NAICS Code for Pest Control Services: 561710 Explained
The NAICS code for pest control services is 561710, Exterminating and Pest Control Services. It covers residential and commercial work alike, because NAICS has no separate code for either. The SIC equivalent is 7342. SBA’s small business size standard for 561710 is $17.5 million in average annual receipts, and two proposals to raise it are not yet law.
| Field | Entry | Where it is recorded |
|---|---|---|
| NAICS code | 561710 | Census Bureau, 2022 NAICS files |
| Official title | Exterminating and Pest Control Services | Census Bureau, 2022 NAICS files |
| Parent levels | Sector 56; subsector 561; group 5617, Services to Buildings and Dwellings; industry 56171 | Census Bureau, 2022 NAICS files |
| History | Same number in 1997, 2002 and 2022 NAICS | Census 2002 definition page, 2022 files |
| 1987 SIC equivalent | 7342, Disinfecting and Pest Control Services; mosquito eradication came from 4959 | Census SIC to NAICS concordance |
| SBA size standard | $17.5 million average annual receipts | 13 CFR 121.201, eCFR current to 3 November 2026 |
| Tax return code | 561710, “Exterminating & pest control services” | IRS Schedule C instructions, line B |
Compiled by The Pest Control Brief from the named federal sources.
The official definition, word for word
The 2022 Census description reads: “This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in exterminating and controlling birds, mosquitoes, rodents, termites, and other insects and pests (except for crop production and forestry production). Establishments providing fumigation services are included in this industry.” That text is identical to the 2002 definition, whose cross-reference sends crop and forestry pest control to Subsector 115, Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry.
The 2022 Census index lists seven activities under the code: bird proofing services, exterminating services, fumigating services (except crop fumigating), mosquito eradication services, pest (e.g., termite) inspection services, pest control (except agricultural, forestry) services, and termite control services.
Which code fits the work
| What the business does | NAICS code | Census index wording |
|---|---|---|
| Pest control in homes, offices, restaurants or warehouses | 561710 | Pest control (except agricultural, forestry) services |
| Termite inspections | 561710 | Pest (e.g., termite) inspection services |
| Tenting and fumigating buildings | 561710 | Fumigating services (except crop fumigating) |
| Private mosquito spraying | 561710 | Mosquito eradication services |
| Public mosquito district | 926130 | Mosquito eradication districts |
| Lawn spraying and fertilising | 561730 | Lawn spraying services; Lawn care services (e.g., fertilizing, mowing, seeding, spraying) |
| Disinfecting buildings | 561720 | Disinfecting services |
| Crop dusting, farm pest control | 115112 | Pest control services, agricultural; Crop dusting |
| Fumigating stored grain | 115114 | Grain fumigation |
| Forestry pest control | 115310 | Pest control services, forestry |
| Commercial animal trapping | 114210 | Animal trapping, commercial |
| Making pesticides | 325320 | Pesticides manufacturing |
| Wholesaling pesticides | 424690 (non-farm); 424910 (farm, lawn and garden) | Pesticides (except agricultural) merchant wholesalers; Lawn care supplies merchant wholesalers |
Compiled by The Pest Control Brief from the 2022 NAICS Index File. The first column is our plain-English description.
Two gaps catch people out. The index puts lawn spraying with landscaping in 561730 and makes no exception for insecticide, while a yard mosquito service reads as 561710. And no 2022 index entry names nuisance wildlife removal; the only trapping entry is commercial animal trapping under 114210, so a raccoon and squirrel business has to be classified by judgement. The words “other insects and pests” in the 561710 definition give a basis for treating it as pest control, but check with whoever is asking for the code.
Mixed businesses: the code follows the revenue
A company selling both pest control and lawn care still gets one primary code. The Census Bureau’s NAICS FAQ, in a capture archived in 2009, says it assigns one code to each establishment based on its primary activity, “the activity that generates the most revenue for the establishment”. A branch earning most of its money from lawn applications therefore reads as 561730, even with a pest licence on the wall.
The same FAQ says “there is no central government agency with the role of assigning, monitoring, or approving NAICS codes for establishments” and that Census has no formal role as an arbitrator. So you state the code yourself on forms such as Schedule C, and different agencies may hold different codes for the same firm. If one looks wrong, take it up with that agency.
The SIC code, and why it does not map cleanly
SIC 7342 is broader than 561710. The OSHA copy of the 1987 manual lists disinfecting, exterminating, fumigating, rest room cleaning and washroom sanitation together. The Census concordance splits it: exterminating and pest control went to 561710, the rest to 561720, Janitorial Services. Mosquito eradication went the other way, moving from SIC 4959, Sanitary Services, into 561710. SIC 7342 also excluded lawn pest control, which the manual placed in agriculture; lawn and garden services under SIC 0782 now map to 561730.
How 561710 compares with its neighbours
| Code | SBA standard now | SBA proposal, Aug 2026 | Employer locations, 2023 | Employees | Annual payroll | Nonemployer businesses, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 561710 Pest control | $17.5M | $58M | 16,535 | 139,150 | $7.44B | 16,137 |
| 561720 Janitorial | $22.0M | $58M | 67,799 | 1,088,193 | $32.74B | 1,095,927 |
| 561730 Landscaping | $9.5M | $58M | 117,969 | 802,899 | $41.18B | 516,572 |
Compiled by The Pest Control Brief from 13 CFR 121.201, the SBA proposed rule of 20 August 2026 (91 FR 53741), Census County Business Patterns 2023 and Census Nonemployer Statistics 2023. Nonemployer counts are published at the five-digit level (56171, 56172, 56173). Census applies noise protection to these figures.
Pest control is the only one of the three with about as many employer locations as no-payroll businesses. Janitorial work has about 16 nonemployers per employer location and landscaping about 4.4; pest control has 0.98. Our reading is that state applicator certification is a likely reason, though no federal table measures that. The 16,137 nonemployers reported $867 million in receipts, about $53,700 each.
The size standard: current figure and what is proposed
The regulation reads $17.5 million, whatever lookup sites say; at least one still quotes $18 million. Three rules decide how you measure against it:
- Federal contracting: for a firm at least that old, receipts over the last 5 completed fiscal years, divided by 5 (13 CFR 121.104).
- SBA loans: a firm with 3 or more completed fiscal years may use either a 3 year or a 5 year average.
- SBA 7(a) loans: as an alternative, tangible net worth up to $20 million and average net income after tax up to $6.5 million, including affiliates (13 CFR 121.301).
Two proposals are on the record, neither is final, and neither appears in the eCFR text we read on 5 November 2026. An August 2025 proposal (RIN 3245-AI12) would raise 561710 to $19.5 million. A broader August 2026 proposal (RIN 3245-AI67) would attach one $58 million standard to the whole 5617 group, with comments extended to 20 November 2026. SBA’s own table estimates 13,528 small pest control firms now and 13,580 under the proposal, a gain of 52. Against 13,603 firms in Census data for 2022, a more than threefold rise would change the status of very few companies. The code itself would not change.
Where the code actually gets used
| Place | What happens | Who decides |
|---|---|---|
| Federal solicitations | Each carries one NAICS code and size standard, fixed on the date the solicitation issues | Contracting officer (FAR 19.102; 13 CFR 121.402) |
| SAM.gov | Registration is required to contract with the government, and is where you certify small business eligibility | You |
| SBA loans | Size is tested against the standard for your primary industry, with affiliates added | SBA (13 CFR 121.301) |
| Schedule C, line B | Enter 561710 as the six-digit activity code | You (IRS instructions) |
| Commercial insurance | ACORD 125 applications carry both applicant SIC and NAICS fields | You or your broker |
A code licenses nothing. Certification and the company licence are separate, and our guide to starting a pest control business covers them. For federal work, the code on the solicitation governs, not the one you prefer: a contract for pest control at a base may be coded 561710, while a broader facilities contract carries the code for its largest share of value. Our guide to winning commercial pest contracts covers the sales side.
What the code counts
Census County Business Patterns 2023 records 16,535 establishments under 561710, of which 9,415 (57 per cent) have fewer than five employees. We checked on 5 November 2026 and the 2024 file was not yet posted. The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts 561710 separately and more recently: 17,933 private establishments and 151,410 employees in the first quarter of 2026. Our industry statistics page explains why the collections differ, and separates those from the 102,620 pest control workers counted by occupation (BLS code 37-2021, which tracks the job, not the industry). Our county data takes the same code down to local level, where Los Angeles County leads with 435 establishments.
Frequently asked questions
What is the NAICS code for pest control services?
The code is 561710, Exterminating and Pest Control Services, in the 2022 NAICS edition. It covers exterminating, termite control and inspection, fumigating buildings, bird proofing and mosquito eradication services. Pest control for crops or forestry is excluded and falls in Subsector 115, under codes such as 115112 and 115310.
What is the SIC code for pest control?
The SIC code is 7342, Disinfecting and Pest Control Services, from the 1987 SIC manual. It is broader than 561710: the Census concordance sends its exterminating work to 561710 and its disinfecting and washroom work to 561720. Mosquito eradication companies came from a different code, SIC 4959.
What NAICS code is lawn care?
Lawn care is 561730, Landscaping Services. The 2022 Census index lists lawn care services including fertilizing, mowing, seeding and spraying under that code, and lawn spraying services as its own entry. A pest control company earning most of its revenue from lawn work would therefore be classified in 561730, not 561710.
How many pest control companies are in the US?
BLS counted 17,933 private establishments in early 2026. Census counted 13,603 employer firms in 2022 and 16,535 employer establishments in 2023; a multi-branch company counts once as a firm and several times as establishments. A further 16,137 no-payroll businesses appear in Nonemployer Statistics for 2023. These collections differ, so do not add them together.
Is there a different NAICS code for residential and commercial pest control?
No. Both fall under 561710, because the definition turns on the activity, with only crop and forestry production excluded. It draws no line between a house and a warehouse. If you need to separate them for your own reporting, that split has to come from your own accounts, not from NAICS.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 NAICS Descriptions file and 2022 NAICS Index File.
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2002 NAICS Definitions, 561710, and NAICS FAQ, both as archived by the University of North Texas web archive (2008 and 2009 captures).
- U.S. Census Bureau, concordance of 1987 SIC to 2002 NAICS.
- U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA, SIC Manual, 7342 Disinfecting and Pest Control Services.
- Code of Federal Regulations, 13 CFR 121.104, 121.201, 121.301 and 121.402, eCFR, read 5 November 2026 (title current to 3 November 2026).
- Federal Acquisition Regulation 19.102.
- U.S. Small Business Administration, Small Business Size Standards, proposed rule, RIN 3245-AI12 (22 August 2025); proposed rule, RIN 3245-AI67, 91 FR 53741 (20 August 2026) and comment period extension (24 September 2026); Basic requirements for federal contracting.
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 (cbp23us) and Nonemployer Statistics 2023 (nonemp23us).
- U.S. Census Bureau, Statistics of U.S. Businesses 2022, and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2026 Q1, and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 37-2021, as compiled on our live data pages.
- Internal Revenue Service, Instructions for Schedule C (Form 1040), 2025, Principal Business or Professional Activity Codes.
- ACORD 125 applicant field list, as documented in UiPath product documentation (a secondary source; we did not read the form itself).
