State of California
Department of Pesticide Regulation
Structural Pest Control Board
2005 Evergreen Street, Suite 1500, Sacramento, CA 95815
Questions & Answers About
Enforcement/Complaints
Structural Pest Control Inspections 916-561-8708
1-800-737-8188
What is a pest inspection? contact SPCB to ensure it is licensed and for a
history of any complaints. You can also get this Fax
Also called a termite inspection, this visual information from the SPCB Web site,
inspection is conducted by a state-licensed www.pestboard.ca.gov. 916-263-2469
professional hired to look for signs of infestation or
damage to a structure by wood-destroying pests. What rights does a home buyer have to see E-mail
Pest inspectors look for: reports on pest inspections and treatment?
• Wood-destroying pests, such as termites,
carpenter ants, rot fungus and wood-infesting When a company is hired to do a pest inspection,
beetles. it is accountable to both the buyer and seller, no Web Site
• Evidence of pest activity, such as damaged matter who pays for the inspection. The company
wood, dead insects and termite tubes. must give the person who ordered the inspection a www.pestboard.ca.gov
• Conducive conditions for pests, such as standing copy of the report within 10 working days. The home
water, earth-to-wood contact and plumbing leaks seller or real estate agent usually delivers copies
of the inspection reports to the buyer. You can also
The inspector will visually inspect accessible areas get copies from the escrow company. If you have
inside a home (including crawlspaces) and the exte- MIssion Statement
questions about the reports, contact the company
rior of the property. In areas where drywood termites that made the inspection or that performed the work.
T
are prevalent and in houses where there are no
subloor crawlspaces, the attic is also inspected. How can I tell if a house has been inspected
The average termite inspection takes about an hour. before or if any work has been completed? The Structural Pest
Findings are recorded on a pest control inspection
report. Every time a licensed company makes an inspection Control Board protects
for wood-destroying pests or organisms, it must
When is a pest control inspection report post a tag in the attic, subarea or garage. The tag
consumers by
required? contains the irm’s name and the inspection date. A
similar tag must be posted next to the inspection tag
State law does not require a pest control inspection when the company completes any work. Besides regulating the structural
report before the sale of property. However, many the irm’s name and completion date, this tag must
mortgage lenders do, to protect their investment. show any pesticides used. The structural pest control pest control industry
Companies are not responsible for conditions which company must also note on an inspection report the
develop or become visible after the inspection date. location of the inspection tag as well as the presence to promote the health,
For that reason, it is advisable for a buyer to get an of any other inspection tag or completion tag that is
inspection report as close as possible to the close of less than two years old. These reports are kept by
escrow. If you are selling a home, you can save time safety, and general
the pest control company for three years.
by having your property inspected for pest damage
just before you plan to put it on the market and You can also search the SPCB Web site to see if welfare of the public.
making sure any problems are ixed. Some buyers a home has been inspected in the last two years.
include a termite contingency in their purchase You will need to ill out a form or e-mail a request to
contract, which allows them to withdraw from the SPCB to get a copy of the report.
transaction in the event of extreme damage.
What information must be in the inspection
How do I know which pest control inspector to use? report?
Structural pest control companies and some home California law requires that the report include any
inspectors are licensed by the Structural Pest wood-destroying insects (such as termites or wood-
Control Board (SPCB) to do these inspections. Ask boring beetles) or fungus. It should also note the
your friends, neighbors or a real estate agent to resulting structural damage visible and accessible on
refer a company, or look in the yellow pages. Call the date of inspection. Also identiied on the report
a few companies and compare their fees. Ask for are conditions likely to lead to future wood-destroying
references and take time to check them carefully. pest infestations such as excessive moisture, earth-
Ask about the experience level of those who will to-wood contact and faulty grade levels.
perform the inspection. Request that the most
experienced employees do your job. A diagram on the inspection report must show every
part of the house checked for signs of infestation or
The SPCB cannot recommend a speciic company infections. Outbuildings are usually not inspected
but once you have selected a company, you can unless requested. It is important that the inspector
California Environmental Protection Agency • Department of Pesticide Regulation • Structural Pest Control Board
Department of Pesticide Regulation
Structural Pest Control Board
2005 Evergreen Street, Suite 1500, Sacramento, CA 95815
Questions & Answers About
Enforcement/Complaints
Structural Pest Control Inspections 916-561-8708
1-800-737-8188
What is a pest inspection? contact SPCB to ensure it is licensed and for a
history of any complaints. You can also get this Fax
Also called a termite inspection, this visual information from the SPCB Web site,
inspection is conducted by a state-licensed www.pestboard.ca.gov. 916-263-2469
professional hired to look for signs of infestation or
damage to a structure by wood-destroying pests. What rights does a home buyer have to see E-mail
Pest inspectors look for: reports on pest inspections and treatment?
• Wood-destroying pests, such as termites,
carpenter ants, rot fungus and wood-infesting When a company is hired to do a pest inspection,
beetles. it is accountable to both the buyer and seller, no Web Site
• Evidence of pest activity, such as damaged matter who pays for the inspection. The company
wood, dead insects and termite tubes. must give the person who ordered the inspection a www.pestboard.ca.gov
• Conducive conditions for pests, such as standing copy of the report within 10 working days. The home
water, earth-to-wood contact and plumbing leaks seller or real estate agent usually delivers copies
of the inspection reports to the buyer. You can also
The inspector will visually inspect accessible areas get copies from the escrow company. If you have
inside a home (including crawlspaces) and the exte- MIssion Statement
questions about the reports, contact the company
rior of the property. In areas where drywood termites that made the inspection or that performed the work.
T
are prevalent and in houses where there are no
subloor crawlspaces, the attic is also inspected. How can I tell if a house has been inspected
The average termite inspection takes about an hour. before or if any work has been completed? The Structural Pest
Findings are recorded on a pest control inspection
report. Every time a licensed company makes an inspection Control Board protects
for wood-destroying pests or organisms, it must
When is a pest control inspection report post a tag in the attic, subarea or garage. The tag
consumers by
required? contains the irm’s name and the inspection date. A
similar tag must be posted next to the inspection tag
State law does not require a pest control inspection when the company completes any work. Besides regulating the structural
report before the sale of property. However, many the irm’s name and completion date, this tag must
mortgage lenders do, to protect their investment. show any pesticides used. The structural pest control pest control industry
Companies are not responsible for conditions which company must also note on an inspection report the
develop or become visible after the inspection date. location of the inspection tag as well as the presence to promote the health,
For that reason, it is advisable for a buyer to get an of any other inspection tag or completion tag that is
inspection report as close as possible to the close of less than two years old. These reports are kept by
escrow. If you are selling a home, you can save time safety, and general
the pest control company for three years.
by having your property inspected for pest damage
just before you plan to put it on the market and You can also search the SPCB Web site to see if welfare of the public.
making sure any problems are ixed. Some buyers a home has been inspected in the last two years.
include a termite contingency in their purchase You will need to ill out a form or e-mail a request to
contract, which allows them to withdraw from the SPCB to get a copy of the report.
transaction in the event of extreme damage.
What information must be in the inspection
How do I know which pest control inspector to use? report?
Structural pest control companies and some home California law requires that the report include any
inspectors are licensed by the Structural Pest wood-destroying insects (such as termites or wood-
Control Board (SPCB) to do these inspections. Ask boring beetles) or fungus. It should also note the
your friends, neighbors or a real estate agent to resulting structural damage visible and accessible on
refer a company, or look in the yellow pages. Call the date of inspection. Also identiied on the report
a few companies and compare their fees. Ask for are conditions likely to lead to future wood-destroying
references and take time to check them carefully. pest infestations such as excessive moisture, earth-
Ask about the experience level of those who will to-wood contact and faulty grade levels.
perform the inspection. Request that the most
experienced employees do your job. A diagram on the inspection report must show every
part of the house checked for signs of infestation or
The SPCB cannot recommend a speciic company infections. Outbuildings are usually not inspected
but once you have selected a company, you can unless requested. It is important that the inspector
California Environmental Protection Agency • Department of Pesticide Regulation • Structural Pest Control Board
