Termites in Miami-Dade and Broward
Miami-Dade and Broward are where UF/IFAS documents two Coptotermes species, the Formosan
subterranean termite and the Asian subterranean termite, both established and interbreeding
(UF/IFAS ENY-2137/IN1476,
UF/IFAS
News, June 2026). The Asian subterranean termite (Coptotermes gestroi) was first
found in Miami in 1996 and its distribution is still described as restricted to South Florida
(FDACS,
UF/IFAS EDIS IN285). The Formosan
subterranean termite (Coptotermes formosanus) is established statewide and FDACS calls it
the most damaging subterranean termite in Florida.
UF/IFAS’s own finding here reads calmer than that headline suggests. Hybrid colonies, confirmed by
DNA testing in Broward County, made up under 1% of winged swarmers in the areas studied, and
treatment stays the same regardless of which one you have:
“the hybrid termites are in fact not any scarier than their scary parents. They won’t eat your
house any faster or become more numerous”
(UF/IFAS IN1476). If you want a species
identified, UF/IFAS’s Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center
takes termite samples.
The other category active here is drywood termites, the reason tenting is a routine service in
Miami. Formosan and
Asian subterranean termites alike live in the soil and get treated with a liquid termiticide
barrier or a bait system instead of tenting. Drywood termites live inside the wood itself, so a
colony that’s easy to get at can sometimes be spot treated, while an infestation that has spread
through the structure needs the whole house tented. To work out which you have, start with
flying termites to tell swarmers from flying ants, then
Formosan termite swarmers,
drywood termites in Florida and
subterranean termites for what each one means for
your house and your quote.
What termite work costs in Miami
We checked the websites of every company listed above on 28 Sep 2026, along with several
Miami-area companies not on our list. None publishes a dated treatment price for Miami. Most,
including Truly Nolen, Tower Pest Control and Termite Away, offer a free inspection or assessment
and quote a price after that visit. A few run flat discounts, such as $100 off a first service from
Florida State Tent-less Termite Treatment and Natural Resources Pest Control Miami, rather than a
base price.
Third-party cost-guide sites publish “Miami” figures, but the ones we checked repeat the same
numbers they give for other cities, so we don’t quote them here. Our
termite treatment cost and
termite tenting in Florida guides set out the
sourced, method-by-method figures we do have, drawn from published South Florida fumigation
company prices.
Florida law sets a floor under whatever price you’re quoted. Before you pay anything, the written
contract must state the maximum treatment price as its own figure. The exact annual renewal fee
goes on its own line too, and so does the maximum repair price
(Fla. Admin. Code r.
5E-14.105(2)(i)). If a verbal quote hasn’t shown up in writing this way, ask for it before you
sign.
Florida’s termite contract requirements
The contract’s first page states whether it covers subterranean and drywood termites, one of them,
or both, and whether a species such as Formosan is excluded
(5E-14.105(2)(e)). It sets
reinspection intervals and fees too, along with what happens if termites come back. Report an
active infestation in writing and the company has 30 days to inspect it. Once confirmed, it has 90
days to retreat, or 180 days for a commercial or multiunit building. A company can’t rely on an
exclusion
clause to deny work unless it first gave written notice and 60 days to fix the condition it’s
pointing to.
Some listed companies advertise a warranty on top of the contract, such as a repair-and-retreat
guarantee with a stated dollar cap. Any figure like that is the company’s own claim, unverified by
us, so read the actual warranty terms before assuming they apply to your house. For the full rule,
see termite bond.
WDO inspections for Miami buyers and sellers
The termite inspection in a Miami home sale is a wood-destroying organism (WDO) inspection, and
whether you need one depends on your purchase contract and lender. When one is done for a fee or a
written report is requested, Florida requires a licensed pest control business to do it on a form
FDACS prescribes
(Fla.
Stat. 482.226). The report lists any areas the inspector couldn’t access and any visible
evidence of previous treatment, plus the organism found, which can be a wood-decaying fungus as
well as a termite. Each inspector who performs the work has an FDACS identification card
(section
482.091(9)). For the full scope, read
what is a WDO inspection and
WDO inspection.
Areas around Miami we cover
Alongside companies based in Miami itself, the list above includes companies headquartered in
Davie, Doral, Fort Lauderdale, Plantation, Opa-locka, Miami Gardens, Lauderdale Lakes, Hialeah,
North Miami, Coral Gables, Miami Beach and Medley. We don’t yet have listings based in Hollywood,
Pompano Beach or Homestead, so we’re not claiming coverage in those areas until that changes.
