Serving Oak Ridge, TN
Oak Ridge (Anderson and Roane counties) is a federal-research city with a 2020 Census population of 31,401 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts). Its ridge-and-valley layout puts wooded greenbelt right behind many neighborhoods, and on June 10, 2020 WVLT reported a black bear caught on a home security camera near Rivers Run Boulevard, after which the Oak Ridge Police Department alerted TWRA to relocate it.
Pest Control
Wildlife Removal
Local Service Details
Licensing & Requirements
Nuisance wildlife removal in Tennessee is regulated separately from pest control: not by the Dept. of Agriculture, but by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) under Rule Chapter 1660-01-21, "Nuisance Animal Damage Control." Operators need what's commonly called an Animal Damage Control (ADC) permit, and may only trap or remove nuisance wildlife with the property owner's written permission and only on that specific property. Permits run on an annual cycle renewing July 1, and operators must keep records of each job (client, method, species, and disposition of the animal) and report them to TWRA by June 30 each year.
Source: Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Rules Ch. 1660-01-21 and 1660-01-16 (publications.tnsosfiles.com / law.cornell.edu), 2026; TN.gov, "TWRA Wildlife Damage Control" (tn.gov/twra), 2026
Local Climate & Building Conditions
Oak Ridge backs onto forested ridges, so animals move between woods and yards more than in a flat suburb. A TWRA wildlife specialist told WVLT in June 2020 that a couple of bears wander through the area every year, and Oak Ridge Today reported in 2013 that up to half a dozen can pass through in a year. TWRA's standing advice is to take away the draw: pull bird feeders, secure trash, and keep pet food indoors. The city also asks residents not to trap or move sick-looking raccoons or foxes themselves, and to call the Oak Ridge Police Department non-emergency line at (865) 425-4399 instead.
Typical Local Pricing
We have not found Oak Ridge-specific price data for pest control or wildlife removal. The national ranges on our Pest Control and Wildlife Removal service pages (pest control averaging $172, wildlife removal $200 to $700 by species, per Angi's 2026 data) are the only figures we cite. Ask for a written estimate for your property before work starts.
Municipal & County Notes
A 2016 University of Tennessee MTAS survey of Tennessee cities listed Oak Ridge as requiring a local contractor license for trades but not for general building work, with a $150 first-time fee. That survey is dated and we could not confirm the current rule, so check with the city's code enforcement office before any exclusion work that needs a permit. Wildlife operators serving Oak Ridge still need the statewide TWRA permit described above, and pest control operators the Tennessee Dept. of Agriculture license.