The beetle certificate will attest to the absence of specific insects that consume and destroy wood from the wood structures on the site. This certificate is not given due of any laws, rather, it is a custom that has grown through time and is now deeply ingrained in most real estate transactions. There is no time limit, like with an electrical certificate because the vendor and the buyer can agree on the certificate’s validity length. (less than two years old). They may also decide that the seller is under no obligation to provide a certificate since they are free to decline. Giving the certificate is always preferable than not giving it, since it simply smooths things over and prevents potential future problems.

Even if there is no time limit on the certificate, it is still preferable to obtain one shortly after the purchase agreement was completed rather than one that is three months old. In any event, most buyers will not accept a beetle certificate that is more than three months old, as fresh infestations may have begun since the certificate was produced.