Riverside County, CA Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- County Code Ch. 8.36
- Enforcement
- Dept. of Environmental Health officer
- First-offense fine
- $100 administrative citation
- Repeat civil penalty
- Up to $1,000 per day
- Applies
- Unincorporated area only
Summary
Unincorporated Riverside County property owners may not let debris, standing water, or animal waste create conditions that breed mosquitoes, flies, rodents, or other vectors on their land.
On property owned or under their control, no person shall create conditions or permit the accumulation of solid debris, standing water, decaying animal, decaying vegetable or organic matter, excreta from domestic animals or fowls, human excreta, or any other potential harborage for vectors in such a manner as to cause, or known to cause, a vector breeding hazard or the occurrence of excessive vectors.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 84 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
County Code Chapter 8.36 bars property owners and occupants in the unincorporated area from creating or allowing solid debris, standing water, decaying animal or vegetable matter, or human or animal excreta to accumulate in a way that breeds vectors or causes excessive vector activity. The county's Department of Environmental Health enforcement officer determines whether a vector breeding hazard exists, and presence of excessive vectors is prima facie evidence of a public health hazard. The property owner or person in control is responsible for abatement. This applies only outside the county's 28 incorporated cities (Riverside, Moreno Valley, Corona, Temecula, Murrieta, Palm Springs and others), which enforce their own municipal codes.
Violations & Fines
Administrative citation up to $100 first offense, $200 second, $500 for each additional violation within a year; criminal violations are an infraction or misdemeanor with fines up to $1,000 or six months in jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a vector under this rule?
Who decides if my property has a vector problem?
Does this apply in the City of Riverside?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Riverside County
California rules heatmap·Compare Riverside County to another location·View the California public health rules overview
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