Wichita, KS Public Health Rules: Bed-Bug Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Wichita Municipal Code Sec. 3.23.080(d)
- Effective date
- January 1, 2026
- Requirement
- Professional pest control services mandatory
- Enforcement
- City Licensing inspections, complaint-based
- Max penalty
- Closure, suspension, or $5,000 fine
Summary
Wichita's Lodging Establishment Code requires every licensed hotel and motel to prevent bed bug entrance, harborage, and breeding, and to use professional pest control services for prevention and elimination.
Every Lodging Establishment shall be constructed and maintained to prevent the entrance, harborage, or breeding of flies, cockroaches, bedbugs, fleas, rats, mice, birds, and all other insects and pests. Routine inspections of the premises shall be conducted to control and minimize the presence of pests and eliminate harborage conditions.1.Regulation. Professional pest services shall be used for preventive maintenance and for control and elimination of the presence of pests.2.Removal. Dead or trapped birds, insects, rodents, and other pests shall be removed from control devices and the premises at a frequency that prevents their accumulation, decomposition, or the attraction of pests. (Ord. No. 52-835, § 9, 11-25-25)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 35).
Full Breakdown
Effective January 1, 2026, Wichita's new Lodging Establishment license ordinance (Chapter 3.23) makes pest control a licensing condition for hotels and motels. Sec. 3.23.080(d) requires every licensed establishment to be built and maintained to keep bedbugs, roaches, fleas, and other pests from entering or breeding, with routine inspections and mandatory professional pest services for prevention and elimination. An infestation found during a City inspection is treated as a potential health hazard under Sec. 3.23.070, which can trigger an immediate closure of the affected room, and uncorrected violations can lead to license suspension or revocation under Sec. 3.23.090.
Violations & Fines
Failing to prevent or control bed bugs can get the affected room or the whole establishment locked and posted closed as a health hazard, and repeated or uncorrected violations can suspend or revoke the lodging license and draw fines up to $5,000.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Wichita require hotels to disclose bed bugs to guests?
What happens if a Wichita hotel room has bed bugs?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wichita
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