Alameda, CA Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Standard
- All structures free of insect/rodent/vermin
- Governing section
- AMC 13-11A.3(h) (IPMC 309.1)
- Enforcement tool
- Licensed exterminator report required
- Related screening rule
- Openings screened, max 1/4-inch mesh
- First citation fine
- $250, rising to $1,000
Summary
Every structure in Alameda must be kept free of insect, rodent and vermin infestation under Section 13-11A.3(h)'s local amendment to IPMC 309.1. When a code official confirms an infestation, the owner or manager can be ordered to hire a licensed exterminator and document that the pests are gone before the case closes.
309.1 Infestation. All structures shall be kept free from insect, rodent and vermin infestation. When an insect, rodent or vermin infestation is brought to the attention of the code official, he or she may require the owner or agent having charge or control of the building, lot or premises to hire a licensed exterminator or other qualified professional to inspect the building, lot or premises and provide a written report verifying the presence and severity of such infestation including in the report a recommendation for proper extermination of the infestation. All structures in which insect, rodent or vermin infestations are found shall be promptly exterminated by approved processes that will not be injurious to human health. After the extermination of the infestation is complete, the code official may request a written notice from the licensed exterminator or other qualified professional attesting to the completion and success of the recommended extermination procedures. After the infestation is eliminated, proper precautions shall be taken to prevent reinfestation.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 74).
Full Breakdown
1, Infestation, to require that all structures shall be kept free from insect, rodent and vermin infestation. Once an infestation is brought to the code official's attention, the official may require the owner or the agent in charge of the building, lot or premises to hire a licensed exterminator or other qualified pest professional to inspect the site and deliver a written report verifying the infestation's presence and severity, along with a recommendation for proper extermination. Every infested structure must then be exterminated by an approved process that will not injure human health, and the code official may request written confirmation from the exterminator once treatment succeeds.
After the infestation clears, the responsible party must take proper precautions against reinfestation. 1's mandate that apartment houses and hotels provide enough close-fitting garbage receptacles, both aimed at cutting off rodent food and entry points. The Alameda Property Maintenance Code, built on the 2024 International Property Maintenance Code, took effect October 21, 2025 under Ordinance No. S.
Violations & Fines
A code official can order extermination and follow-up documentation under Section 309.1 before any penalty issues; if the owner or agent ignores the order, the City can issue a Property Maintenance Code administrative citation of $250 for a first violation, $500 for a second within three years, and $1,000 for a third, or pursue a misdemeanor or infraction charge carrying up to $1,000 or six months in jail under Section 1-5.1.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who enforces rodent control rules in Alameda?
Do I need a licensed exterminator, or can I do it myself?
What building features does Alameda require to keep rodents out?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Alameda
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Rodent Control in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Alameda County handle rodent control.