Ouachita Parish, LA Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Garbage duty
- Occupant must use approved sanitary containers
- Extermination duty
- Occupant, or owner if vacant, must exterminate pests
- Parish backstop
- Parish can exterminate and bill the owner
- Correction period
- 20 days from written notice
- First-violation fine
- Up to $25 per day
- Repeat-violation fine
- Up to $100 per day
Summary
Ouachita Parish Code § 3½-34 makes every occupant of a dwelling responsible for disposing of garbage and organic waste that could feed rodents in approved containers, and for exterminating insects, rodents, and other pests on the premises; the parish may exterminate itself and bill the owner if the duty goes unmet.
(1)Garbage disposal. Every occupant of a dwelling or dwelling unit shall dispose of all his garbage and any other organic waste which might provide food for rodents, and all rubbish, in a clean and sanitary manner by placing it in garbage disposal facilities or garbage or rubbish storage containers which are approved by the administrator. ... (3)Extermination. Every occupant (or, if there is no occupant, the owner) shall be responsible for the extermination of any insects, rodents or other pests within the building or premises. Extermination at any premises may be accomplished by parish forces or a private contractor if the owner is not known or the whereabouts of the owner cannot be ascertained or if the owner fails to accomplish the extermination. The parish shall recover all costs associated with the extermination.
Full Breakdown
Section 3½-34(1) requires every occupant of a dwelling or dwelling unit to dispose of garbage and any other organic waste 'which might provide food for rodents,' along with all rubbish, in a clean and sanitary manner using garbage disposal facilities or storage containers approved by the parish administrator. ' If the responsible party cannot be identified, cannot be located, or fails to act, the parish administrator may have the extermination performed by parish forces or a private contractor and then recover all associated costs. Both duties sit inside the parish's Housing and Property Standards article, Chapter 3½, Division 3, and are enforced the same way as the rest of that chapter: the administrator inspects on complaint or referral under § 3½-24, issues a written notice of violation under § 3½-26 that gives twenty days to correct the condition, and the property standards board of appeals may impose daily fines of up to $25 for a first violation and up to $100 for a repeat one under § 3½-32, with a lien against the property under § 3½-33 if the fine goes unpaid. Coverage is limited to the unincorporated parish; Monroe and West Monroe run their own vector-control programs inside city limits.
Violations & Fines
Failing to control garbage that attracts rodents or to exterminate pests violates § 3½-34 and follows the standard property-standards enforcement track: a written notice under § 3½-26, twenty days to correct, and administrative fines up to $25 per day for a first offense and $100 per day for a repeat offense under § 3½-32, plus a lien of up to half the property's assessed value under § 3½-33 if unpaid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is responsible for pest control in a rented dwelling?
What happens if nobody exterminates the pests?
Does the parish enforce this inside Monroe or West Monroe?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ouachita Parish
Compare Ouachita Parish to another location·View the Louisiana public health rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.