The Georgia termite letter (WDO report): cost and who pays

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Georgia requires a Wood Destroying Organism report for most real estate transactions. Everyone calls it the termite letter. It costs $75–$150, the seller usually pays, and most mortgage lenders will not close without a clear one.

What the letter actually says

It is an inspection report, not a guarantee. A licensed inspector examines accessible areas for evidence of wood-destroying organisms — subterranean termites, but also powderpost beetles and wood-decay fungi — and reports what was visible on the day. It does not certify the house is free of termites. It certifies nothing was visible where the inspector could look.

The gap that catches buyers. Inaccessible areas are excluded. A finished basement, a sealed crawlspace, or a garage full of boxes all reduce what the letter covers — and the exclusions are listed in the report most people never read past the first page.

Illustration of discarded termite wings scattered on a windowsill, all four the same length — Equal-length wings mean termite, not flying ant.

Timing, and why it goes wrong

General pest service in metro Atlanta is typically available within 24–72 hours. Termite inspections during the March–May swarm run two to three weeks out. If you are closing between March and May, order the letter early. Swarm season is exactly when inspectors are hardest to book and exactly when a live swarm is most likely to turn a clear report into a finding.

Book a WDO inspection with a licensed Georgia operator.

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What the inspection actually involves

A licensed inspector walks the perimeter looking for mud tubes on foundation walls and piers, enters the crawlspace if there is one, checks accessible framing for hollow-sounding or blistered wood, and examines windowsills and door frames for discarded wings. On a typical single-family home it takes 30 to 60 minutes.

What they cannot do is open walls. Nothing about the report implies the absence of termites behind finished surfaces — metro Atlanta sits on Piedmont red clay, which holds moisture far longer than the sandy soils further south. That extended moisture window supports year-round subterranean foraging and stresses the building envelope on older homes.

If the report comes back with a finding

Findings fall into three categories, and they carry very different weight at the closing table.

Finding	What it means	Typical resolution
Evidence of previous treatment	Someone treated this house before. Common and not alarming.	Usually none. Ask for the prior records.
Evidence of prior damage, no live activity	Old damage. The question is whether it is structural.	Structural engineer opinion if load-bearing.
Active infestation	Live termites present.	Treatment as a closing condition, $700–$2,500, negotiated.

Sellers: order early. General pest service in metro Atlanta is typically available within 24–72 hours. Termite inspections during the March–May swarm run two to three weeks out. A March-to-May closing plus a two-week inspection backlog plus a finding that needs treatment is how a clean contract slips 30 days.

Common questions

How long is a termite letter valid?

Most Georgia lenders want one dated within 30 days of closing. Older reports get rejected routinely.

What if the letter comes back with active termites?

The sale does not die, but treatment usually becomes a closing condition. Expect $700–$2,500 for a liquid barrier, negotiated between buyer and seller.

Do I need a letter for a refinance?

Sometimes. It depends on the lender and the loan product. Ask early — it is a cheap item that delays closings when it is remembered late.

Jaylan Jones — Cobb County Pest Solutions publishes independent pricing and guidance for North Georgia homeowners. We do not perform pest control work and we are not paid to recommend any single company. Every price range on this site is drawn from published 2026 industry pricing data and operator quotes — and where sources disagree, we publish the full spread rather than the flattering end of it.