Who can perform and sign a Texas WDI report
A WDI report can only be completed by a certified applicator or a technician licensed in the termite control category. Apprentices and other registered employees may be present for training, but they cannot complete or sign the report. They are listed under "others present" in section 7B. The signing inspector enters their license number in section 7A, and the inspecting company must be listed exactly as it appears on its SPCS business license.
The SPCS/T-5 form, section by section
The form runs from the property address through findings and treatment recommendations. Here is what each block asks for.
| Section | What it asks for |
|---|---|
| Address | Property address. Complete street address, city, and ZIP of every structure inspected. Rural properties without an address are identified by county road or other location detail. |
| Scope A-J | Scope of inspection. Sections A through J spell out the scope, criteria, and standards the inspection must meet. |
| 1A-1C | Inspecting company. Company name, SPCS business license number, and the licensed business address and phone, exactly as they appear on the SPCS business license. |
| 1D-1F | Inspector + date. Printed name of the person who actually performed the inspection, the type of license they hold, and the date of inspection. |
| 2-4 | Parties. Who purchased the inspection (seller, agent, buyer, management company), the owner/seller, and every party who received a copy. The purchaser must receive a copy. |
| 5A-5B | Structures + a diagram. Every structure inspected (residence, garage, gazebo, wood fence, etc.) and the construction type. A diagram must be attached for all structures inspected. |
| 6A-6B | Treatment disclosure. If treating, the targeted insect, treatment type, date, pesticide or bait common name, method, and contract or warranty info. |
| 7A-7B | Signatures. Signature and license number of the inspector, plus every apprentice, technician, or certified applicator present at the inspection. |
| 8A-8B | Notice sticker. Where the notice-of-inspection sticker was posted and the date it was posted. |
| 9A-9B | Inaccessible areas. Whether any areas were obstructed or inaccessible, and which. Attics and crawl spaces must be inspected if accessible, including with tools like cameras. |
| 10A-10B | Conducive conditions. Whether conditions conducive to infestation exist (wood-to-ground contact, excessive moisture, insufficient ventilation, wood rot) and where, marked on the diagram with letters. |
| 11A-11G | Findings. Subterranean termites, drywood termites, Formosan termites, carpenter ants, and other wood destroying insects, each marked for active infestation, previous infestation, and previous treatment, with locations explained and shown on the diagram. |
| 12A-12B | Recommendations. Corrective treatment (only with visible active infestation, or previous infestation with no evidence of prior treatment) and any preventive treatment based on conducive conditions. |
A diagram is required for every structure
Section 5A requires a diagram attached for all structures inspected. It must resemble the structure with approximate perimeter measurements on all sides, identify active or previous infestations with the appropriate symbols, and mark conducive conditions with letters (for example, G for wood-to-ground contact). This is the single most time-consuming part of the report for most inspectors.
Active vs. previous infestation vs. previous treatment
This is where reports get marked incorrectly. The three columns mean different things:
- Active infestation means the specified insects were actually found in or on the structure during the inspection.
- Previous infestation means there is evidence of past infestation but no current activity was identified.
- Visible previous treatment means there is evidence of an earlier treatment (drill marks, trenching, a notification sign). It does not mean the treatment was complete or successful.
The evidence rules differ by insect
For subterranean and Formosan termites, mark "active" only if live termites are observed during the inspection; any other evidence without live termites is reported as previous infestation. For drywood termites, frass or fecal pellets alone is enough to mark "active," provided there is no evidence of a prior remedial treatment. For carpenter ants, live ants or their frass must be observed to mark "active." Other wood destroying insects (carpenter bees, powder post beetles) follow the frass-or-exit-holes rule. The form also covers conducive conditions, inaccessible areas, and corrective vs. preventive treatment recommendations.
Copies, extra pages, and signatures
The purchaser of the inspection service must receive a copy, and section 4 records everyone a copy went to. If you need more room, you can attach additional pages; each one must include at minimum the inspection date, the address inspected, and the page number (for example, "Page 4 of 4"). It is recommended, though not required at the time of inspection, that the purchaser of the structure sign and date the report, which is often done at closing. Texas does not set a statutory expiration on the report, but lenders (including FHA and VA) typically require it to be dated within 90 days of closing.
Generate the SPCS/T-5 without the truck-cab paperwork
Serv AI lets a licensed inspector photograph their field sheet or speak their findings, imports the building footprint by address for the required diagram, and produces a compliant report ready to send. The paperwork goes from about 45 minutes to a couple of minutes per inspection.
Related guides: California WDO report (Section 8516) and the NPMA-33 form (FHA/VA).
Texas WDI report FAQ
Source: Texas Department of Agriculture, Structural Pest Control Service, "Instructions for the Texas Official Wood Destroying Insect Report (Form No. SPCS/T-5)," revised 9/1/2019. Structural pest control in Texas is regulated under Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1951 and 4 Texas Administrative Code Chapter 7. This guide is for general information and does not replace the official TDA instructions or legal advice.