How to check a pest control firm is Dubai Municipality-approved

Short answer

• Dubai Municipality publishes its approved pest control companies as a PDF on dm.gov.ae, refreshed roughly once a month.
• Search the latest PDF for the company name, and use the separate termite list for termite work.
• Groups A, B and C reflect the number of qualified staff, not quality.
• Ask the technician to show a DM-issued Pest Control ID card before work starts.
• Being on the list means minimum requirements were met; it is not a recommendation or ranking.

In this guide (11 sections)

1. Why does Dubai Municipality approval matter?
2. Where is the Dubai Municipality approved pest control list?
3. How do you check a company step by step?
4. What do Group A, Group B and Group C mean?
5. Is there a separate list for termite control?
6. What is the Pest Control ID card?
7. How does Dubai Municipality classify pest control companies?
8. What does approval NOT mean?
9. What if a company says it is "DM-approved" but is not on the list?
10. How to contact the Public Health Pest Control Section
11. What to check before you act

Dubai Municipality (DM) publishes a list of approved pest control companies as a PDF on its website, refreshed roughly once a month. To check a company, open the latest PDF, search for the company's name in the general list (and in the separate termite list if you need termite work), then ask the technician who turns up to show their DM-issued Pest Control ID card. Being on the list means the company met DM's minimum requirements. It is not a recommendation.

dubaipest.com is an independent information site. We are not affiliated with Dubai Municipality, any government body or any pest control company, and we take no bookings.

Why does Dubai Municipality approval matter?

Every pest control company working in Dubai needs a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from DM's Public Health Pest Control Section before it can get a trade licence. The section also regulates and qualifies these companies and assesses their programmes, according to its page on dm.gov.ae (checked October 2026).

That matters for you because an unlicensed operator has no DM oversight of its staff, chemicals or storage. The worst outcomes in the UAE have come from illegal fumigants used in homes; see our guide to aluminium phosphide "bombs". A cheap quote from someone who is not on the list is a warning sign, not a bargain. Our pest control prices guide shows what listed firms advertise.

Where is the Dubai Municipality approved pest control list?

The list sits on DM's "Approved Pest Control Companies" document page. When we checked on 23 October 2026, the page showed one PDF dated 03/09/2026. Its Arabic filename refers to August 2026, so the date on the page is the upload date and the month in the filename is the list it contains.

Older monthly lists are also on DM's servers with Arabic filenames (for example, September 2025, November 2025 and July 2026). Always use the one linked from the document page, not a copy saved on a company website or shared on WhatsApp. A copy can be months out of date, and a company can drop off between lists.

In 2012, DM told Khaleej Times that it updated the list every month based on inspection scores, and that you could also get it by calling 800900. That article is old, but the monthly pattern still matches the PDFs we can see in 2026.

How do you check a company step by step?

1. Open the document page on dm.gov.ae and download the current PDF.
2. Search the PDF (Ctrl+F or "Find in page" on a phone) for the company's name. Try a short part of the name, because spellings vary between English and Arabic and between trade names and brand names.
3. Note which section it appears in: Group A, B or C in the general list, or the separate termite list.
4. Compare the contact details. Each entry lists an email address, telephone and mobile number and a supervisor's name. If the number you were given does not match, call the number in the PDF and ask whether the person who quoted you works for that company.
5. Ask for the Pest Control ID card when the technician arrives (see below).
6. If in doubt, call 800900, DM's call centre.

The PDF does not show a licence number, so the name and contact details are your main way to match a company to its entry.

What do Group A, Group B and Group C mean?

In the July 2026 PDF, the general pest control list is split into three groups by the number of qualified pest control staff each company has. Companies are listed alphabetically within each group.

Group	Qualified pest control staff	Approx. entries (July 2026 list)	What it tells you
A	More than 25	About 24	A larger workforce. Useful if you need many units treated at once.
B	11 to 25	About 29	A mid-sized team.
C	1 to 10	About 230 or more	A small firm. Most listed companies are in this group.
Termite list	Separate list	About 28 visible	Companies licensed for termite control.

The groups describe headcount, not quality. A Group C firm is not "worse" than a Group A firm. It simply has fewer approved staff. For a one-bedroom flat with cockroaches, a small firm may be all you need. For a building, a food business or a large villa compound, a bigger team may matter for scheduling.

Entry counts are our own rough count from the July 2026 PDF and will change from month to month.

Is there a separate list for termite control?

Yes. The general list covers general pest control only. The PDF says fumigation, termite control and bird control are outside its scope, and termite companies appear in their own section after Group C.

So if you need termite treatment for a villa, check that the company is on the termite list specifically. A company can be approved for general work such as cockroaches or bed bugs without being approved for termites.

Termites are also not covered by DM's free service for residents. See our guide to Dubai Municipality free pest control.

What is the Pest Control ID card?

The PDF says every staff member of an approved company must carry a Pest Control ID card issued by DM's Pest Control Section, and that customers should check it. This is the simplest check you can make on the day.

Ask politely before the work starts:

• Does the person have a DM Pest Control ID card?
• Does the company name on the card or uniform match the company you booked?
• Is the company on the current list?

If someone cannot show a card, you can refuse the treatment and call the company's listed number to confirm. In 2012, DM also said approved supervisors should be present while pest control work is done. That is old guidance, so ask the company what its current practice is.

How does Dubai Municipality classify pest control companies?

Separate from the A/B/C groups, DM has a classification guide for pest control companies, listed on its site in June 2026. It scores companies on six weighted criteria:

Criterion	Weight
Number and qualification of DM-approved staff	20%
Authorised activities (general pest control, termite control, fumigation)	15%
Performance in DM's Smart Inspection System evaluations	30%
Number of valid pest control contracts with establishments	10%
Use of a smart system to manage operations and reports	10%
Service vehicles, pesticide warehouse and company location	15%

Inspection performance carries the most weight. The guide uses grades from A to F in that inspection system. It also requires a pesticide warehouse and main work site in Dubai and DM-approved service vehicles.

The published list PDF does not show each company's classification score or inspection grade. So you cannot read a company's "rating" from the list. If you want to know, ask the company directly, and treat its answer as its own claim.

What does approval NOT mean?

The PDF is clear that the NOC is not publicity or a recommendation by the section. It confirms that the company met minimum professional requirements. In practice:

• It is not a ranking. No company is "number one" on DM's list. Lists that claim a "top 10" DM-approved firm are someone's opinion, often the company's own.
• It is not a price check. DM does not set or approve prices.
• It does not cover every service. General approval does not include termites, fumigation or bird control.
• It is not permanent. Approval appears on a monthly list. Check the current one.
• It does not settle disputes. A complaint about poor work or a refund is between you and the company. For tenancy questions about who pays, see who pays for pest control in Dubai.

DM does inspect approved companies. The PDF says this covers field work, staff performance, pesticide stores, vehicles, materials and equipment. That oversight is the real value of choosing a listed firm.

What if a company says it is "DM-approved" but is not on the list?

Some websites and marketplaces describe providers as "Municipality-approved". That is their claim. Check the name in the current PDF yourself. If you cannot find it:

• Ask the company which name it is listed under. Trade names sometimes differ.
• Check the previous month's list in case it is newly added or recently removed.
• Call 800900 to ask.

If someone offers to sell you fumigation tablets or a "bomb" to use yourself, do not buy it. DM has asked residents to report such sellers to 800900.

How to contact the Public Health Pest Control Section

According to DM's section page (checked 23 October 2026):

• Phone: 800900
• Email: [email protected]
• Office: Al Quoz Industrial Area 3
• Hours: 7:30am to 2:30pm (8am to 1pm in Ramadan)

What to check before you act

• Download the list from the dm.gov.ae document page, not a copy from elsewhere.
• Find the company by name and match its phone or email to the PDF entry.
• For termites, check the separate termite list.
• Remember that Group A, B or C is about staff numbers, not quality.
• Ask to see the technician's DM Pest Control ID card before work starts.
• Get the treatment and safety instructions in writing. See how long to stay out after pest control.
• Never use fumigation tablets or "bombs" at home. If anyone shows signs of poisoning, call 999 or seek urgent medical help.

This page is general information, last checked on 23 October 2026. Lists and rules change, so confirm with Dubai Municipality.

Questions people ask

General information only, not professional, medical or legal advice. Rules, services and prices change; confirm with Dubai Municipality or a licensed company before you act. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

Sources

1. Approved Pest Control Companies (Dubai Municipality)checked 23 October 2026
2. Approved Pest Control Companies list, July 2026 PDF (Dubai Municipality)checked 23 October 2026
3. Public Health Pest Control Section (Dubai Municipality)checked 23 October 2026
4. Pest Control Companies Classification Guide (Dubai Municipality)checked 23 October 2026
5. Don't 'bomb' houses to kill pests (Khaleej Times, 2012)checked 23 October 2026