How to Check a Pest Control Company in Tennessee

Memphis Pest Desk only refers companies with a current charter. You can still check for yourself; here is how.

What Tennessee requires

The Department of Agriculture explains it this way: Tennessee requires a pest control charter for each office of a company that sells or performs custom pesticide application, and at least one licensee in each category of service the charter offers. A charter is a permit issued to a business for one location, so a company with offices in Nashville and Memphis needs two.

• Liability insurance of at least $250,000 per incident and $500,000 aggregate.
• A surety bond of at least $10,000, and more for new companies doing termite and general pest work (and fumigation or bird control).
• Companies that issue wood-destroying insect reports must carry errors and omissions insurance of at least $100,000 per incident and $300,000 aggregate.
• Charters and licenses are not transferable between people or companies, and neither are certifications.

Step 1: look up the charter

Use the Department of Agriculture's public charter search. Search by the company name or the county. The result shows each charter's number and address, with its county and whether it is current. The Department notes the license number shown is the charter number.

When we searched on October 29, 2026, 159 current charters had a Shelby County address. Nearly half have a pest word in the name (pest, termite, bug); the rest include lawn and tree companies that apply pesticides. Our Memphis pest data page has the count by ZIP.

Step 2: check the truck and the card

The Department's consumer tips put it plainly: "A pest control company is allowed to do business legally in Tennessee only if the charter number is visible on their company vehicle." Ask to see the applicator's commercial pesticide applicator certification card or commercial pesticide license card. The state now offers digital cards on a phone, so a technician may show you one there.

You can check a technician's certification in the commercial applicator search.

Step 3: check the salesperson

A company representative selling at your door should carry a Solicitor's card issued by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. If they can't show one, I would not sign. See door-to-door pest contracts for your right to cancel.

Step 4: ask for the label

You have the right to ask for the product label and the safety data sheet for anything they plan to use, per the Department of Agriculture. Ask before treatment if you have kids or pets, or a pond or vegetable garden.

If something goes wrong

The Department's pesticide section investigates misuse, drift, illegal applicators, substandard termite treatment under a current contract, failure to retreat active termites, and termite letters (WDI reports). Its complaint line is 615-837-5148. It does not handle prices or payment disputes; for those, the Department points to the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs at 615-741-4737. Complaints to the Department are public records.

For health questions about a pesticide, call your doctor or the National Pesticide Information Center at 1-800-858-7378.