Termite Management Plans Explained — What They Are and When You Need One

If a termite inspection finds live termites of economic significance — active colonies causing or at risk of causing structural damage — the next document you'll receive isn't a quote. It's a Termite Management Plan.

These two things get confused regularly. They're not the same. Understanding the difference matters if you're facing a live-termite find, because the TMP is the regulatory document that governs what happens to your property. It has a specific meaning under Australian Standard AS 3660.2:2017, and that meaning shapes how legitimate treatment is structured.

What a Termite Management Plan is — and what it isn't

A Termite Management Plan (TMP) is a clinical document. Its purpose is to describe the proposed approach to managing the termite problem: what method has been recommended, what outcome that method is expected to achieve, how the property will be monitored afterward, and on what timeline.

Under AS 3660.2:2017, the TMP is required — not optional — whenever live termites of economic significance are found during an inspection. "Economic significance" means termites that have caused or have reasonable potential to cause structural or other economically relevant damage. A colony of drywood termites in an isolated fence post wouldn't typically trigger a TMP. Active subterranean termites with access to your structural framing would.

The TMP describes what the treatment is and why that approach is appropriate for this property. It does not include a price. The price — and the contractual terms — appear in a separate document.

When AS 3660.2 requires one

AS 3660.2:2017 mandates a written Termite Management Plan when an inspection identifies live termites of economic significance. This is a regulatory requirement that applies to any licensed pest manager conducting inspections under the Standard.

What this means in practice:

• If an inspection finds no live termite activity, no TMP is required. The inspection report documents findings, conducive conditions, and any recommendations, but the TMP threshold hasn't been reached.
• If an inspection finds live termites with economic implications — active workings in structural timber, evidence of a foraging colony with access to the framing — the licensed inspector is required to prepare a TMP before treatment begins.
• The TMP requirement is about transparency and accountability, not paperwork. It protects the homeowner by ensuring they know exactly what treatment approach has been proposed, on what basis, and what to expect from it.

If a pest inspector finds live termites and moves straight to "here's the price" without an intermediate TMP document, that's a gap in the process.

What goes into a TMP

The content of a Termite Management Plan isn't specified at granular length in AS 3660.2, but the document is expected to cover:

Site assessment summary. The relevant findings from the inspection — areas affected, evidence observed, accessible vs inaccessible zones, factors that have limited the scope of assessment.

Identified species (where possible). The species or genus of termite identified, where that identification is possible from visual evidence. Coptotermes acinaciformis and Schedorhinotermes are the subterranean species behind most structural damage in NSW — knowing which colony type you're dealing with shapes the treatment approach.

Proposed treatment method. This is the core of the TMP: the recommended treatment approach (chemical barrier, baiting system, or a combination), the specific area of application, and why that approach is appropriate for the property and infestation.

Expected results and limitations. What the treatment is expected to achieve, on what timeline, and what limitations apply. No treatment guarantees elimination of all termite activity on a site — termites can and do recolonise. The TMP should be honest about this.

Monitoring schedule. The ongoing management structure: inspection intervals following treatment, the trigger conditions that would prompt a reassessment, and how long the monitoring period lasts.

Warranty terms. The warranty that applies to the proposed treatment — tied to the specific treatment method and the monitoring obligations that support it.

TMP vs Subterranean Termite Management Proposal & Agreement

These two documents travel together, but they're distinct.

The Termite Management Plan is the clinical document — the regulatory deliverable. It describes the treatment approach, the professional's reasoning, and the expected management pathway. It's the "what and why."

The Subterranean Termite Management Proposal & Agreement is the contract. It contains the pricing, the scope of contracted work, the terms under which the warranty applies, and the obligations of both parties. It's the "for how much, and under what terms."

Both are required before treatment on a live-termite find. Receiving both, reading both, and understanding the relationship between them is the right approach before any work begins.

What happens after the TMP

Once treatment has been completed in accordance with the plan, the monitoring schedule in the TMP takes effect.

For chemical barrier treatments, best practice is a follow-up inspection at three months to confirm treatment effectiveness and identify any new foraging pressure. Annual inspections continue from there, with a six-month cadence appropriate for properties that have had active treatment or that retain significant conducive conditions.

The TMP doesn't close the file — it opens the ongoing management relationship. Treatment addresses the immediate colony; monitoring manages the long-term risk.

If live termites have been found in your property

The sequence is: inspection report → Termite Management Plan → Proposal & Agreement → treatment → follow-up inspections.

I'll provide a TMP on any live-find job, walk you through it, and make sure you understand what's proposed and why before anything is agreed or started. Book a termite inspection or get in touch directly if termites have already been identified and you want a second opinion on the proposed treatment.

Contact at activetermitecontrol.com.au or call 0405 790 927. Straight quote before I start; full documentation on every live-find job.