Dearborn property owners must keep structures free of rats, roaches, bedbugs, and other vermin under the Property Maintenance Code. The Health Department can order abatement when infestations threaten public health.
Dearborn adopts the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC), which makes the owner of any structure responsible for extermination of insects, rodents, and other pests inside a dwelling or on the premises. Section 309 of the IPMC requires owners of buildings with two or more units to handle extermination in shared areas and in any unit where the infestation is not caused solely by the tenant. The Dearborn Department of Public Health and the Building Department may inspect complaints of rat harborage, bedbugs, or roach infestations and issue correction notices. Garbage must be stored in rodent-resistant containers under Chapter 12 of the City Code, and outdoor conditions that harbor rats (tall weeds, junk piles, uncovered food waste) can trigger violations. Commercial pesticide applicators must be licensed by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) under the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act Part 83.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
See how other cities in Wayne County handle pest control.
See how Dearborn's pest control rules stack up against other locations.
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