Termite inspections and treatment: costs and the report your state requires

Published national ranges for a termite inspection, liquid or bait treatment and tenting, and each state's rules for the termite report in a home sale.

Updated October 7, 202645 official sources

On this page2 sections

1What termite work costs
2The report for a home sale

The figures here are published national ranges from cost guides. They aren't quotes. The second half of the guide covers the termite report many states set rules for when a home is sold or refinanced.

What termite work costs

Job	Published range
A termite inspection	free to $325^1-3
An inspection for a sale or loan, with a written report	$100 to $325^1-2
A liquid or bait treatment, without tenting	$225 to $2,500^3-7
Liquid termiticide, by the foot	$3 to $20 per linear foot^{3-4, 8}
Bait stations, by the foot	$7 to $12 per linear foot^3-4
Tenting a typical home	$2,000 to $8,000^9-11

Liquid and bait treatments are often priced by the linear foot around the home, so a larger footprint costs more. We don't give a price for yearly bait monitoring after the first year, a termite clearance letter or heat treatment, since there aren't enough published figures for them. Repairing termite damage is carpentry, and it isn't priced here.

The report for a home sale

When a home is sold or refinanced, a buyer or lender may ask for a written report on termites and other wood-destroying insects. Many states set who may inspect and write that report, and some require it on a state form. The table lists the 21 states where the research found such a rule on an official page. Where a state isn't listed, the research didn't find enough on an official page to say.

State	The rule for a termite or wood-destroying insect report
Alabama	A wood infestation report for a sale or refinancing must be on the Official Alabama Wood Infestation Inspection Report, issued only by a person certified and permitted in the control of wood-destroying organisms, and it carries a 90-day guarantee of free treatment if an infestation is found (Ala. Admin. Code r. 80-10-9-.18).¹²
Arizona	A wood-destroying insect inspection report may be completed only by an applicator certified in wood-destroying organism management who has had at least five hours of the business's in-house training on these reports (qualified applicators are exempt from the training), and the business keeps each report for three years (A.R.S. 3-3633).¹³
Arkansas	Any statement on a building's termite or wood-destroying insect condition (a letter of clearance) may be issued only by a business licensed in Classification 1, and for a real estate sale it must be on the current HUD Wood Destroying Insect Infestation Inspection Report form, with a signed contract giving at least a one-year guarantee (2 CAR § 54-304).¹⁴
California	Only a licensed Branch 3 operator or field representative of a registered company may inspect for and report on wood-destroying pests, on the board's Wood Destroying Pests and Organisms Inspection Report (Form 43M-41) signed by the Branch 3 licensee who inspected, delivered within 10 business days (Bus. & Prof. Code 8516; 16 CCR 1990, 1996).¹⁵
Florida	A wood-destroying organism inspection for a real estate transaction goes on the state's Wood-Destroying Organisms Inspection Report (FDACS-13645), from a licensee with an operator certified in termite and other wood-destroying organism control, and a notice of the inspection is posted near the attic or crawl space access (s. 482.226, F.S.; Fla. Admin. Code R. 5E-14.142).^16-17
Georgia	A termite letter for a real estate transfer is the Official Georgia Wood Infestation Inspection Report, issued only by an operator certified in Wood Destroying Organisms, and it carries a 90-day guarantee to treat any infestation found free of charge (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 620-6-.03).¹⁸
Hawaii	A termite inspection report goes on the Pest Control Board's PC-9 form with a diagram, the inspection must be done by an operator or responsible managing employee licensed in Branch 1 (Fumigation) or Branch 3 (Termite), and the report can't carry a guarantee (HRS 460J-19; HAR 16-94-73).^19-20
Indiana	Anyone making wood-destroying pest inspections or reports for hire needs a pest inspector license, and the business needs a pesticide business license (IC 15-16-5-48, IC 15-16-5-49). Certification in category 7b (termite control) or category 12 (wood destroying pest inspection) covers these inspections (355 IAC 4-1-3).^21-23
Iowa	Wood-destroying insect inspections for a report in a real estate sale or refinance fall under the termite control subcategory, so the inspector must be certified in it (21 IAC 45.22(2)).²⁴
Kansas	Anyone inspecting for wood-destroying insects for a buyer, seller, real estate agent, relocation company or lender in a sale or loan must hold Kansas pesticide certification for wood-destroying insect control; inspecting without it is a deceptive act (K.S.A. 50-6,113).²⁵
Louisiana	A wood destroying insect report is issued only for a sale or refinance, on the commission's form (LPCA 143 or 143 A), by a licensee in termite control or a certified WDIR technician supervised by one. The report carries a guarantee to treat without charge if live subterranean termites are found within 90 days (La. Admin. Code 7:XXV.121).²⁶
Maryland	An inspection for a property sale or real estate loan must be reported on Form MD-1, the Maryland Wood Destroying Insect Inspection Report, with a diagram of the structure, by a licensee, certificate holder or registered employee (COMAR 15.05.01.14).^27-28
Mississippi	Inspections tied to a real estate transaction must be reported on the Mississippi Official Wood Destroying Insect Report and done by an individual licensed in wood destroying insect control (WDIL) or a bona fide employee under that person's direct supervision (MDAC Professional Services regulations, Rule 117.01).^29-30
Missouri	Anyone inspecting for wood-destroying insects for a real estate buyer, seller or lender must hold a certified applicator license in subcategory 7b termite pest control, or a pesticide technician license while working under a certified commercial applicator's direct supervision (RSMo 281.116).³¹
Nevada	Anyone who inspects for wood-destroying pests, or treats a finished structure for them, delivers a report on a numbered Department form within 5 days, files a copy with the Department within 15 days and keeps one for 3 years (NAC 555.430). Inspecting or writing inspection reports on wood-destroying pests takes an applicator license (NRS 555.285), and the Structural category covers that work (NAC 555.280).^32-34
New Mexico	Anyone who inspects for wood-destroying pests must be licensed as a termite service technician, pest management consultant or category 7D commercial applicator (21.17.51.8 NMAC). Category 7D licensees keep a record of each treatment with a diagram of the treated foundation on graph paper (21.17.51.10 NMAC).³⁵
North Carolina	Any written statement on wood-destroying insects in a building for sale goes on the Wood-Destroying Insect Information Report (WDIR-100), issued by a licensee only after an inspection, and the licensee keeps a copy for two years (02 NCAC 34 .0602, .0604). Inspections are part of structural pest control, so issuing reports takes the W phase license (G.S. 106-65.24, 106-65.25).^36-37
Oregon	A pesticide operator who inspects for wood destroying organisms for a real estate transfer isn't exempt from Construction Contractors Board licensing (ORS 701.010(8)(f)).³⁸
South Carolina	Wood infestation reports for a sale or mortgage go on the current Official South Carolina Wood Infestation Report form and are signed by a Category 7A licensee covered by a Pest Control Business License, with both license numbers (S.C. Code Regs. 27-1085(K)). Inspecting for or issuing the report counts as structural pest control (S.C. Code Regs. 27-1070).³⁹
Texas	Termite reports for real estate deals go on TDA's Texas Wood Destroying Insect Report (SPCS/T-5) with no changes to the form, after an inspection by a certified applicator or technician licensed in Termite and Wood Destroying Insect Control (4 TAC 7.175, 7.176). The business keeps a copy for at least two years (4 TAC 7.176).^40-42
Washington	Complete WDO inspection reports for a sale, exchange or refinance carry a WSDA inspection control number, the inspector's name and license number and a diagram, and are written by a licensed structural pest inspector working for a licensed inspection company (RCW 15.58.445, 15.58.450; WAC 16-228-1545, 16-228-2045). Any report format works if every required element is there (WAC 16-228-2045).^43-45

Ask the company which form it uses, whether the inspector holds the termite or wood-destroying organism category, and whether the report carries a guarantee. How to check a pest control company's license links each state's lookup.

The figures are published national ranges, not quotes, and local prices vary. For prices for your own home, you can get quotes from pest control companies near you.

Ranges compiled from HomeGuide, Fixr, Angi, Thumbtack and Forbes Home; report rules from state agriculture departments, pest control boards and legislatures, checked October 2026.

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Termite inspections and treatment: costs and the report your state requires

What termite work costs

The report for a home sale

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