Termite Laws and Regulations
Termites come with paperwork. Here are the rules that matter when you buy, sell, build, or hire someone to treat a house.
The rules you'll run into
Buying and selling. Lenders and buyers rely on a wood-destroying insect report on a standard form. FHA and VA loans have their own requirements, built on the federal termite infestation probability zones. Some states use their own forms instead of the national one.
Hiring someone. Every state licenses pest control companies and applicators, and you can usually look up a license online in a minute. Pesticide labels are legally binding, and many termite products may be sold only to licensed applicators. See can anyone buy Termidor.
Building. In termite-prone areas, building codes require protection for new homes, usually a soil pretreatment or another approved method.
Your state's specifics, including the licensing agency and the inspection form it uses, are on its page in termites by state.
Guides in this section
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Building Code Termite Requirements (IRC R318)
The building code treats termites as a design load, like wind or snow. In termite country, it decides how close wood can sit to the dirt, w…
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FHA and VA Termite Inspection Requirements
Government-backed loans don't treat termites the same way. VA requires a termite report in most of the country, FHA asks for one only in ce…
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Formosan Termite Quarantines and Moving Wood
Formosan termites fly a few hundred yards at most. They cross state lines in the back of pickup trucks, inside old railroad ties, firewood …
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How Termite Chemicals Are Regulated: EPA, Labels, States
The jug of termiticide that goes into the soil around your house has been through federal registration, years of field testing in four stat…
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How to Check a Pest Control License in Your State
Every state licenses the people who put termite chemicals in the ground under your house. Checking takes five minutes, and the license tell…
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How to File a Complaint Against a Pest Control Company
When termites come back under a contract, or a home-sale report misses damage, homeowners usually start by arguing with the company. The st…
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NPMA-33: How to Read the Wood Destroying Insect Report
The NPMA-33 is the form behind most "termite letters" in the country. It's only two pages, but each box follows rules written by the Nation…
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Termite Disclosure Laws When Selling a House
Whether a seller has to tell you about termites depends on the state, and the answers range from a specific yes-or-no question on a state f…
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Can Anyone Buy Termidor? What the Label and the Law Say
You can find Termidor for sale online in about ten seconds. The label on the bottle says something different about who's allowed to use it,…
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Termite Infestation Probability Zones (TIP Zones) Explained
A decades-old government map sorts the country into four termite zones, and it still decides building code rules, loan paperwork and how of…
Questions people ask
Do I have to disclose termites when selling a house?
In most states, sellers must disclose known material defects, and termite damage or an active infestation usually counts. The details vary by state, so check your state's disclosure form or ask your agent.
How do I check if a pest control company is licensed?
Most states run an online license lookup through the department of agriculture or a structural pest control board. Your state's page on this site links to it.