Pest Exclusion Program staff from the County of San Luis Obispo Department of Agriculture/Weights and Measures routinely inspect incoming plant shipments for invasive and exotic pests. Staff also inspect for compliance with federal, state and local quarantine regulations. The shipments inspected may come from all over the world (other countries, states or counties).

The Pest Exclusion Program is part of a three-pronged approach to keep destructive pests out of the county: pest exclusion, pest detection and pest eradication.

If you are moving from outside the state or from one county to another, within California, please call our main office number to find out if you need an inspection.  Pests usually come in on plant material including firewood, but others such as gypsy moth and brown marmorated stink bug can come attached to outdoor tools or appliances such as lawn mowers, BBQ grills, outdoor furniture, etc.  You are welcome to visit the National Plant Board website and check the pests California is concerned about. 

If you are moving from one county to another, within California, the following quarantines may apply to the plant material you are bringing to the county.   

Southern California

• Asian Citrus Psyllid
• Brown Marmorated Stink Bug- LA
• Citrus Greening Disease
• Citrus Tristeza
• Glassy-winged Sharpshooter
• Golden Spotted Oak Borer-San Diego
• Light Brown Apple Moth
• Ozonium Root Rot
• Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer
• Red Imported Fire Ant
• South American Palm Weevil
• Tropical Fruit Flies
• Small Hive Beetle

Northern California

• Asian Citrus Psyllid
• Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
• Light Brown Apple Moth
• Sudden Oak Death
• Small Hive Beetle
• Tropical Fruit Flies

Do not move citrus or firewood.

If you are moving into San Luis Obispo County, we encourage you to have any plant material inspected by a county inspector as soon as possible after you arrive.  Please call (805) 781-5910 to make an appointment.  We are flexible and will try to fit our inspections into your schedule.