Pima County, AZ Public Health Rules: Bed-Bug Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Pima County Code § 8.40.020
- Abatement deadline
- 24 hours after health officer's order
- Applies to
- lodging & food permit holders
- Enforced by
- Pima County health officer
- Related nuisance rule
- Pima County Code § 8.40.010
Summary
Pima County can suspend the operating permit of a rental, lodging, or food establishment that harbors bedbugs, rodents, or other vermin and isn't cleared within 24 hours of an order.
No person may, for fee or other consideration, offer any premises or trailers used for human habitation or sleeping accommodations, or use any premises as a place where food or food products are stored, manufactured, processed, served or offered for sale while those premises harbor rodents, lice, bedbugs, roaches, flies, or other vermin. The health officer shall have sufficient cause to suspend the permit to operate issued to any regulated establishment when the permit holder falls to abate and eliminate such an infestation within twenty-four hours after being ordered to do so by the health officer. (Prior code § 23.16.010(B))
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-64: Contains Supplement, with local legislation through Ordinance 2026-9, passed 7-28-2026, current through 7-28-2026).
Full Breakdown
Pima County Code Chapter 8.40 bars offering rented housing or sleeping accommodations, or operating a food premises, while it harbors bedbugs, rodents, roaches, flies or other vermin. If a permit holder fails to abate an infestation within twenty-four hours of being ordered to do so, the health officer has cause to suspend that establishment's permit to operate. This targets permitted lodging and food businesses in unincorporated Pima County, not general residential leases.
Violations & Fines
Continuing to rent sleeping accommodations or run a food establishment with an active bedbug or vermin infestation, or missing the 24-hour abatement deadline after a health officer's order, can trigger permit suspension.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to fix a bedbug infestation before losing my permit?
Does this rule cover ordinary residential landlords in unincorporated Pima County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pima County
Compare Pima County to another location·View the Arizona public health rules overview
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