While all 50 states license pest control applicators, Tennessee stands apart from the crowd as the most burdensome state for the trade. In order to become a pest control applicator, one must either get a bachelor’s degree in certain related fields or spend two entire years working under an already-licensed applicator (how convenient for them!). It takes longer to enter this field in Tennessee than any other state except Louisiana.
The vast majority of states don’t require any formal education or training before awarding the license. This shows that, while this particular licensing regime may be reasonably related to the public’s health and safety, Tennessee’s red tape is unnecessarily strangling many blue collar workers. When it comes to pest control applicators, Tennessee lawmakers need to exterminate these overly burdensome education and training mandates.