The Texas Department of Agriculture is designated as the state’s lead agency in the regulation of pesticide use and application.  The division is responsible for licensing and training pesticide applicators, overseeing worker protection, registering pesticides for sale in the state and working to minimize unnecessary impacts to agriculture while enhancing protection of endangered and threatened species as mandated by the federal law. The Structural Pest Control Service, part of the Pesticide Division, licenses applicators who make pesticide applications in and around structures.

Notice to Department of State Health Services license holders:  Effective Sept. 1, 2009, TDA assumed the duties of licensing for health-related pest control (mosquito control); duties formerly conducted by the DSHS. This change occurred through HB 1530, which made these changes to Chapter 76, the Agriculture Code. Licenses issued by DSHS will remain in effect for the period for which the license was issued.  When the DSHS licenses expire, persons wishing to licenses in health-related pest control will be subject to renewal under the Ag Code and subsequent regulations.  Until regulations are effective under the Ag Code, vector control applicators should continue to follow DSHS regulations.

Other agencies you may need to contact 

Texas Feed and Fertilizer Control Service
Regulates fertilizer.

Texas AgriLife Extension Service
Provides education for consumers, including questions about pests and what pesticide to use  

Landscape Irrigation 
A person may not sell, design, install, maintain, alter, repair, or service an irrigation system-or consult in these activities-in this state unless the person is licensed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.