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Bernalillo County, NM Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
Bernalillo County Code § 42-454
Core duty
Keep premises free of harborage
Enforcement
County-ordered extermination measures
Nonpayment remedy
Property lien after 60 days
Territorial scope
Unincorporated county only

Summary

Unincorporated Bernalillo County requires every building, lot, and premises to stay free of insect and rodent harborage, and lets the county's environmental health authority order extermination measures whenever an infestation is found.

City-specific rules exist: Albuquerque has its own rodent control rules that differ from Bernalillo County's county-level regulations. If you live in Albuquerque, check the city-specific page instead.

All buildings, lots and premises shall be kept free of infestation or harborage. The person in control shall not allow the accumulation of water, refuse, animal wastes, garbage, trash or other harborage. ... When any building, lot or premises is so infested or subject to infestation, the person in control shall utilize extermination measures as specified by the environmental health authority.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 92).

Full Breakdown

Bernalillo County Code § 42-454 bars owners and occupants from letting water, refuse, animal waste, garbage, trash, or other debris accumulate into insect or rodent harborage on any building, lot, or premises. Once the environmental health authority (the county manager or designee) documents an infestation and orders extermination, the person in control must carry it out. If they don't, the county can enter the property, perform the abatement itself, bill the owner for the cost, and file a property lien if payment isn't made within 60 days. This applies only in unincorporated Bernalillo County; Albuquerque, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, and Tijeras enforce pest and rodent control under their own codes.

Violations & Fines

County-ordered abatement plus a full cost billback to the property owner; unpaid bills become a lien on the property after 60 days under § 42-454(c).

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this rule apply if I live in Albuquerque?
No. It governs unincorporated Bernalillo County only. Albuquerque enforces its own environmental health and pest-control rules through its own code, not this county division.
What happens if I ignore a county order to exterminate?
The environmental health authority can enter the property, perform the extermination itself, bill the owner for the full cost, and place a lien on the property if unpaid within 60 days.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Bernalillo County

Fence Regulations: Height LimitsSome RestrictionsRestaurant Grade CardsSome RestrictionsSyringe DisposalSome RestrictionsFood Handler CertificationSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Barking DogsSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Aircraft NoiseSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesLight RestrictionsParking Rules: Abandoned VehiclesSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Retaining WallsSome Restrictions

All Bernalillo County rules

Compare Bernalillo County to another location·View the New Mexico public health rules overview

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Rodent Control in Cities Across Bernalillo County

Albuquerque, NM