Austin, TX Building Safety: Pest Control (2026)

Austin's Code Department enforces property maintenance standards that require all residential and commercial properties to be maintained free from conditions that attract or harbor pests. Overgrown vegetation, accumulated trash or debris, standing water, and structural openings that allow pest entry are all enforceable violations. The city's Environmental Vector Control program within Austin Public Health monitors and controls mosquito populations and responds to rodent complaints. For rental properties, Texas Property Code Section 92.052 requires landlords to make a diligent effort to repair conditions that materially affect the physical health or safety of ordinary tenants, which includes pest infestations. Under Section 92.056, if a landlord fails to remedy a pest condition after proper notice, tenants may pursue remedies including repair-and-deduct, lease termination, or civil action. Austin does not have a specific bed bug disclosure ordinance, but landlords who know of an active bed bug infestation and fail to disclose it or remedy it may be in violation of the general habitability requirements. The Texas Department of Agriculture regulates pest control operators under the Structural Pest Control Act (Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1951), requiring all commercial pest control applicators to be licensed.