New Castle County, DE Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Owner duty
- Must eliminate pests on premises
- Basement windows
- Rodent shields required if openable
- Penalty
- Up to $100 per violation per day
- Scope
- Unincorporated county plus opt-in municipalities
- Enforcer
- County Code Compliance Agency
Summary
New Castle County property maintenance rules make owners responsible for pest and rodent elimination and require rodent shields on openable basement windows, with code officials able to issue civil penalties up to $100 per day for violations.
309.3 Single Owner. The owner of a one-family dwelling or of a single-tenant nonresidential structure shall be responsible for pest elimination on the premises. ... 304.17 Guards for basement windows. Every basement window that is openable shall be supplied with rodent shields, storm windows or other approved protection against the entry of rodents or other pests.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 5).
Full Breakdown
Under the county's adopted Property Maintenance Code, the owner of a one-family dwelling or single-tenant nonresidential structure must eliminate pests on the premises (Sec. 309.3), and every openable basement window must have rodent shields, storm windows, or other approved protection against rodents and pests (Sec. 304.17). The Code Compliance Agency enforces both. The chapter applies in unincorporated New Castle County and in any incorporated municipality that opts to have the County provide property maintenance enforcement. Wilmington and Newark run their own separate municipal codes and are not covered here.
Violations & Fines
Code officials may assess a civil penalty of up to $100 per violation for each day it continues; removing a compliance notice, order, or placard carries a separate $1,000 penalty per occurrence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this rule apply inside Wilmington or Newark?
Who has to get rid of rodents on a property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Castle County
Compare New Castle County to another location·View the Delaware public health rules overview
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