Pest Control Business Permit Requirements in Paterson, NJ

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC or corporation. Free from the IRS.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. New Jersey Division of Taxation — Sales Tax Certificate of Authority

   Required for all businesses selling taxable goods or services in New Jersey. New Jersey charges a 6.625% state sales tax. Most services are exempt; retail product sales and certain services are taxable. Register free online via the State of New Jersey Business Registration portal.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate to 3 business days (online)

   Free

   Immediate to 3 business days (online)

2. New Jersey DEP Bureau of Pesticide Control - Commercial Pesticide Applicator License

   Anyone who applies pesticides for hire in New Jersey must be certified and licensed as a Commercial Pesticide Applicator by the DEP Bureau of Pesticide Control under N.J.A.C. 7:30-6. You must first complete a Department-approved Basic Pesticide Training Course, then pass the Core examination plus at least one Category examination (Category 7A General and Household Pest Control and 7B Termites and Other Wood-Destroying Insects are the pest control categories), and complete 40 hours of on-the-job training per category. Exams are administered by Rutgers University through the PACER system, not by DEP. Certification lasts five years and is maintained with 8 Core plus 16 Category recertification credits, and the pest control business itself needs a separate Pesticide Applicator Business License.

   Official government source

   $135 per examination through Rutgers PACER, so at least $270 for Core plus one Category exam, plus an $80.00 annual license fee (N.J.A.C. 7:30-6.4); duplicate licenses up to $10·Basic training course, then exam scores in 7-10 days from Rutgers and roughly 2 more weeks before DEP issues the license invoice; certification must be completed within one year of the first exam passed and the license year ends October 31

   $135 per examination through Rutgers PACER, so at least $270 for Core plus one Category exam, plus an $80.00 annual license fee (N.J.A.C. 7:30-6.4); duplicate licenses up to $10

   Basic training course, then exam scores in 7-10 days from Rutgers and roughly 2 more weeks before DEP issues the license invoice; certification must be completed within one year of the first exam passed and the license year ends October 31

3. New Jersey Pesticide Applicator Business License

   N.J.A.C. 7:30-7 requires every pesticide applicator business operating in New Jersey - any business that holds itself out for hire to apply pesticides - to be licensed by the DEP Bureau of Pesticide Control. This is in addition to the individual Commercial Pesticide Applicator license. A separate license is required for each office location and for each name the business operates under, and out-of-state businesses working in New Jersey must also be licensed. Every location must employ its own responsible Commercial Certified Pesticide Applicator certified in the appropriate categories, and the same applicator cannot cover two locations. Apply on form VPA-013 emailed to [email protected]; DEP then issues an invoice. You must also carry liability insurance with the equivalent of a $300,000 combined single limit including completed operations and ISO CG 22 64 chemical liability coverage, or $500,000 if you do any fumigation work. Your license number must be displayed in 3-inch characters on two sides of every service vehicle.

   Official government source

   $150.00 per year per business location; do not send payment with form VPA-013, pay the invoice DEP issues·Licensing is annual and the license year ends October 31; DEP publishes no processing time, the license issues on payment of the invoice

   $150.00 per year per business location; do not send payment with form VPA-013, pay the invoice DEP issues

   Licensing is annual and the license year ends October 31; DEP publishes no processing time, the license issues on payment of the invoice

1. City of Paterson Health & Human Services — Mercantile License

   Paterson city ordinance requires businesses operating in the city to register and obtain a Mercantile License, administered by the Mercantile Licensing division of the Department of Health & Human Services. A mercantile inspector visits the business as part of the process, which the city describes as a consumer-protection function that also provides technical assistance to businesses. Note that Paterson has no 'Department of Business Administration' — the city's departments are Administration, Community Development, Economic Development, Finance, Health & Human Services, Legal, Municipal Court, Public Safety and Public Works. Businesses in regulated industries need additional permits from the relevant division, such as retail food licensing from the Division of Health or construction permits from UCC Construction/Buildings.

   Official government source

   Paterson does not publish a Mercantile License fee schedule online; the fee is set by city ordinance and varies with the type of business. Contact Mercantile Licensing through City Hall at 973-321-1600 for the amount that applies to you.·Paterson's permitting and licensing system is being moved online. Apply through Mercantile Licensing and allow time for the mercantile inspection before you open.

   Paterson does not publish a Mercantile License fee schedule online; the fee is set by city ordinance and varies with the type of business. Contact Mercantile Licensing through City Hall at 973-321-1600 for the amount that applies to you.

   Paterson's permitting and licensing system is being moved online. Apply through Mercantile Licensing and allow time for the mercantile inspection before you open.

2. City of Paterson — Certificate of Occupancy / Commercial Use Approval

   If you run a pest control business from a commercial office or a vehicle depot in Paterson, you need a Certificate of Occupancy or commercial use approval from the City of Paterson; Passaic County has no CO-issuing role. Start with the Zoning Officer (973-321-1343) to confirm the use is permitted and to get the right forms, then the commercial CO inspection is arranged through the Division of Community Improvements, while UCC Construction/Buildings issues the CO and Continued CO where construction work is involved. Paterson requires the inspection on a change of occupancy, not on the sale of an existing commercial property. A pesticide business also needs its NJDEP pesticide applicator business license for that location.

   Official government source

   $75 for a commercial CO inspection under 5,000 sq ft; $150 for 5,000 sq ft and over. The zoning permit that comes first carries no plan review charge (City of Paterson Business Handbook).·Zoning permit about 3–7 days; construction permits 3–20 days depending on how much plan review is required.

   $75 for a commercial CO inspection under 5,000 sq ft; $150 for 5,000 sq ft and over. The zoning permit that comes first carries no plan review charge (City of Paterson Business Handbook).

   Zoning permit about 3–7 days; construction permits 3–20 days depending on how much plan review is required.

Official Sources

• New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection — Pesticide Applicator License
• City of Paterson Department of Business Administration

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