Maricopa County, AZ Public Health Rules: Bed-Bug Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Enforcing agency
- Maricopa County Environmental Services Department
- Owner duty
- Eliminate infestation after Department notice
- Rental/food-use ban
- No renting or food use while infested
- Criminal penalty
- Class 2 or 3 misdemeanor
- Permit consequence
- Suspension or revocation for uncorrected infestation
Summary
Maricopa County's Environmental Health Code bans harboring bed bugs on any premises and requires owners to eliminate an infestation once Environmental Services orders it, with permit suspension for infested lodging or food sites.
The infestation by or harborage of rodents, lice, bedbugs, roaches, flies or other arthropods of public health significance... is hereby declared to be dangerous to public health. No person shall cause, maintain, or within his control, permit such infestation or harborage. The owner, occupant, or person in control of any place or premises shall take all reasonable measures to prevent such infestation or harborage and, upon notification from the Department to do so, shall take all necessary and proper steps to eliminate the infestation or harborage and to prevent its recurrence.
Full Breakdown
Maricopa County Environmental Health Code Chapter III bars anyone from causing, maintaining, or knowingly permitting bed bugs, rodents, lice, roaches, or other arthropods of public health significance to infest or harbor on a premises. Owners, occupants, or persons in control must take reasonable measures to prevent infestation and, once Environmental Services notifies them, must eliminate it and stop recurrence. Separately, no one may rent out a premises for human habitation or a sleeping accommodation, or use it to store, process, or sell food, while it harbors bed bugs -- the Health Officer can suspend or revoke the operating permit for failing to abate after notice.
Violations & Fines
Violating the infestation ban is a Class 2 misdemeanor without a valid permit or a Class 3 misdemeanor with one; Environmental Services can also suspend or revoke a food or lodging permit for uncorrected bed bug infestations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Maricopa County require landlords to disclose bed bugs before renting?
Who enforces bed bug rules in Maricopa County?
What happens if I ignore a bed bug notice from the county?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Maricopa County
Compare Maricopa County to another location·View the Arizona public health rules overview
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