Sacramento, CA Public Health Rules: Bed-Bug Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- State Law
- Civ Code 1954.600-605
- Disclosure
- Required at lease signing
- Treatment
- Licensed PCO required
- Effective
- January 1 2018
Summary
California Civil Code 1954.603 requires landlords to provide tenants with bed bug information and disclose known infestations. Sacramento landlords must address bed bugs as a habitability issue under city housing standards and state law.
1954.603. On and after July 1, 2017, prior to creating a new tenancy for a dwelling unit, a landlord shall provide a written notice to the prospective tenant as provided in this section. This notice shall be provided to all other tenants by January 1, 2018. The notice shall be in at least 10-point type and shall include, but is not limited to, the following:
(a) General information about bed bug identification, behavior and biology, the importance of cooperation for prevention and treatment, and the importance of and for prompt written reporting of suspected infestations to the landlord. The information shall be in substantially the following form: Information about Bed Bugs Bed bug Appearance: Bed bugs have six legs. Adult bed bugs have flat bodies about 1 / 4 of an inch in length. Their color can vary from red and brown to copper colored. Young bed bugs are very small. Their bodies are about 1 / 16 of an inch in length. They have almost no color. When a bed bug feeds, its body swells, may lengthen, and becomes bright red, sometimes making it appear to be a different insect. Bed bugs do not fly. They can either crawl or be carried from place to place on objects, people, or animals. Bed bugs can be hard to find and identify because they are tiny and try to stay hidden. Life Cycle and Reproduction: An average bed bug lives for about 10 months. Female bed bugs lay one to five eggs per day. Bed bugs grow to full adulthood in about 21 days. Bed bugs can survive for months without feeding. Bed bug Bites: Because bed bugs usually feed at night, most people are bitten in t
Full Breakdown
California enacted statewide bed bug rules effective 2018 (Civil Code 1954.600 through 1954.605). Landlords must give every new tenant a written bed bug notice and notify existing tenants when units are inspected. Owners cannot show, rent, or lease a unit they know has an active infestation. After confirmed infestation, landlords must hire a pest control operator and notify treated and adjacent residents of findings within stated timeframes. Sacramento Code Enforcement treats unaddressed infestations as substandard housing under Title 8 and Title 17 housing standards, allowing inspection orders and abatement.
Violations & Fines
Renting a known-infested unit, failing to provide the disclosure, or refusing to treat after confirmed infestation can lead to state penalties, code citations, and tenant rent withholding remedies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a landlord charge me for treatment?
Must neighbors be told about an infestation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sacramento
California rules heatmap·Compare Sacramento to another location·View the California public health rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.