Florida Shuts Down Illegal Door-to-Door Pest Control Operation

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida agriculture officials have shut down an illegal door-to-door pest control sales operation that targeted hundreds of residents across the state, imposing a $36,000 fine and barring the companies involved from future pest control activity in Florida.

Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson said the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services took enforcement action against Mira Home LLC and Grit Marketing LLC after investigators found the companies illegally solicited more than 600 pest control contracts.

Under the settlement, Mira Home, a licensed pest control company, agreed to pay a $36,000 fine and comply with state pest control laws. Grit Marketing, which provided door-to-door sales workers, is permanently banned from engaging in any pest control sales or related activities in Florida.

Florida law prohibits pest control companies from using independent contractors to perform or solicit pest control services. Individuals who sell or perform pest control work must also carry a valid Pest Control Identification Card issued by the state to ensure proper training and oversight.

According to administrative complaints filed by the department, more than 30 Grit Marketing employees conducted unlicensed pest control activities in Florida. Between March 3-11, 2025, those employees went door-to-door soliciting contracts on behalf of Mira Home.

Investigators also found that Mira Home obtained pest control identification cards for individuals who were not its employees but independent contractors working through Grit Marketing, a violation of state law.

“One of my top responsibilities as Florida’s commissioner of agriculture is protecting Florida’s consumers,” Simpson said in a statement. “That includes cracking down on illegal door-to-door sales operations and those operating outside the law.”

As part of broader consumer protection efforts, Simpson has proposed legislation in the 2026 Florida Farm Bill that would allow residents to post official “No Commercial Solicitation” signs at their homes and establish criminal penalties for those who ignore them.

Source: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services