Pest control SIC codes come down to 81291, disinfecting and exterminating services, which has just 1,543 active companies. Our own database has 7,805 phone numbers and postal addresses for pest control firms. The two sources count different things, but the gap suggests that a code search alone misses much of this market.
Results Driven Marketing (RD Marketing) wrote this guide for suppliers who sell to pest control firms. We sell B2B data, so we have an interest in the subject. To keep it useful, we link our sources and show where a SIC search falls short. For the basics, read what an SIC code is.
Written by Iain Irvin, Director of RD Marketing. Iain worked in telesales, business development and sales management before starting the business, and has more than 15 years of experience in B2B marketing data and lead generation. Codes, counts and sources checked on 7 November 2026.
Contents
- Pest Control SIC Codes Compared
- Why Pest Control SIC Codes Find So Few Firms
- Pest Control SIC Codes Under SIC 2026
- Where Pest Control SIC Codes Fall Short
- Using Pest Control SIC Codes to Build a List
- RD Marketing Services That Can Help
- How We Checked This
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Talk to Us
Pest Control SIC Codes Compared
Do not add the counts together, because a company can list up to four codes.
| SIC code | Companies House description | Active companies | SIC 2026 code | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 81291 | Disinfecting and exterminating services | 1,543 | 81.23/1 | Pest control and disinfection |
| 81299 | Other cleaning services | 21,743 | 81.23/9 | Other cleaning, which some firms use |
| 81210 | General cleaning of buildings | 27,475 | 81.21, 96.91 | Cleaning firms offering pest control |
| 01629 | Support activities for animal production (other than farm animal boarding and care) n.e.c. | 2,578 | 01.47, 01.62/2 | Some agricultural pest services |
Why Pest Control SIC Codes Find So Few Firms
Several things could explain why the code looks so small.
- Sole traders. Sole traders are not on the Companies House register, so a company search cannot find them. Many technicians may work alone.
- A wording mismatch. The official description says disinfecting and exterminating, so firms may miss it and choose a general code.
- Mixed businesses. Cleaning and facilities firms may offer pest control under a different code.
Pest Control SIC Codes Under SIC 2026
The Office for National Statistics finalised UK SIC 2026 in April 2026. The code moves to 81.23/1 and is reworded as disinfection and extermination services, so saved filters need updating. You can read more in our UK SIC 2026 research.
Where Pest Control SIC Codes Fall Short
- Local authority services. Some councils run pest control in-house.
- Facilities companies. Larger contracts may sit with firms under 81100.
- Addresses. A sole operator’s address may be a home, so think about how you use post.
Using Pest Control SIC Codes to Build a List
- Do not rely on the code. Use named lists and keywords as well.
- Check legal form. The ICO guidance on email marketing treats sole traders as individuals for email.
- Add region. Most firms work locally.
- Test a sample. Check 50 websites by hand.
Our pest control companies data includes 7,805 phone numbers and postal addresses, plus 1,287 email addresses. See also our lead generation for pest control companies.
RD Marketing Services That Can Help
Once you know which codes and audiences you need, these pages explain how we can help you reach them.
- B2B data UK: who we are and what we supply.
- B2B contact database UK: our main page for buying UK business data.
- Telemarketing sales lists: phone data for outbound sales teams.
- Buy B2B email data: business email data for your campaigns.
- Purchase mailing list: postal data for letters and mailshots.
- Managed LinkedIn campaigns: managed outreach to decision-makers on LinkedIn.
- B2B email automation: email campaigns run and followed up for you.
How We Checked This
Company counts come from Companies House advanced search, using the active status filter and one code at a time, on 7 November 2026. Descriptions come from the Companies House SIC code list. SIC 2026 codes come from the ONS correspondence table, dated 3 August 2026. A correspondence shows where a code could go. It does not tell you how any one company will be recoded. Our database figures are a separate source, so they will not match company counts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the SIC code for pest control?
The code is 81291, disinfecting and exterminating services. Under SIC 2026 it moves to 81.23/1.
What is the SIC code for a rat catcher?
It is also 81291, as the code covers pest extermination.
What is the SIC code for disinfection or deep cleaning?
Check 81291 for disinfecting services and 81222 for specialised cleaning.
Can I email pest control firms?
Companies, yes, subject to the rules. The ICO treats sole traders and some partnerships as individuals, so check legal form first.
Talk to Us
Need to reach pest control firms? Tell us who you want to reach, and we will send you a free audience count and quote within 24 hours, along with a sample.
Contact RD Marketing today to discuss your target market.