Why bed bugs call for a company
AgriLife Extension's bed bug page says bed bugs are making a comeback. It links a do-it-yourself guide, ENT-3012, and a guide to selecting a bed bug control provider, and for multi-family settings it says a manager-coordinated bed bug control effort using a pest control company is generally needed.
TDA's Pest control category names examples such as roaches, ants, flies, mosquitoes, rats and mice. Ask any company which category it works under and what it plans to do in your unit.
Bed bug treatment in Texas: our estimate
Our estimate for treating a whole home for bed bugs in Texas is $1,900 to $5,125 per home, and the table adds a per-room estimate. Both share one national range, widened 15 percent each side and adjusted for Texas pay with the ratio of 0.89; neither is a quote.
The estimate rests on national figures alone. Ask how many visits the price covers, what preparation you do and what the company does if live bugs turn up after the last visit.
| Item | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range, not a quote | $1,900 to $5,125 per home | Built from one national published range, adjusted by the Texas pest control worker wage ratio (0.89). Four Texas 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 Texas company price for this job), national estimate only. |
| Estimated range per room, not a quote | $225 to $515 per room | Built from one national published range, adjusted by the Texas pest control worker wage ratio (0.89). Four Texas 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 Texas company price for this job), national estimate only. |
| Pest control worker wage, Texas mean | $19.90 an hour | Average hourly pay in Texas for the occupation (BLS, May 2025); bed bug prices are set by each company. |
| State fee, business license, each location | $300 to license, $300 to renew | A TDA fee the company pays for each location (schedule effective January 1, 2016), not a charge on your bill. |
| State fee, certified applicator license | $125 to license, $125 to renew | Paid by the individual applicator, with a $64 exam in each category. |
Estimated range. Built from national published ranges (1 source), adjusted by Texas's pest control worker wage ratio to the US (0.89, BLS May 2025), with no permit fee added because pest control has no city permit. Not a quote. Four Texas 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 Texas company price for this job, so the range is our national estimate alone. Full method. Prices as of Oct 23, 2026.
If you rent
ENT-3013, AgriLife's guide to bed bugs and your apartment, tells tenants to report suspected bed bugs at once, preferably by phone and in writing, and to prepare the unit when treatment is scheduled.
Notice rules depend on building size, under Occupations Code 1951.453 to 1951.457 in a 2018 copy of the statute. At a rental with fewer than five units the applicator makes the pest control information sheet available to the tenant of each unit before an indoor treatment. At five or more units the sheet and a sign go to the owner or manager, who must notify residents in the direct and adjacent areas at least 48 hours before each planned treatment. TDA can waive the 48-hour notice by rule for an emergency treatment.
What an apartment employee may and may not do
ENT-3013 says an apartment employee who is not licensed by the Texas pest control service entering a unit to treat for bed bugs would be illegal, and that this includes over-the-counter pesticides and heat treatment. Under Occupations Code 1951.459 (2018 copy), employees an owner supplies at apartment buildings, hotels and similar places need a noncommercial license. Ask the manager who is treating your unit and what license that person holds.
If you own the house
Occupations Code 1951.052 exempts a person doing pest control work on property the person owns or leases as a dwelling, and 1951.055 covers an owner's use of retail household products in an area the owner occupies, per the label. Both come from a 2018 copy of the statute. A company you hire for a bed bug job needs a TDA business license.
Do bed bugs need a same-day call?
- Illness after a bed bug treatment is a call to the Texas Poison Center at 1-800-764-7661.
- Choosing a company, since AgriLife starts with reporting to the manager in writing.
- Comparing written estimates for a house you own.
Steps before treatment
- Report suspected bed bugs to the manager by phone and in writing right away.
- Photograph any bugs, shed skins or marks and write down the date.
- Ask who will treat the unit and what license that person holds.
- Follow the company's preparation instructions when treatment is scheduled.
- Keep the information sheet you are given.
License rules for bed bug work
A company treating for pay needs a TDA structural business license, $300 for each location, and designates a responsible certified applicator. Ask for the business license number, and in a rental ask the manager which company was hired.
Ask for the company's TDA business license number and the applicator's name, and check both with TDA's Structural Pest Control Service before any work starts.
Questions people ask
Who can treat for bed bugs in a Texas apartment?
An applicator holding a Texas pest control license: AgriLife says multifamily housing, hotels and lodging must be treated that way. An unlicensed apartment employee entering a unit to treat would be acting illegally, including with over-the-counter pesticides or heat.
How should I tell my landlord about bed bugs in Texas?
At once, preferably by phone and in writing, says AgriLife's apartment guide, ENT-3013. The guide also asks tenants to prepare the unit when treatment is scheduled.
Will I be told before an apartment is treated?
At buildings of five or more units, residents in the direct and adjacent areas are notified at least 48 hours before each planned treatment. At rentals under five units the tenant of each unit gets the information sheet before an indoor treatment, under a 2018 copy of the statute.
Can I treat bed bugs myself in Texas?
An owner may use retail household products in the area the owner occupies, per the label. AgriLife has a do-it-yourself guide, ENT-3012. In multi-family settings it says a manager-coordinated effort with a pest control company is generally needed.
What does bed bug treatment cost in Texas?
$1,900 to $5,125 per home for a whole home in our model, which isn't a quote. Ask how many visits the price covers.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Pest Control Workers (SOC 37-2021), Texas, 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, Texas (editorial policy) Read Oct 23, 2026.
- TDA: SPCS Fees Read Oct 23, 2026.
- TDA: Structural Pest Control Business Read Oct 23, 2026.
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension: Bed bugs and your apartment (ENT-3013) Read Oct 23, 2026.
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension: Bed bugs Read Oct 23, 2026.
- TDA: Structural Pest Control Licensing Read Oct 23, 2026.
- Texas Occupations Code §§1951.453–1951.455: Consumer information and posting contexts Read Oct 28, 2026.
- Texas Occupations Code §1951.052: Dwelling-owner exception Read Oct 28, 2026.
- 4 TAC §7.147: Consumer Information Sheet Read Oct 28, 2026.
- 4 TAC §7.148: Responsibilities of Unlicensed Persons for Posting and Notification Read Oct 28, 2026.