Winston-Salem requires property owners to maintain premises free of rodent and insect infestation under the minimum housing code. Pesticide applicators must be licensed by NC Department of Agriculture. Landlords responsible for infestations from structural defects.
Winston-Salem Code Chapter 42 (Minimum Housing Standards) requires that all dwellings be maintained free from rodent harborage, insect infestation, and unsanitary conditions. Property owners must eliminate infestations of rats, mice, roaches, bed bugs, and other vermin. For rental properties, landlords are responsible for extermination when infestations result from structural defects or when multiple units are affected. Commercial pest control operators must hold a Structural Pest Control license from the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services under NCGS Chapter 106 Article 4C. Homeowners may apply general-use pesticides without licensing. Mosquito abatement is coordinated by Forsyth County Environmental Health, which responds to standing water complaints and West Nile virus concerns.
Minimum housing violations: notice to abate within 30 days, then civil penalties up to 100 dollars per day. Unlicensed pesticide application: state penalties.
See how Winston-Salem's pest control rules stack up against other locations.
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