Bethlehem, PA Building Safety: Pest Control (2026)

Bethlehem enforces pest control through two parallel authorities. (1) Property Maintenance: Article 1733 of the Codified Ordinances adopts the 2018 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) and is enforced by the Bureau of Housing Inspections at 10 East Church Street. IPMC Section 309 ('Pest Elimination') makes pest elimination the responsibility of the owner of any structure or premises infested with insects, rats, vermin or other pests, and shifts that responsibility to the tenant only in single-family rental units where the lease assigns it and only after the unit was delivered free of infestation. In multifamily buildings of two or more dwelling units the owner is responsible for pest elimination in all common areas and in any infestation that affects more than one unit. Bethlehem's local Section 1733.02 (Sub-section 309.1.2) further requires: 'All extermination must be administered by a state certified technician' - meaning a Pennsylvania-certified pesticide applicator licensed under the Pennsylvania Pesticide Control Act of 1973 (7 P.S. Section 128). DIY pest control by the property owner or tenant is not accepted for an IPMC notice of violation. IPMC Section 304.5 and Section 308 require that exterior openings, basement hatchways, windows and ventilation openings be rodent-proofed; vent openings must be covered with corrosion-resistant wire mesh of no more than 1/4-inch openings, and any opening through which a rat could pass (typically larger than 1/2 inch) must be closed. (2) Public Health: The Bethlehem Bureau of Health, operating under the Pennsylvania Local Health Administration Law (Act 315 of 1996), 35 P.S. Sections 444 et seq., has additional authority to declare pest-infested premises a public health nuisance and to order abatement. Bed bug infestations in rental units are treated as IPMC Section 309 infestations triggering owner-funded extermination by a state-certified technician.