Comparing termite and pest treatment quotes
Compare pest and termite treatment proposals on target, method, areas, follow-up and warranty terms, and check the technician's licence in NSW or Victoria.
Two pest treatment quotes can look similar on price and still describe very different work: a different target, a different method, different areas treated and very different follow-up. This guide gives you a comparison sheet for treatment proposals, shows how to check a pest controller's licence in New South Wales and Victoria, and explains what to ask about products, records and warranty conditions before anyone starts.
Put the proposals on the same sheet
Ask each business for a written proposal and copy the answers into the same rows: Finding: what the inspection found, where, and whether activity is current or historical damage. Target: the pest or pests the treatment is for. Method: the type of treatment proposed and the full product name of each pesticide. Areas: which parts of the property are treated and which are not, such as under slabs, inside walls or garden beds. Follow-up: the number and timing of return visits or inspections, and whether they are included in the price. Records: what you will receive afterwards, such as the products used, the areas treated and the date. Warranty: what the business promises, for how long and on what conditions. If one quote is much cheaper, check which rows it leaves blank. A lower price may cover a smaller area or no follow-up.
Check the licence in New South Wales
The NSW Environment Protection Authority says a person carrying out prescribed pesticide work must hold a licence, and that pest management technician licences are issued by the EPA. Some similar licences from other states and territories are accepted in NSW, but not those issued in Queensland. To check, search the EPA's public register by the licence holder's name or licence number. The EPA also suggests asking to see the licence before agreeing to any work: check there is a photo licence card, that the photo matches the person doing the work and that the expiry date has not passed. If you cannot find the person or licence, or they cannot produce it, the EPA asks you to contact the NSW EPA through its official contact route.
NSW licensing, the EPA public register, what to check on a licence card and who to contact.
NSW EPA: engaging a pest management technicianCheck the licence in Victoria
In Victoria, the Department of Health licenses pest control operators who charge a fee for treating pests. Its searchable register lists current licence holders with their name and licence expiry date. The department describes two licence statuses: fully qualified technician and trainee under supervision. The authorisation on a Victorian licence matters for termites. The department lists a general authorisation that excludes timber pests and a general authorisation that includes timber pests, as well as separate pest animal and fumigant authorisations. For termite work, ask which authorisation the technician holds and confirm it on the register. Other states and territories have their own licensing arrangements, so use the relevant regulator where you live.
The Victorian licence register, licence statuses and the authorisations that include or exclude timber pests.
Victorian Department of Health: find a licensed pest control operatorAsk about the products and your preparation
The NSW EPA recommends asking for the full product name of each pesticide, notes that pesticides sold in Australia must be registered by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority, and says a pest controller must provide the relevant safety data sheets on request. Keep the product names and safety data sheets with your records. Ask the technician, in writing, what you need to do before the treatment and when people and pets can return. The right instructions depend on the product and the place, so they should come from the licensed technician, not from a general article. In NSW, the EPA also sets compulsory notification rules for some settings, such as common areas of residential complexes. If you have concerns about pest control work at your home in NSW, the EPA suggests contacting the business that did the treatment or NSW Fair Trading, and reporting suspected pesticide misuse to the Environment Line.
Product names, APVMA registration, safety data sheets on request, notification rules and reporting concerns.
NSW EPA: engaging a pest management technicianRead the warranty conditions
Treatment warranties are voluntary promises, and the ACCC explains that the terms of a warranty may require you to do certain things to keep it, such as having a product serviced. In pest work that often means paid follow-up inspections at set intervals or notifying the business before building work. Write those conditions into your comparison sheet, with their cost, so you are comparing the full commitment rather than the first visit. The ACCC also says a warranty cannot replace, change or take away your consumer guarantee rights. If a warranty lapses because a condition was missed, you still have consumer guarantee rights for the service itself. Hypothetical comparison, for illustration only: Proposal A is $1,600 with a 12-month warranty that requires two paid inspections at $220 each. Proposal B is $1,950 with three follow-up inspections included and a 12-month warranty. Over the year, A costs $2,040 if you keep the warranty and B costs $1,950. The cheaper headline is not the cheaper commitment.
How voluntary warranties work, conditions you may need to meet and how they relate to consumer guarantees.
ACCC: warrantiesWhere this fits
If you are buying a property, a pest inspection report is a separate step from a building inspection. If termite damage affects the structure, ask a builder or engineer to assess repairs as a separate job from the treatment.
How building and pest inspections differ when you are buying a home.
Reading the scope of a pre-purchase building inspectionCoordinating repair trades and licences after damage is found.
Booking several trades for a small renovationYour quick checklist
Tick these off as you go. This checklist resets when you leave.
Useful starting points
General information to help you ask questions. Check requirements for the particular service and your state or territory.