Ann Arbor particulars
Ann Arbor's police animal control, working with the Humane Society of Huron Valley at 734-662-5585, says it does not remove skunks or bats and tells residents to find a private pest control service. For a bat, though, the order matters. If there was contact, or one was in a room with someone asleep, call the county health office first, because DNR treats that as a potential rabies exposure. The city's IPM page covers lawn and garden practices, not houses.
Washtenaw County's health topics include pages for mosquitoes, Lyme and ticks, bed bugs and a Fight the Bite page, though we cannot say what most of those pages tell you, so ask the county health department. MDHHS's October 16, 2026 summary lists Washtenaw County among those with West Nile-positive mosquito pools and one Jamestown Canyon-positive pool. Ann Arbor has 121,179 residents, 64.3 percent of homes built before 1980 and a median home value of $435,100 (Census ACS 2023).
At that value, read the seller disclosure's question about termite and carpenter ant history closely. Applicators are licensed by MDARD under MCL 324.8328, not by the city. Ypsilanti, 6.0 miles away, shares the county.
Termites in Ann Arbor: what to know
Ann Arbor's 121,179 residents live in a city where 64.3 percent of homes were built before 1980 (Census ACS 2023). Four routes are approved, according to the EPA: liquid termiticides applied to the soil, baits, treated building materials and wood treatments. It adds that poor barrier treatments can contaminate the home and drinking water wells. That last point is why the method matters on a high-value house.
The proposal should say if it is a barrier or a bait, what area it covers and how any well will be protected. Under the honesty rule, MCL 324.8313(12), the recommendation has to rest on a pest that is present or likely, so ask to be shown it.
Permits for termites in Ann Arbor
Ask for the company's business license number and the name of the certified applicator in category 7B.
Many cities run their own building department, so start by asking the City of Ann Arbor building department who issues pest control permits.
Is a termite find an emergency
- Nothing about termites needs a 911 call or a same-night visit. Book an inspection as soon as you have photographed the insects or the damage.
- Winged insects you have photographed and are unsure about.
- Old, dark wood with no holes, trails or live insects.
What to do before the inspection
Try this first: request one written proposal that puts the method, the area and the return terms side by side.
- Photograph the insects or the damage, with a coin beside them.
- Note where it was, the date, and if the spot is damp or touches soil.
- Check gutters and downspouts and the grade next to the foundation.
- Ask the company for its business license number and the applicator's name.
- Ask what method it proposes and what the contract says about a return.
What termites cost
The estimate below is the Michigan-wide one, adjusted for Michigan wages and not for Ann Arbor in particular. The same table is on the termites page. How we estimate costs. Prices as of Oct 19, 2026.
| Item | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range, not a quote | $225 to $1,700 per treatment | Built from 2 national published ranges, adjusted by the Michigan pest control worker median wage ratio (0.98). No Michigan pest control company price is shown, because none of the companies we looked at published a regular price. |
| Pest control worker wage, Michigan median | $21.38 an hour | What pest control workers are paid (O*NET republishing BLS, May 2025), not what you are charged. Percentile data, not re-checked against the BLS table. |
| State fee, certified commercial applicator | $75 | Paid by the person, not added to your bill as a line. Michigan statute and MDARD agree. |
| State fee, pesticide application business license | $100 a year, expires every December 31 | Every company that applies pesticides for hire needs one, in addition to its applicators' credentials. |
How we estimate costs: the Estimated range row is a model, not a quote. It takes two published national ranges for this job (cost guides from third-party sites that we have not verified and do not cite) and multiplies them by Michigan's pest control worker median wage ratio to the US (0.98, BLS May 2025 data read through O*NET OnLine). The wage and state fee rows in the table are what pest control workers are paid and what the state charges to license them, and neither is a price. We have not collected quotes, and we found no Michigan pest control company that publishes a regular price. Full method.
Questions about termites
How do you get rid of termites fast in Michigan?
There is no do-it-yourself fast fix that the EPA supports. It says termite treatment can only be properly performed by a trained pest management professional, using soil termiticides, baits, treated materials or wood treatments. Ask what is proposed and why.
Are there termites in Michigan?
Yes, the eastern subterranean termite is the species most often found in the state, according to a 1973 paper (we have only its abstract), so treat the species detail as dated. No current county-by-county termite map is available for us to point you to.
Does Michigan require a termite inspection to sell a house?
No Michigan rule we can cite requires one. Under HUD's handbook (its footers carry 2019 dates, so check the live version), an FHA appraisal can be made subject to an inspection when the appraiser sees evidence of infestation, and the Michigan seller disclosure asks about past infestations. The inspection guide has the details.