Birmingham, AL Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)

Article E (Rodent Control) of Title 6, Chapter 3 opens with definitions in Section 6-3-51: 'rat control' means destroying or capturing rats or their parasites by a method acceptable to the health officer, 'rat harborage' means any place that shelters or lets rats live or propagate, and 'ratproofing' means closing any hole or opening that lets rats into a building using concrete, sheet metal, hardware cloth or similar material acceptable to the health officer. Section 6-3-52 puts the maintenance duty on anyone owning, controlling, managing, operating or occupying a building used to sell, store or manufacture foods, foodstuffs, feeds or grain, or to house poultry or animals, or to conduct any business whose operation affords food for rats: the interior and adjacent premises must be kept reasonably free of rats at all times through effective rat control and ratproofing.

Section 6-3-53 lets the health officer or an authorized assistant give written notice that a rat infestation exists, requiring compliance with all specified control, ratproofing and harborage-elimination measures within the time stated; each day of noncompliance after that deadline is a separate offense, and notice may be served personally, posted on the building's front door, or sent by prepaid registered mail, effective upon mailing. Section 6-3-54 lets the health officer step in directly once a building referenced in Section 6-3-52 stays infested seven days, or one referenced in Section 6-3-53 stays infested seven days past the notice deadline: the city performs the rat control, ratproofing and harborage elimination and bills the owner, lessee or occupant, and any bill unpaid 60 days after billing becomes a lien against the building and its contents.