and ornamental, termites and other wood-destroying organisms, and fumigation) don't name wasps or bees, so ask which certificate the company's operator in charge holds.
What a company owes you at the door
On request a company gives you its business name, the identification card number of the person applying, the common or brand name of the pesticide and its active ingredient, and label safety information. Employees applying pesticide carry an identification card with a photograph, and the card is issued after at least 5 days of field training under a certified operator.
If the treatment is on a lawn or exterior foliage, the company also posts a notice at least 4 by 5 inches naming the business, and a person on FDACS's prior-notification registry must be warned 24 hours ahead.
Is a nest a same-day call?
- A person who is having an allergic reaction to stings should call 911.
- A nest away from doors and walkways while you compare bids.
- Asking a company about the bee relocation rule.
Steps before the visit
- Photograph the nest from a distance, with something in frame for scale.
- Write down where it is and when you first saw it.
- Ask what insect the company found and what it will use.
- Ask for the pesticide's name and active ingredient.
- Ask whether the price covers one nest or every nest on the property.
License rules for nest removal
A company treating nests for hire holds an FDACS business license for its location, with a certified operator in charge and identification cards for its employees. A city or county may charge it a local business tax receipt but issues no pest control license, because s. 482.242 reserves pest control regulation to the state. Ask for the license number and the operator's name.
Ask for the company's FDACS business license number and the name of its certified operator in charge, and check the license with FDACS before any work starts.
Questions people ask
What does it cost to have a wasp nest removed in Florida?
The model gives $105 to $1,150 per job, which is an estimate, not a quote. The model widens one national source by 15 percent each side. Ask what the price covers.
Is it legal to deal with a wasp nest on my own Florida property?
Yes on your own residential property: s. 482.211 exempts a person doing pest control there. The exemption is for work on your own home. A person who advertises pest control is not covered.
Does a company need a license to remove bees?
A company treating or removing nests for hire is doing pest control and needs an FDACS business license. The licensing chapter also has a bee rule, 5E-14.151 (Removal and Relocation of Bees).
What do I do about a sting reaction?
Call 911 if someone is having an allergic reaction. This page gives no other medical advice.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Pest Control Workers (SOC 37-2021), Florida, mean hourly wage Read Oct 24, 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, Florida (editorial policy) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida Statutes 2026 (Online Sunshine), chapter 482 Pest Control, page header "The 2026 Florida Statutes", s. 482.211 Read Oct 24, 2026.