Pest control licences and companies
Yes, a pest control company needs a licence to carry out vector control work. The National Environment Agency (NEA) sets licensing requirements for vector control services, which cover work on mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches, rats and rat fleas. For help choosing a company, see how to hire a pest control company.
Does a pest control company need a licence in Singapore?
Yes, for vector control work. On its page for Vector Control Operators, NEA advises the public to make sure vector control services, such as cockroach treatment, are bought from licensed VCOs, whatever the type of service provider. Before you book, ask the company whether it holds a VCO licence.
Must the technician be licensed too?
Yes. NEA says the VCO ensures that all the technicians and workers it deploys are licensed or certified. That means the people who carry out the treatment in your home should be licensed or certified too, not just the company. If you are unsure who is coming, ask the company before the visit.
What should the company give me afterwards?
A service report with recommendations. NEA says the VCO submits a service report and recommendations at agreed intervals. Agree those intervals with the company when you book, and keep each report with your other home records so you can look back at past visits if pests return.
Products and safety
Read the label on any pest control product before you buy it, and use the product only as the label says. The registration rules cover products against mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches, rats and rat fleas.
How do I know a shop spray is approved?
Check the label. NEA says pesticides and repellents against mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches, rats and rat fleas must be registered before they are sold, supplied or advertised. Registered products are labelled "For General Use", for households, or "For Restricted Use". A spray for home use should say "For General Use" on its label.
What is a restricted-use pesticide?
It is a product labelled "For Restricted Use". NEA says these products are only for licensed technicians or certified workers and are not for sale in normal consumer markets. Do not use one yourself. If a pest problem seems to need one, leave the job to a licensed VCO.
How do I keep children safe?
Keep them away from sprayed areas. HealthHub advises keeping children out of areas that have just been sprayed until the insecticide has cleared, following the product's instructions every time and storing pesticides where children cannot reach them. Ask the operator when treated rooms can be used again, and plan where children will be during the visit.
Mosquitoes and cockroaches
Mosquitoes and cockroaches are both vectors, so paid treatment for them should come from a licensed VCO, and any product used against them must be registered. For what treatments cost, see the pest control cost guide, and for an infestation in a flat, see cockroach pest control in HDB flats.
What stops mosquitoes breeding at home?
Following NEA's Mozzie-free home checklist. It asks you to turn pails and watering cans over and store them under shelter, loosen hardened soil in potted plants, avoid blocking scupper drains, cover rarely used gully traps and cover bamboo pole holders after use. For more, see how to prevent mosquito breeding.
Does cleaning help with cockroaches?
The guide on cockroaches and cleaning covers the cleaning side. Cockroach treatment is a vector control service, and NEA advises buying it from a licensed VCO. Any spray you use yourself should be a registered product labelled "For General Use", the label NEA gives for household products. Ask the company what to clean or clear before the visit.
Who handles pests in a rented flat?
The tenant, if your agreement follows the template from the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA). Clause 4.6 of CEA's template for HDB flats has the tenant keep the flat free of pests, mosquitoes and rodents and engage exterminators at the tenant's own cost where necessary. Check your own agreement, and see the tenants and landlords FAQ.
Pest control guides
Start with the guide for your pest, or with how to choose a company:
- Hiring a pest control company: licence checks and what to ask.
- Bed bugs at home: the signs and first steps.
- Termites at home: the signs and treatment plans.
- Rats in the home: who to call and how to prevent them.
- Cockroach prevention: cleaning habits that help.
- Prevent mosquito breeding: NEA's checks for your home.
Where to go next
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Not sure which trade you need? Answer a few questions and see the matching companies with their published prices and sources.
Find the right serviceIf you are planning cleaning work as well as pest control, these pages can help:
- Home cleaning: compare home cleaning companies and their published prices.
- Deep cleaning checklist: plan a thorough clean of your home.
Before you book vector control work, ask the company whether it is a licensed VCO, what the visit covers and what you need to do before and after it.
Questions
Can I do pest control myself?
Yes, with registered household products. NEA says products labelled "For General Use" are for households, while those labelled "For Restricted Use" are only for licensed technicians or certified workers. Choose a "For General Use" product and follow its label exactly. For cockroach treatment or other vector control services you pay for, NEA advises using a licensed VCO.
How often should a home have pest control?
No official interval is set for homes. If you hire a licensed VCO, agree how often it will visit when you book. NEA says the VCO submits a service report and recommendations at agreed intervals, so read each report and decide on the next visit with the company. Keep the reports so you can compare visits.
Is pest control safe for pets?
Ask the operator, because the answer depends on the products it plans to use. Before the visit, tell the company which pets you keep and ask what it will use, where it will apply it and whether pets need to stay away. Ask for the name of each product so you can read its label, and follow the operator's instructions.
Do I need to leave home during treatment?
Ask the operator, and follow its instructions on whether to leave and for how long. Before the visit, ask which rooms will be treated and when you can use them again. HealthHub advises keeping children away from areas just sprayed with insecticide until it has cleared, so plan where they will be during and after the treatment.
Who do I call about rats in the common area?
Your Town Council. HDB says Town Councils control, manage and maintain the common property of HDB flats, such as corridors, void decks and open spaces, and that you may contact your Town Council about routine maintenance and other services. So report rats you see in a corridor, void deck or other common area to your Town Council.
Can pest control get rid of bed bugs?
Ask a pest control company whether it treats bed bugs before you book. NEA's licensing requirements for Vector Control Operators cover vector control services for mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches, rats and rat fleas, so a VCO licence does not tell you whether a company treats bed bugs. Ask what the treatment involves and what you need to do to prepare.
Practical guidance for planning a home job in Singapore. Company prices come from the HomezyPro directory, each linked to its source; rules and safety points link to the agency or manufacturer that sets them. This is not a site inspection, a quote or professional advice for your home.
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