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Clemson University Department of Pesticide Regulation

South Carolina Pest Control Licensing

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Pest control licensing in South Carolina

South Carolina is one of the few states where pesticide regulation sits with a university rather than a department of agriculture: the Clemson University Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) licenses applicators and pest control businesses statewide. Two clocks run at once. Commercial and non-commercial licenses expire December 31 and are renewed every year, while recertification credits — South Carolina calls them CCUs — are counted over a five-year block, the current commercial block running January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2028. LearnPest offers state-approved South Carolina continuing education and tracks both.

How to renew your South Carolina pest control license

Renewal deadline · Commercial and non-commercial licenses expire December 31 every year; recertification CCUs are due at the end of each 5-year block — the current commercial block runs January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2028

  1. Watch for the Department of Pesticide Regulation renewal notice, mailed to commercial and business licensees in mid-to-late October.

  2. Confirm your general liability insurance is still in force — an uninsured South Carolina license is suspended immediately and revoked after 90 days.

  3. Renew and pay on or before December 31; renewal payments go through Clemson's PestPay portal.

  4. Miss December 31 and a penalty of 25% of the original fee applies from January 1 — you can still renew through March 31.

  5. Miss March 31 and there is no renewal path left: you must retake the certification examinations and submit a new license application.

  6. Keep your five-year CCU total on track separately — paying the annual renewal does not satisfy recertification, and no more than half of your required credits may be earned in the final year of the block.

Continuing education requirements

South Carolina requires continuing education hours by license type. Our bundles below are sized to satisfy these in a single sitting.

License typeRequired CEUsNotes
Category 7A — Industrial, Institutional, Structural and Health-Related20 CCUsPer 5-year recertification block, at least 12 of them specific to Category 7A. The current commercial block runs January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2028.
Category 7B — Fumigation10 CCUsPer 5-year block, at least 3 of them specific to Category 7B.
Category 3, 5 or 810 CCUsPer 5-year block, at least 3 of them specific to each category held.
Category 7A plus any one of 3, 5, 7B or 820 CCUsPer 5-year block, 15 of them category-specific.
Category 7A plus any two of 3, 5, 7B or 820 CCUsPer 5-year block, 18 of them category-specific.
Category 7A plus any three of 3, 5, 7B or 821 CCUsPer 5-year block, all 21 category-specific.
Category 7A plus all of 3, 5, 7B and 824 CCUsPer 5-year block, all 24 category-specific — South Carolina caps the requirement at 24 CCUs.
Any other commercial category10 CCUsPer 5-year block, with no category-specific minimum.
Non-commercial applicator10 CCUsPer 5-year block.
Private applicator5 CCUsPrivate applicators run on their own 5-year block, January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2029.

Source: www.clemson.edu/public/regulatory/pesticide-regulation/licensing/recertification.html, www.clemson.edu/public/regulatory/pesticide-regulation/about/faq.html, www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t46c013.php

Full DPR continuing education requirements, deadlines and fees

South Carolina licensing fees

Direct from the state agency's published fee schedule. Use these to budget renewals and onboarding.

DPR license fees

  • New commercial applicator license$50
  • Pest control business license$150
  • Designated Certified Applicator (DCA) license$50
  • Category 7A group renewal — the DCA$50 per year
  • Category 7A group renewal — each additional licensed applicator$10 per licensed category, capped at $50 per applicator
  • Late renewal penalty25% of the original fee
  • Replacement license$15

DPR examination and training fees

  • Core examination$75
  • Each category examination$50
  • Verifiable Technician initial training$50 (annual retraining is free)

Source: www.clemson.edu/public/regulatory/pesticide-regulation/licensing/recertification.html, www.clemson.edu/public/regulatory/pesticide-regulation/about/faq.html, www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t46c013.php

Here you can find the different license types available in South Carolina

  • Category 7A — Industrial, Institutional, Structural and Health-Related

    Pesticide use in, on or around food-handling establishments, dwellings, institutions such as schools and hospitals, and industrial establishments. Licensing is mandatory, and termite and wood-destroying organism work runs under 7A.

  • Category 7B — Fumigation

    Using or supervising the use of a restricted use fumigant for pest control.

  • Category 8 — Public Health Pest Control

    Pesticide use in public health programs by state, federal or other employees. Licensing is mandatory.

  • Category 3 — Ornamental and Turf Pest Control

    Pesticide use on ornamental plants and turf. Licensing is mandatory.

  • Category 5 — Aquatic Pest Control

    Pesticide use in or on standing or running water. Licensing is mandatory.

  • Category 6 — Right-of-Way Pest Control

    Pesticide use along roadsides, powerlines, pipelines and other rights-of-way.

  • Designated Certified Applicator (DCA)

    The licensed applicator a pest control business location must have permanently assigned full time; nobody may be the DCA for more than one location.

  • Verifiable Technician (VT)

    Not a license — a trained technician working under a licensed business's DCA, carrying a valid VT ID card. Technicians trained under the retired material may not apply restricted use pesticides.

  • Pest control business license

    Required of the business itself; valid January 1 to December 31 and renewed each year.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How many recertification credits does a South Carolina Category 7A applicator need?

    A South Carolina commercial applicator licensed in Category 7A — Industrial, Institutional, Structural and Health-Related pest control — must accumulate 20 CCUs (Continuing Certification Units) per five-year recertification block, at least 12 of which must be specific to Category 7A. The current commercial block set by the Clemson University Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) runs January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2028. Holding more categories raises the total: 7A plus one more category is 15 category-specific of 20, and 7A plus all of 3, 5, 7B and 8 is 24. LearnPest's state-approved South Carolina courses carry DPR-approved CCUs and we track how many you still owe.

  • When does a South Carolina pesticide applicator license expire?

    Commercial and non-commercial pesticide applicator licenses issued by the Clemson University Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) expire December 31 every year and must be renewed before that date to keep working or advertising in South Carolina. Pest control business licenses run January 1 to December 31 on the same annual cycle. Renewal is separate from recertification: the five-year CCU block is counted independently, and paying the annual fee does not satisfy it. LearnPest tracks both South Carolina clocks and stores your certificates.

  • What is the late fee if I miss the South Carolina renewal deadline?

    South Carolina charges a penalty of 25% of the original fee on any pesticide applicator license renewed after January 1, and the Clemson University Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) accepts late renewals only through March 31. A license not renewed by April 1 cannot be renewed at all — you have to retake the certification examinations and submit a new license application. LearnPest sends South Carolina renewal reminders well before December 31 so it does not come to that.

  • Does South Carolina have a wood-destroying organism pesticide category?

    No. South Carolina has no separate wood-destroying organism category — termite and WDO work is performed under Category 7A, Industrial, Institutional, Structural and Health-Related pest control, which the Clemson University Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) makes mandatory for licensing. Category 7 has only two parts in South Carolina: 7A and 7B (Fumigation). LearnPest's South Carolina catalog includes a state-approved wood-destroying organisms course that carries 7A credits.

  • Can I earn all my South Carolina CCUs in the last year of the block?

    No. The Clemson University Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) caps how much of a South Carolina recertification block you can leave to the end: no more than half of your required category-specific CCUs and no more than half of your core-competency CCUs may be earned during the final year of the five-year block. For the commercial block running January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2028, that means half your credits must be done by December 31, 2027. LearnPest paces your South Carolina courses against that rule and reports completions to DPR for you.

Don’t just take our word for it:

  • Gold Crest Exterminators

    Gold Crest Exterminators

    “LearnPest continuing education courses are the BEST! This year I had to explore other companies who offer the required courses per the SPCB. I found LearnPest. I have been in business for 48+ years, and I have to say this was the least stressful of all. I would vouch for them 1000%. Thank you again, Caleb, you were so helpful.”

  • Mission Pest Control

    Mission Pest Control

    “LearnPest has been a super useful tool for making license renewal a breeze. I love being able to just select the bundle for my license type with 1 click and always be sure I'm getting all the needed CEU's for my renewals! Super Easy!”

  • Moxie Pest Control

    Moxie Pest Control

    “So grateful I found LearnPest for my CEU hours. Not only for me but for my team. I've gone through multiple sites and this one by far has been the best and most convenient for me and my pest control company. Easy to use and great quiz questions. I will definitely be using them from now on.”