Carroll County, GA Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Section
- IPMC § 302.5 Rodent harborage
- Duty
- Keep property free of rodent harborage
- Follow-up
- Extermination plus re-infestation prevention
- Related sections
- §§ 304.5, 304.16, 304.17 rodent-proofing
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine, 60 days jail (§ 106.4)
Summary
Carroll County's property maintenance code requires every structure and exterior property in the unincorporated county to be kept free of rodent harborage and infestation, with prompt extermination and follow-up precautions once pests are found, backed by companion sections on rodent-proof foundations and basement openings.
302.5 Rodent harborage. All structures and exterior property shall be kept free from rodent harborage and infestation. Where rodents are found, they shall be promptly exterminated by approved processes which will not be injurious to human health. After pest elimination, proper precautions shall be taken to eliminate rodent harborage and prevent re-infestation.
Full Breakdown
5, part of the 2012 International Property Maintenance Code the county board of commissioners adopted under Section 18-91, requires that all structures and exterior property in unincorporated Carroll County be kept free from rodent harborage and infestation. Where rodents are found, the owner must have them promptly exterminated using approved processes that will not injure human health, and after that pest elimination the owner must take proper precautions to eliminate remaining rodent harborage and prevent the property from becoming re-infested. 17 requires openable basement windows to carry rodent shields, storm windows or other approved protection.
Together these sections make rodent control an ongoing owner responsibility rather than a one-time cleanup, enforced by the code official on a complaint or inspection basis. As with the rest of Chapter 18, Article IV, the rule reaches only unincorporated Carroll County; Carrollton, Villa Rica, Temple, Bowdon, Whitesburg, Mount Zion and Roopville handle rodent complaints under their own municipal codes, not this one.
Violations & Fines
Failure to keep a property free of rodent harborage is a violation of the general property maintenance code, punishable under Section 106.4 by a maximum fine of $1,000.00 and up to 60 days of incarceration per violation, with each day the condition continues after a notice of violation treated as a separate offense. The code official can also order corrective repairs to foundation walls, hatchways or basement window guards under Section 108 if the rodent entry point itself is left in disrepair.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to control rodents on a property?
Does the code require any physical rodent-proofing, not just extermination?
What is the penalty for a rodent harborage violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Carroll County
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