Annapolis, MD Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Single-unit dwelling
- Occupant exterminates
- Multifamily dwelling
- Each occupant, own unit only
- Cause: unsealed structure
- Owner/operator responsible
- Vacant structures
- Owner duty too (§ 17.40.735)
- Enforcement
- Municipal infraction, then misdemeanor
Summary
Annapolis City Code § 17.40.760 puts extermination on the occupant of a single-family dwelling or, in a two-family or multifamily building, on each occupant within their own unit, unless the infestation traces to the owner's failure to keep the structure rodentproof.
Every occupant of a dwelling containing a single dwelling unit is responsible for the extermination of any rodents or pests in the dwelling or in the yard. In a two-family dwelling or a multifamily dwelling, the occupant is responsible for extermination within the occupant's dwelling unit. When, however, the infestation is caused by failure of the owner or operator to maintain a dwelling in a rodentproof condition, extermination is the responsibility of the owner or operator.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 2025 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Under § 17.40.760, the occupant of a dwelling with a single dwelling unit must exterminate any rodents or pests in the dwelling or yard; in a two-family or multifamily dwelling, each occupant answers only for their own unit. That duty shifts entirely to the owner or operator when the infestation is caused by a failure to keep the dwelling rodentproof: foundations, walls, windows, doors and basement openings sealed under §§ 17.40.540-17.40.660. Owners of vacant structures carry the same duty under § 17.40.735, and § 17.40.780 separately bars piling rubbish or scrap in a way that creates rat harborage. The Director of Planning and Zoning may enter premises (other than dwelling interiors) to inspect refuse and harborage areas and require chemical treatment for insects and rodents.
Violations & Fines
Failure to correct after a notice under § 17.40.840 is a municipal infraction with a Council-set fine, reissued every five days the violation continues; continued noncompliance after citation is a misdemeanor punishable by fine or imprisonment (§ 17.40.890).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to pay for pest control in an Annapolis rental?
Does a vacant Annapolis property still need pest control?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Annapolis
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