Georgia Pest Control Recordkeeping Requirements

Recordkeeping in Georgia structural pest control spans federal label law, the Structural Pest Control Act, Commission licensing and WDO rules, insurance certificate filing, and a three-credential documentation model. GDA inspects firms and investigates misuse; incomplete records amplify enforcement risk during June 30 odd-year renewals, WDO real-estate transactions, and customer complaints.

This guide covers state-specific documentation tied to GDA credentials - not generic accounting. The facts pack verifies CE rules for operators and registered employees, employee initial training requirements, insurance certificate obligations, and notice patterns from Phase 2 licensing materials. Exact retention years for application logs and WDO record schedules were not extracted into the facts pack - confirm on official GDA and Chapter 620-6 materials before destroying records.

O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 45 authorizes GDA and the Commission to regulate company licenses, certified operators, registered employees, inspections, and enforcement. Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 620-3 implements licensing record expectations; Chapter 620-4 governs advertising and bond claims; Chapter 620-6 governs WDO contracts, inspection reports, treatment documentation, and record obligations for Category 30 work.

Federal label layer. EPA label directions require documenting application rates, sites, dates, and applicator identification regardless of Georgia credentials.

Three-credential files. Company records prove each place of business is authorized, insured, and staffed with designated certified operators for every category performed. Operator records prove examination passage, experience or degree documentation, fumigation six-treatment lists where Category 28 applies, and five-year CE or exam recertification. Employee records prove 10 classroom hours, 70 OJT hours, examination results, and two-year renewal credits. Service records should reconcile which credential authorized each treatment.

Category-matched records. Fumigation (28), Household Pest Control (29), Wood-destroying Organism Control (30), and Honey Bee Control and Removal (HBR) carry distinct supervision and documentation expectations. Match templates to the category on the company license - not marketing language alone.

Georgia CE recordkeeping is the most concrete area in the verified facts pack because operator recertification and employee renewal credits require provable Commission-approved training.

Certified operator - five-year period. Document Commission-approved CE by category: Household Pest Control 25 hours, WDO 25 hours, Fumigation 12 hours, with computer-based maximums of 10, 10, and 5 hours. Complete credits at least 90 days before operator certification expires, or pass a written examination. Build a CE folder per operator and category at the start of each five-year window.

Registered employee - two-year period. Document renewal credits: Household Pest Control 8 hours, WDO 8 hours, Fumigation 3 hours, with computer-based caps of 4, 4, and 1 hour under the verified facts pack. Complete before March 1 of the second year of the registration period, or re-examine in the agency-published window. That March 1 deadline precedes the shared June 30 odd-year expiration - track both dates.

Commission-approved only. Retain certificates, sign-in sheets, or transcripts showing title, date, hours, category, and approval status. Allow 6 - 8 weeks for GDA transcript processing after approved training.

Employee CE conflict note. GDA pages and Rule 620-3-.02 state 8/8/3 employee credits; a consolidated 2026 rules PDF contains a conflicting 10-hour reference in Rule 620-3-.03. Confirm live GDA and rule text before filing or writing SOP hour totals.

Before the registered employee examination, the licensee must verify 10 hours of approved classroom training and 70 hours of supervised on-the-job training in the category sought, document training on the SPCC Pre-Examination Training Form, and retain prescribed training documentation by category. Phase 2 technician materials reference retaining training records for at least two years - confirm operative rule text before choosing destroy dates.

Classroom and OJT logs. Classroom training covers laws, labels, emergency response, storage through disposal, PPE, environmental effects, and IPM under Rule 620-3-.02 topics referenced in Phase 2 materials. OJT hours must be logged and reviewed by the designated certified operator. Category-specific hours matter: Household Pest Control OJT does not substitute for WDO registration without WDO hours.

Examination and registration. Retain pass documentation at 70 percent, the Designated Certified Operator's registration package, and the $10 registration fee confirmation. Employees should carry registration cards while soliciting or performing work.

30-day employer notification. Notify GDA when an employee does not become registered within 30 days of employment. Maintain dated notification copies alongside hire and training records.

Out-of-state exam eligibility. An equivalent out-of-state applicator certification can satisfy one documented eligibility option for the registered employee examination - it is not operator reciprocity. Retain origin credential copies and any equivalence documentation GDA requests.

Georgia recordkeeping includes physical compliance artifacts. Display licenses conspicuously at the licensed office and mark sales/service vehicles with licensee identifying information per Phase 2 licensing materials.

Credential files. Retain company license applications, renewal confirmations ($100 license plus $70 research fee), designated operator designation records by category, operator examination and certification files, employee registration files, and fumigation six-treatment participation lists for Category 28 applicants.

Insurance certificates. File certificates meeting O.C.G.A. Chapter 45 floors: $50,000/$200,000 general BI/PD including sudden-and-accidental pollution; $100,000/$500,000 plus occurrence-basis E&O for WDO. Insurer must be Georgia-authorized or placed through a licensed surplus lines broker. Policies require at least 30 days' cancellation notice to the Commission through GDA - typically with the Commission as certificate holder. Maintain copies at application, renewal, and mid-term policy changes.

Ownership changes. Company licenses are not transferable. Retain entity change filings and updated certificates matching the licensed named insured.

Georgia ties each company license to a qualifying place of business with designated certified operator coverage for every category performed. Phase 2 licensing materials summarize notice patterns; exact Code section numbers and notice retention periods were not verified in the facts pack - confirm on current Chapter 620-3 and GDA forms.

10-day office notices. Notify the Secretary in writing within 10 days of an address change or opening or closing of an office. Maintain dated copies of every notice.

30-day unregistered employee notice. When soliciting or performing employees are not registered within 30 days of hire, notify GDA. Pair this with the presence rule: unregistered staff may work only in the presence of a certified operator, certified registered employee, or another registered employee.

Designated operator turnover. If a designated operator leaves, maintain designation change records submitted to GDA and internal supervision charts showing category coverage. A company license assumes active personal supervision for each category performed.

Do not invent notice rules. Read live Chapter 620-3 before building automated HR triggers.

Category 30 operators face a separate recordkeeping layer. Chapter 620-6 imposes contract content rules, inspection report standards, treatment documentation, corrective-action procedures, and record retention obligations referenced in Phase 2 materials. The facts pack confirms WDO insurance floors but not exact retention years, report field lists, or contract clause text.

Occurrence-basis E&O exists because inspection-report and contract documentation errors generate professional liability exposure separate from general liability. Only a WDO-certified operator may issue an Official Georgia Wood Infestation Inspection Report for apparent-freedom real-estate purposes per Phase 2 permissions materials. Tie each report and treatment record to Category 30 company licensing, designated operator designation, and supervised registered employees.

Read current Chapter 620-6 for record content and retention before using generic national WDO templates. Until verified, retain WDO customer files through warranty and callback periods without inventing retention year counts not in the facts pack.

Combine Code research with conservative practice aligned to Georgia's multi-credential calendars.

Tier 1 - Credential files (long retention). Company applications, operator and employee credential files, fumigation treatment lists, insurance certificates, designated operator records, ownership changes, and notice copies - for the life of the business plus buffer.

Tier 2 - CE files (rolling windows). Operator folders aligned to five-year recertification and the 90-day-before-expiration deadline. Employee folders aligned to two-year registration and the March 1 credit deadline. Keep one superseded cycle beyond minimum.

Tier 3 - Training files (confirm rule). SPCC Pre-Examination Training Form records and OJT logs - Phase 2 materials reference at least two years; confirm live Chapter 620-3 before destruction.

Tier 4 - Service records (confirm Code). Read Chapters 620-3 and 620-6 for application log and WDO retention before choosing destroy dates.

Audit rhythm. Quarterly: CE on track, credentials displayed, insurance certificate current, designated operators matched to categories sold, training complete before exams, notices sent on time. January reminders for employee March 1 credits; spring reminders for June 30 odd-year renewals.