Pest control licence Victoria: the trainee path

Two licences, two clocks

A Victorian trainee licence is valid for 12 months from the date it is issued, and may be granted a maximum of three times unless exceptional circumstances apply.

The second card is the technician licence, the one a fully qualified technician holds. A technician licence expires three years after the date it is granted.

Before it is granted, the applicant must hold the qualification listed for the work.

Victoria’s licence fees increased on 1 July 2026: a trainee licence is $259.10 and a technician licence is $777.20.

There are four licence authorisations in all, and a licence may be granted with any one, or more than one, of them.

Source: Victorian Department of Health, operator guidelines; Victorian Department of Health, licence applications.

Before the first card: enrolment

Neither card comes before the study. Trainee pest control operators in Victoria must be enrolled in a prescribed course or units of competency, or be undertaking that training.

For the trainee licence, the applicant has to be enrolled in that training, or undertaking it, as listed in the regulations’ own schedule of courses and units.

The application itself is a two-step process.

Source: Victorian Department of Health, trainee licences; Victorian Department of Health, licence applications.

The four applications, pest by pest

Supervision eases one pest at a time.

A trainee applies pesticides for a particular pest, ants for example, under direct supervision until the department considers that they have the knowledge and skills to work on that pest under indirect supervision.

The count for a pest is at least four pesticide applications against it, made under direct supervision.

A trainee treats ants alongside their supervisor, applying the pesticide inside direct sight and hearing range each time.

Four applications against ants count for ants, and only for ants: the next pest on the list starts the count again.

The fourth application is not the last step. The department is satisfied that a trainee has successfully completed the four applications when it receives a declaration from their supervisor on a Trainee skills declaration form. Once it has received and approved the form, the department emails the trainee, their nominated supervisor or both to advise of the trainee’s new supervisory status.

Under indirect supervision the trainee stays within indirect sight or hearing range of the supervisor, and that contact may include telephone or two-way radio.

Source: Victorian Department of Health, trainee licences; Victorian Department of Health, operator guidelines.

The path, in order

EnrolThe applicant is enrolled in, or undertaking, a prescribed course or units of competency.
Trainee licenceValid for 12 months from issue, and grantable a maximum of three times unless exceptional circumstances apply.
Four applications per pestA minimum of four pesticide applications to control a particular pest, under direct supervision, before that pest may be worked on under indirect supervision.
DeclarationThe supervisor declares the four applications on a Trainee skills declaration form; once the department has received and approved it, it emails the new supervisory status to the trainee, their nominated supervisor or both.
Indirect supervisionWithin indirect sight or hearing range, which may include telephone or two-way radio.
QualificationThe appropriate qualification listed in the regulations’ schedule of approved courses and qualifications.
Technician licenceExpires three years after it is granted, and may carry one or more authorisations, up to three listed on the licence.

Source: Victorian Department of Health, trainee licences; Victorian Department of Health, operator guidelines; Victorian Department of Health, licence applications; Victorian Department of Health, using a pest controller.

What the trainee may apply

The trainee’s permission travels with the licence and the supervisor.

The trainee licence authorises only the classes of pesticide listed on it, and only under a fully qualified operator who is authorised for those same classes.

A person holding a pest control licence may use only the pesticide they are qualified to use.

Supervision itself is a licence condition. A trainee holder may use the pesticides on the licence only while a person holding a fully qualified technician licence supervises.

Source: Victorian Department of Health, operator guidelines; Victorian Department of Health, licence applications; Victorian Department of Health, licence conditions.

The card at the door

When the tie is cut, the card changes colour. Trainee photo ID cards are printed on a green background, and red licences are issued only to fully qualified technicians.

A licence may carry one or more authorisations, and up to three may be listed on it, so the licence is the place to see which pest work its holder is qualified for.

The department does not recommend particular companies or operators, so the card and its authorisations stay the reader’s own checks.

Source: Victorian Department of Health, licence applications; Victorian Department of Health, using a pest controller; Better Health Channel, pest control services.

Who may treat your home in Victoria is decided by the Victorian Department of Health.