Free guide · pest control compliance
Pesticide application record requirements by state
How long to keep application records, and which fields to record, in 12 large pest-control states, with the official rule linked for each. Plus a free printable application log.
Record rules in 12 states
Structural and commercial pest control application records, summarized from the official rule text. Jump to: Texas · Florida · California · Georgia · North Carolina · Arizona · Ohio · Pennsylvania · New York · Illinois · Virginia · Tennessee
| State | Keep records for | What to record (summary) | Lead agency | Official rule / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 2 years | Customer billing name and address; service address; pesticide or device name or EPA registration number; amounts and mixing rate; target pest; date; names and license numbers of the applicator, supervisor and trainee; the business TPCL number. Termite treatments need extra fields. | Texas Department of Agriculture (Structural Pest Control Service) | 4 TAC §7.144 TDA self-audit checklist |
| Florida | 2 years (3 for preconstruction termite treatments) | Pest control records and contracts, kept at the licensed business location. For restricted-use pesticides: product brand names, amounts, uses, dates and places of application. Fumigation logs add the fumigant cylinder ID. | Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) | Rule 5E-14.142 F.S. Chapter 482 |
| California | 3 years | For each non-fumigation application: date and time; owner or agent; property address; areas treated; target pests; product name with EPA or CA registration number and amount used; identity and license number of the applicator(s). A Standard Structural Fumigation Log for each fumigation. | Structural Pest Control Board | 16 CCR §1970 Structural Pest Control Board |
| Georgia | 2 years | A legible pesticide-use record after every structural application: customer; property address; company; applicator; area treated; product and EPA number; amount; concentration; method; target pest; date; precautions; start and end times where applicable. | Georgia Department of Agriculture (Structural Pest Control) | Rule 620-3-.02 GDA CAM 1: Pesticide Use Records (PDF) |
| North Carolina | 2 years beyond the last treatment date | Property owner name and address; company name, address and license number; property treated, type of treatment and dates; pests covered; EPA brand name of every pesticide; federal RUP record fields; name of the person who applied it. Keep records at the licensed office. | NCDA&CS Structural Pest Control and Pesticides Division | 02 NCAC 34 .0703 02 NCAC 34 .0328 (record location) |
| Arizona | 3 years (business licensee) | A service record for each service: customer name and address; specific site; date and time; target pest; trade name; EPA registration number of any restricted-use pesticide; amount applied; name and certification number of the applicator or supervisor. Applicators hand records to the business within 5 business days. | Arizona Department of Agriculture, Pest Management Division | A.A.C. R3-8-501 A.A.C. R3-8-503 (retention) |
| Ohio | 3 years | Recorded on the application date: responsible applicator and trained servicepersons; customer name and address; date; pests; locations and methods; trade name and EPA registration number; concentration and total volume; start and finish times. Termite work also needs a structure drawing. Copies go to the business within 10 days. | Ohio Department of Agriculture | OAC 901:5-11-10 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 years | A record for every application, completed within 24 hours: date and time; customer and site; product brand name and EPA registration number; amount and rate; the applicator’s name and certification or registration number. | Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture | 7 Pa. Code §128.35 |
| New York | 3 years, plus an annual report | Commercial businesses keep application records and file an annual report under the Pesticide Reporting Law. DEC accepts those records in place of separate ones if they include the application location. | NYS Department of Environmental Conservation | 6 NYCRR 325.25 DEC guidance OGC 3 |
| Illinois | 2 years | Commercial locations keep records of all pesticide applications. Restricted-use records are kept separately, with customer and site, technician, date and time, target pest, pesticide details, and an amount estimate within 10%. Copies go to the property owner, manager or tenant on request. | Illinois Department of Public Health (Structural Pest Control) | 77 Ill. Adm. Code 830.820 |
| Virginia | 2 years | Licensed businesses record every application, general-use and restricted-use alike: customer name, address and phone; site; applicator name and certification number; date; site treated and pests; area; product name; EPA registration number; concentrate and diluent amounts; equipment. | Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) | 2VAC5-680-65 VDACS applicator responsibilities (PDF) |
| Tennessee | 2 years from the application date | Applicator name and certification number; trade name; address; date; target area and pest; total amount, dilution and rate; property owner or tenant name. Restricted-use pesticides also need the EPA registration number and time. Give the owner or tenant a copy within 48 hours of a request. | Tennessee Department of Agriculture | Rule 0080-09-04-.06 |
The federal baseline for restricted-use pesticides
Under EPA’s certification rule, state plans must require certified commercial applicators to keep records of restricted-use pesticide (RUP) applications for at least 2 years. The record covers: customer name and address; location; crop or site; date and time; product name and EPA registration number; amount; and the certified applicator’s name and certification number. Supervised applications also name the noncertified applicator. Source: 40 CFR 171.303. Most state rules above cover every application, not just RUPs.
Free printable application log
One sheet per application. It combines the most common fields from the rules above, so compare it with your state’s list and add anything missing. Print it, or save it as a PDF from your browser.
Pesticide application record
| Date, start time and finish time | |
|---|---|
| Customer name, address and phone | |
| Service address and specific site or area treated | |
| Target pest(s) | |
| Product trade (brand) name | |
| EPA registration number | |
| Amount applied; dilution or % active ingredient; rate | |
| Application method and equipment | |
| Applicator name and license/certification no. | |
| Supervising applicator and license no. (if supervised) | |
| Business license number | |
| Outdoor work: wind direction, speed, temperature | |
| Devices or bait stations installed or checked | |
| Precautions, notes, customer copy given (Y/N) |
Template by Orvian Market. Free to copy and use. Not legal advice; your state’s rule is what counts.
Using software instead
Pest control apps can fill most of these fields automatically from the job, the product list and the technician’s profile. Among tools with published pricing, GorillaDesk lists chemical-use tracking on its $49/mo Basic plan, and Pocomos lists chemical tracking and compliance reporting from $109/mo. General field-service apps like Jobber and Housecall Pro don’t list a pest-specific application log, so you’d build one from checklists or custom fields. See the full comparison or price your shop.
FAQ
How long do I have to keep pest control application records?
In the 12 states we checked it’s 2 or 3 years. Texas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Virginia and Tennessee require 2 years; North Carolina requires 2 years beyond the last treatment; California, Arizona, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York require 3. Some record types run longer, such as Florida’s preconstruction termite records (3 years). Check your state’s rule, linked in the table.
Is there a federal requirement?
Yes, for restricted-use pesticides (RUPs). EPA’s certification rule requires state plans to make certified commercial applicators keep RUP application records for at least 2 years (40 CFR 171.303). Most state rules go further and cover general-use pesticides too.
Can I keep records electronically?
Most rules care about the content and about handing records over on request, not the format. Florida’s rule, for example, says electronic records must be provided to the department on request. Confirm with your state agency.
Is this legal advice?
No. It’s a plain-English summary of official rules, checked October 17, 2026, with a link to each source. Rules change, and the official text is what counts. If you’re unsure, call your state’s lead agency.
My state isn’t listed. Where do I look?
The National Pesticide Information Center keeps a directory of every state’s pesticide regulatory agency. It’s linked below the table.