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Sanitary Pest Control Occupation Regulation Law, 5776-2016

חוק הסדרת העיסוק בהדברה תברואית, תשע"ו-2016

Published: 2016-02-16Consolidated Hebrew text as of 2025-11-12 · Last amended 2023-11-19✓ Amendment status checked against the Knesset legislation record on 2026-09-17
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Unofficial English translation — for reference only. It may contain errors or omissions and cannot be relied on as a legal text. Only the Hebrew text published in Reshumot is legally binding.More

This English text was translated from the official Hebrew using a range of translation tools, and it undergoes ongoing checks and updates. It is not a certified translation.

Despite these checks, it may contain errors, omissions, or imprecise renderings of legal terminology and cross-references, and it may not yet reflect the latest amendments. It cannot be relied upon as a legal text.

The Hebrew text as published in Reshumot (ספר החוקים) and on the Knesset website is the sole authoritative and legally binding version. In any discrepancy, the Hebrew text prevails.

This translation is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For use in legal proceedings, request a certified Expert Legal Opinion.

Chapter I: Purpose and Definitions

Purpose§

1.

The purpose of this Law is to regulate the practice of pest control against pests harmful to humans and to property, other than for agricultural purposes, including to prescribe provisions regarding the training and manner of operation of those engaged in pest control as aforesaid, the licensing procedures for engaging in pest control and the supervision of such engagement, inter alia by prescribing prohibitions and obligations in accordance with the precautionary principle, and all of this for the purpose of protecting human life, health and quality of life, preventing sanitary and environmental hazards, and protecting the environment including natural resources, ecological systems and biological diversity, for the benefit of the public and for the benefit of future generations and in consideration of their needs.

Definitions§

2.

In this Law –

"treatment means" – mechanical, physical or biological means for the destruction, attraction, capture, inhibition of development, repulsion, removal or reduction of a population of pests, or chemical means for the attraction or capture of pests;

"pest breeding ground" – any substrate including a structure, vehicle, body of water, plant, container, open area, installation, object or material, the condition, manner of keeping or manner of use of which enables the development of a hazard or a nuisance, excluding such a substrate in a natural environment and excluding a person or animals that are not pests;

"national park", "protected natural value" and "nature reserve" – as defined in the National Parks Law;

"arrears" and "shekel interest" – as defined in the Interest and Linkage Adjudication Law;

"pest control" – use of chemical means for the destruction, inhibition of development, repulsion, removal or reduction of a population of pests;

"fumigation pest control" – pest control by means of gas;

"the Advisory Committee" – the Advisory Committee for Pest Controller Affairs appointed pursuant to Section 24;

"National Parks Law" – National Parks, Nature Reserves, National Sites and Memorial Sites Law, 5758-1998;

"Environmental Protection Law" – Environmental Protection Law (Supervision and Enforcement Powers), 5771-2011;

"Hazardous Substances Law" – Hazardous Substances Law, 5753-1993;

"Penal Law" – Penal Law, 5737-1977;

"Wildlife Protection Law" – Wildlife Protection Law, 5715-1955;

"Interest and Linkage Adjudication Law" – Interest and Linkage Adjudication Law, 5721-1961;

"protected wild animal" – as defined in the Wildlife Protection Law;

"pest controller" – a person who holds a pest controller licence and is registered in the pest controllers register pursuant to Section 13;

"assistant pest controller" – as defined in Section 6;

"processed products" – products of industry or craft, including food products, excluding unprocessed agricultural produce, and including packaging of such products;

"pests" – animals that are not a protected natural value or a protected wild animal, which are liable to cause a hazard or a nuisance, and are listed in the First Schedule;

"nuisance" – the presence or activity of pests that causes damage to property, including processed products, or severe discomfort to a person, or where there is a real concern that such damage or discomfort will be caused;

"the Director" – an employee of the Ministry who is directly subordinate to the Director General of the Ministry, whom the Minister has authorised for the purposes of Chapter VI;

"hazard" – the presence or activity of pests that causes harm to a person's body or health, or where there is a real concern that such harm will be caused, and all of this in one of the following ways:

(1)stinging, biting, spraying, contact with or effect of pests, which is liable to cause a physical reaction in a person;
(2)transmission of disease-causing agents to a person;

"operator" – a person who regularly operates another person in carrying out pest control, whether the operator is a pest controller or not, including a person who is the owner or manager of a business that offers pest control services to the public;

"the Ministry" – the Ministry of Environmental Protection;

"natural environment" – any of the following:

(1)a place that is in its natural form or has not undergone significant changes by humans, or whose natural form has been restored or is intended for restoration as aforesaid;
(2)a nature reserve, national park or a place designated in a plan as defined in the Planning and Building Law, 5725-1965, as a nature reserve, national park or forest;
(3)a place that is not in its natural form but in which a natural ecological system exists or whose purpose is the creation of conditions that simulate a natural ecological system;

"prevention activities" – mechanical or technical activities applied with respect to a pest breeding ground for the purpose of preventing the development of pests, a hazard or a nuisance, including removal, drying, drainage, covering, construction and sealing;

"pest controller licence", "licence" – any of the following: a residential pest controller licence, a buildings and open area pest controller licence, a fumigation pest controller licence or a military pest controller licence;

"residential pest controller licence", "buildings and open area pest controller licence", "fumigation pest controller licence" and "military pest controller licence" – as defined in Section 4;

"the Registrar" – the Registrar for Pest Controller Affairs appointed pursuant to Section 23;

"pest control preparation" – a substance or mixture of chemical substances, in any state of matter, intended for pest control;

"registered pest control preparation" – a pest control preparation registered pursuant to the Hazardous Substances Law;

"the Minister" – the Minister of Environmental Protection.

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Chapter II: Licensing of Pest Controllers

Licensing Requirement§

3.
(a)A person shall not engage in pest control unless that person holds a pest controller licence granted to him under this Law of the type appropriate for carrying out the pest control, and in accordance with the conditions of the licence and the provisions under this Law.
(b)For the purposes of this Law, "engaging in pest control" – any of the following, whether done for consideration or without consideration:
(1)carrying out pest control in the course of an occupation, including by means of a pest control preparation designated under law for use by the general public;
(2)carrying out pest control using a pest control preparation not designated under law for use by the general public, even if done on an occasional basis;
(3)carrying out prevention activities or using treatment means prescribed by the Minister, after consultation with the Minister of Health and with the Advisory Committee and with the approval of the Interior and Environmental Protection Committee of the Knesset.

Types of Pest Controller Licences§

4.
(a)The following are the types of pest controller licences and the activities permitted to a pest controller under each type of licence:
(1)residential pest controller licence – a licence to carry out pest control, excluding fumigation pest control, pest control of processed products and pest control of pests listed in the Second Schedule, in any of the following:
(a)an apartment used for residential purposes or an office whose area does not exceed 500 square metres, including yards attached thereto;
(b)common property in a building containing at most 16 apartments or offices as referred to in sub-paragraph (a);
(2)buildings and open area pest controller licence – a licence to carry out any pest control, excluding fumigation pest control;
(3)fumigation pest controller licence – a licence to carry out any pest control;
(4)military pest controller licence – a licence to carry out pest control activities permitted to a person holding a residential pest controller licence, in the places listed in paragraph (1) and in additional places specified in the licence, and all of this within the areas of Israel Defence Forces military camps.
(b)The Minister may prescribe that pest control of certain pests, the use of a certain pest control preparation, or the carrying out of prevention activities or the use of certain treatment means that have been prescribed as engaging in pest control pursuant to section 3(b)(3), shall be permitted only to those holding pest controller licences of types to be prescribed, or shall be subject to certain conditions including dedicated training.
(c)The Minister, after consultation with the Minister of Health and the Advisory Committee and with the approval of the Interior and Environmental Protection Committee of the Knesset, may prescribe that additional pest control activities that pose a low risk to public health and to the environment, or pest control activities carried out in types of structures and places that do not pose a high risk to public health or to the environment, are activities that a residential pest controller may engage in, or activities that a residential pest controller may engage in under the guidance of a buildings and open area pest controller and in accordance with the conditions and provisions to be prescribed by the Minister.

Exclusivity of Title and Prohibition of Impersonation§

5.
(a)A person shall not use a title or designation from which it may be inferred that the person is a pest controller or that the person holds a pest controller licence of a certain type, unless that person holds a valid pest controller licence appropriate to his occupation in accordance with the provisions under this Law.
(b)A person shall not present himself or a person acting on his behalf as a pest controller or as a person holding a pest controller licence of a certain type, unless that person holds a valid pest controller licence appropriate to his occupation in accordance with the provisions under this Law.

Assistance in Carrying Out Pest Control§

6.
(a)Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3, a pest controller may assist another pest controller in carrying out pest control, excluding fumigation pest control, even if the assisting pest controller does not hold a pest controller licence of the type appropriate for carrying it out, provided that the assisted pest controller holds a licence to carry out the pest control and the assistant pest controller acts in the presence and under the supervision of the assisted pest controller at the time of carrying out the pest control, and in accordance with his instructions.
(b)A pest controller may avail himself of the assistance of an assistant pest controller in carrying out pest control, excluding fumigation pest control, provided that both of the following conditions are met:
(1)the assistant pest controller provided to him, before the commencement of the pest control, a copy of his pest controller licence that is valid at the time of carrying out the pest control, and the assisted pest controller retained the said copy of the licence for a period of three years from the date of carrying out the pest control or for another period prescribed by the Minister pursuant to Section 16;
(2)the assisted pest controller is present and supervises the assistant pest controller at the time of carrying out the pest control and provides him with appropriate instructions for carrying it out.

Conditions for the Grant of a Licence§

7.
(a)The Registrar shall grant a pest controller licence to an applicant in whom all of the following conditions are met, as the case may be:
(1)the applicant is an individual, an adult and a permanent resident of Israel;
(2)the applicant is not legally incompetent;
(3)in the case of an applicant for a residential pest controller licence, a buildings and open area pest controller licence or a fumigation pest controller licence – the applicant has not been convicted of a criminal offence which, by reason of its nature, gravity or circumstances, renders the applicant unfit to serve as a pest controller;
(4)
(a)the applicant has completed participation in an appropriate training programme for the type of licence applied for, including practical training, which the Registrar has recognised pursuant to the provisions of sub-paragraph (b), and upon its completion has successfully passed an examination conducted by the Registrar pursuant to the provisions of that sub-paragraph, and in the case of an applicant for a military pest controller licence – the applicant participated in the training and passed the examination as aforesaid, which include at least the training and examination for an applicant for a residential pest controller licence; however, an applicant for a residential pest controller licence who held a military pest controller licence for at least one year during which the applicant actually engaged in pest control in accordance with his licence, shall not be subject to the obligation to undergo training and pass an examination as aforesaid, provided that the application for the grant of a licence was submitted before three years have elapsed from the date of completion of his service in the Israel Defence Forces;
(b)the Minister, after consultation with the Advisory Committee and with the approval of the Interior and Environmental Protection Committee of the Knesset, shall prescribe provisions regarding the recognition of a training programme as referred to in sub-paragraph (a), including provisions regarding the manner of submitting an application for such recognition, the conditions for granting recognition including with respect to training conducted outside Israel, the content and scope of the theoretical and practical training, the methods of training, and also provisions regarding the conduct of examinations upon the completion of the training programme;
(5)in the case of an applicant for a buildings and open area pest controller licence or a fumigation pest controller licence – the applicant has the qualification and experience in engaging in pest control as detailed below:
(a)in the case of a buildings and open area pest controller licence – the applicant held a residential pest controller licence for at least one year during which the applicant actually engaged in pest control in accordance with his licence;
(b)in the case of a fumigation pest controller licence – the applicant held a buildings and open area pest controller licence for at least one year during which the applicant actually engaged in pest control in accordance with his licence;
(6)in the case of an applicant for a military pest controller licence – the applicant is serving in regular service as defined in the Defence Service Law [Consolidated Version], 5746-1986;
(7)additional conditions prescribed pursuant to subsection (d) are met in respect of the applicant.
(b)The Minister may prescribe provisions regarding the manner of submitting an application for a pest controller licence or for its renewal, including documents and information required by the Registrar for the purpose of making a decision on an application for the grant of a licence.
(c)The Registrar shall publish on the Ministry's website application forms and a list of documents to be attached to an application; such forms and information shall also be made available to the public at the district offices of the Ministry.
(d)The Minister, after consultation with the Advisory Committee and with the approval of the Interior and Environmental Protection Committee of the Knesset, may prescribe additional conditions for the grant of a licence or for its renewal, inter alia in order to ensure the professionalism of the pest controller and in order to prevent harm to the environment or to public health, including an obligation to undergo practical internship in carrying out pest control under a pest controller, the duration of the internship, the conditions for carrying out the internship and also exemption from internship in full or in part, and may prescribe different conditions for different types of licences.
(e)Nothing in the provisions pursuant to subsection (d) shall derogate from the obligation to participate in continuing education courses pursuant to Section 17.

Refusal to Grant a Licence§

8.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 7, the Registrar, after consultation with the Advisory Committee and after giving the licence applicant an opportunity to state his arguments, may refuse to grant a licence to an applicant who meets the conditions under that Section, if the Registrar finds that there are circumstances by reason of which a licence should not be granted to the applicant, including on grounds relating to the applicant's reliability.

Duration of Licence and Its Renewal§

9.
(a)A pest controller licence shall be valid for five years, and may be renewed for additional periods of five years at a time.
(b)A pest controller seeking to renew a licence granted to him for an additional period shall submit to the Registrar, at least 60 days before the expiry of the licence's period of validity, an application for its renewal; the Registrar may permit the submission of an application for licence renewal after the said date for reasons to be recorded; the licence shall be renewed upon the fulfilment of the conditions under this Law for the grant of a licence, however a pest controller as aforesaid shall not be required to participate in a training programme and to pass an examination as referred to in section 7(a)(4) for the purpose of renewing the licence, unless the Registrar so directed pursuant to Section 10 or other conditions prescribed by the Minister pursuant to section 7(d) are met.
(c)Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section, the Registrar may, after giving the applicant an opportunity to state his arguments, grant a licence or renew it for periods shorter than the period referred to in subsection (a), for special reasons to be recorded, provided that the Registrar notified the licence applicant in writing of his reasons.

Refusal to Renew a Licence, Revocation of a Licence, Its Restriction or Its Suspension§

10.
(a)The Registrar, after consultation with the Advisory Committee, may refuse to renew a licence, make the renewal of the licence conditional upon participation in a training programme or passing an examination as referred to in section 7(a)(4), revoke a licence, restrict it, or suspend it for a period not exceeding one year, and all of this after giving the pest controller an opportunity to state his arguments in writing, where any of the following applies to the pest controller:
(1)the licence was granted to the pest controller on the basis of false, erroneous, misleading or partial information;
(2)the pest controller has ceased to engage in pest control;
(3)a condition from among the conditions for the grant of the licence under this Law has ceased to be met in respect of the pest controller;
(4)the pest controller has breached a condition of the licence or a provision of the provisions under this Law, or a provision of other legislation in connection with the pest controller's occupation;
(5)the pest controller has been convicted of a criminal offence which, by reason of its nature, gravity or circumstances, renders the pest controller unfit, in the Registrar's opinion, to serve as a pest controller;
(6)the pest controller provided to the Registrar, to another employee of the Ministry of Environmental Protection or to an inspector authorised pursuant to Section 29 who required information from the pest controller for the purpose of performing the inspector's duties, false, misleading, erroneous or partial information in connection with the pest controller's work;
(7)the pest controller has displayed lack of professionalism or negligence in the course of his work as a pest controller.
(b)Without derogating from the provisions of subsection (a), the Registrar, after consultation with the Advisory Committee, may suspend a licence granted to a pest controller if an indictment has been filed against the pest controller for the commission of an offence as referred to in subsection (a)(5), until a final judgment is given in the matter, and all of this if the Registrar considered that the gravity of the matter or the public interest so requires and after giving the pest controller an opportunity to state his arguments in writing.
(c)Where the Registrar had reasonable grounds to assume that a ground from among the grounds referred to in subsection (a) or (b) exists in respect of a pest controller, and the Registrar considered that there is an urgent need to suspend or restrict the pest controller's licence for the purpose of immediate protection of the environment or of public health, the Registrar may suspend or restrict the licence forthwith for a period not exceeding thirty days, provided that the pest controller was given an opportunity to state his arguments in writing, as soon as possible after the suspension or restriction.
(d)Where the Registrar considered that the defect referred to in subsection (a) is capable of rectification, the Registrar may direct the pest controller to rectify it and may direct the manner of rectification and the time for rectification, and may also direct that until the rectification is carried out the pest controller shall not carry out pest control activities as directed; if the period prescribed by the Registrar has elapsed and the defect has not been rectified to the Registrar's satisfaction, the Registrar may, after giving the pest controller an opportunity to state his arguments in writing, take measures as referred to in subsection (a).
(e)Where a pest controller licence is revoked pursuant to subsection (a)(1), (4), (5), (6) or (7), that person shall not be entitled to submit an application for a pest controller licence before two years have elapsed from the date of revocation of the licence as aforesaid, unless the Registrar considered, after consultation with the Advisory Committee, that special reasons to be recorded exist that justify the grant of a licence to that person before the said period has elapsed.
(f)Where a pest controller has been given an opportunity to state his arguments pursuant to this Section in writing, the Advisory Committee may, upon the pest controller's request or on its own initiative, invite the pest controller to present his arguments before it orally.

Prohibition on Transfer of Licence§

11.

A pest controller licence is personal; a pest controller shall not transfer to another person the licence held by the pest controller and shall not permit another person to make use of the pest controller's licence.

Obligation to Update Particulars§

12.

A pest controller shall notify the Registrar forthwith of any change in the particulars provided in the application for the grant of a licence or for its renewal, in the manner directed by the Registrar.

Pest Controllers Register§

13.
(a)The Registrar shall maintain a register of holders of pest controller licences that shall include, inter alia, the following particulars:
(1)the pest controller's particulars, the type of licence held by the pest controller and its period of validity;
(2)revocation or suspension of a pest controller licence;
(3)publication of a monetary sanction imposed on the pest controller as referred to in Section 45.
(b)The register shall be open for public inspection at the main office of the Ministry and shall be published on the Ministry's website; however, information as referred to in subsection (a) in respect of a military pest controller shall not be published.
(c)The provisions of Section 45 shall apply, with the necessary modifications, to the publication of the particulars referred to in paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection (a).

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