What a plan sells, and what to ask first
A recurring plan is a contract for repeat visits, and the first question is which pest it is for. TDA lists structural pest control as including, for compensation, identifying infestations, making inspection reports, giving recommendations and submitting estimates, so the company should be able to say what it found and what each visit treats.
Before each indoor treatment at an owner-occupied home, the applicator makes the pest control information sheet available to the owner (Occupations Code 1951.453 to 1951.457, 2018 copy). TDA's own sheet says signs go up at least 48 hours ahead in many instances.
A year of recurring pest control in Texas: our estimate
Our estimate for a year of recurring pest control in Texas is $225 to $925 per year, recurring plan, and the table adds a per-visit estimate for a monthly plan. One national range, widened and then adjusted by the Texas wage ratio of 0.89, produces both, and neither is a quote.
National figures alone set it. Ask which pests the plan covers, how many visits a year it holds, what happens between visits and what canceling costs.
| Item | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range, not a quote | $225 to $925 per year, recurring plan | 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 visit on a monthly plan, not a quote | $30 to $75 per visit, monthly plan | 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 for the initial visit, not a quote | $115 to $310 per initial visit | 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 | Hourly pay for Texas pest control workers (BLS, May 2025), separate from what a plan costs. |
| State fee, business license, each location | $300 to license, $300 to renew | Each location's TDA license fee, paid by the company, from the January 1, 2016 schedule. |
| Liability cover a licensed business must carry | $500,000 injury and property, $1,000,000 total | Minimum cover for a TDA business license: $500,000 bodily injury and property damage, $1,000,000 in total. |
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.
What the contract has to carry
A written pest control contract must include TDA's mailing address and telephone number and a statement that TDA has jurisdiction over individuals licensed under the chapter (Occupations Code 1951.451, from a 2018 copy of the statute). TDA prints the wording to use, ending with Phone (866) 918-4481.
The consumer information sheet adds that a home solicitation contract can be canceled within 72 hours.
Termite renewals inside a plan
If a plan bundles termite protection, TDA's FAQ prohibits annual retreatment of the structure unless there is clear evidence of re-infestation. The warranty terms must list areas covered, time period, renewal options and cost, retreatment and repair obligations, and conditions that could void it, so read those lines before agreeing to a renewal date.
If the plan goes wrong
SPCS says it has no authority to compel a pest control company to pay damages and cannot settle contractual disputes. Read the cancellation and refund terms before you sign. A complaint about misuse or an unlicensed company goes to (866) 918-4481; SPCS advises not repairing damage or retreating before the inspector has investigated.
Does a plan decision need a same-day call?
- A company at your door pushing you to sign today: a home solicitation contract can be canceled within 72 hours, according to TDA's consumer sheet.
- Choosing a plan, since you can ask several companies for the pest, the visit schedule and the contract in writing.
- A termite warranty renewal, whose renewal options and cost the warranty terms must list.
Steps before you sign
- Ask the company to name the pest and say what each visit treats.
- Look for TDA's jurisdiction statement and phone number in the contract.
- Ask for the information sheet before the first indoor treatment.
- Ask what canceling costs and how to cancel.
- Get the visit schedule in writing.
License rules for recurring service
A company selling recurring pest control holds a TDA structural business license for each location, with at least $500,000 of liability cover and a $1,000,000 total aggregate. Occupations Code 1951.005, in a 2018 copy of the statute, bars cities from adopting their own pesticide use rules, so the license comes from TDA. Ask for the business license number.
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
What must a pest control contract say in Texas?
It must include TDA's mailing address and telephone number and a statement that TDA has jurisdiction over individuals licensed under the chapter. The wording TDA prints for contracts ends with its phone number, (866) 918-4481.
Can I cancel a pest control contract I signed at home?
TDA's consumer sheet says that under home solicitation you can cancel within 72 hours. Check the contract for the jurisdiction statement.
Can a plan retreat for termites every year in Texas?
Only with clear evidence of re-infestation, since TDA prohibits annual retreatment of the structure otherwise. The warranty must list renewal options and cost.
Does SPCS settle contract disputes?
No: SPCS says it cannot compel a company to pay damages or settle contractual disputes. It investigates misuse and unlicensed work and can issue warnings or penalties.
What does quarterly pest control cost in Texas?
Roughly $225 to $925 per year, recurring plan by our model's estimate. A per-visit figure for a monthly plan is in the table.
- 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.
- TDA: Structural Pest Control Consumer Information; Structural Pest Control Licensing Read Oct 23, 2026.
- TDA: SPCS Consumer Information Sheet (PDF, rev. 5/2/18) Read Oct 28, 2026.
- Texas Occupations Code §§1951.453–1951.455: Consumer information and posting contexts Read Oct 28, 2026.
- Texas Occupations Code §1951.451: Written contract terms Read Oct 28, 2026.
- TDA: Termite FAQs Read Oct 23, 2026.
- TDA: Termite/Fumigation Applications; Termite FAQs Read Oct 23, 2026.
- TDA: SPCS Complaint Process; Complaint Resolution Procedures; Termite FAQs Read Oct 23, 2026.
- Texas Occupations Code §1951.005: Municipal preemption and exceptions 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.