Charlotte, NC Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 11-84(c)
- Applies to
- Dwellings, roominghouses, habitations
- Civil penalty
- $100 first day + $100/day after
- Severe rat infestation
- "Imminently dangerous," § 11-45(f)(8)
- Rent restriction
- Owner can't collect rent, § 11-45(e)
- Adopted by
- Ord. No. 9651, Oct. 14, 2019
Summary
Charlotte's Housing Code requires every dwelling, yard and structure to stay free of rodent, insect and pest infestation under City Code Section 11-84(c). Severe rat infestation counts as an "imminently dangerous" condition under Section 11-45(f)(8), and an owner who ignores a repair order faces a $100.00-per-day civil penalty under Section 11-45(b) until the property is brought into compliance.
(b)Open areas. Open areas shall be maintained as follows:...(3)Yards and courts shall be kept clean and free of physical hazards, rubbish, trash, garbage, junked vehicles, vehicle parts and other similar material.(4)There shall be no heavy undergrowth or accumulation of plant growth which is noxious or detrimental to health.(c)Infestation. Grounds, buildings and structures shall be maintained free of infestation by rodents, insects and other pests.(d)Garbage and rubbish. There shall be adequate sanitary facilities and methods used for the storage, handling, and disposal of garbage and rubbish.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 56).
Full Breakdown
" Subsection (b)(3) requires yards and courts to stay clean and free of rubbish, trash, garbage and junked vehicles, the exact conditions that draw rodents. Subsection (c) then states the core duty directly: grounds, buildings and structures must be kept free of infestation by rodents, insects and other pests, and subsection (d) requires adequate sanitary facilities for storing and disposing of garbage and rubbish so infestation does not take hold. The identical duty applies to nonresidential property under Section 5-49(c) of the Nonresidential Building Code.
Enforcement runs through the code enforcement official, who can order an owner to repair, alter or vacate a noncompliant place of habitation. 00 for each day thereafter, recoverable by the city as a civil debt if unpaid within 30 days; owner-occupants of their own dwelling are excluded from this specific penalty. " Once that threshold is met, Section 11-45(e) makes it unlawful for the owner to collect rent from the occupant who was living there when the hazard arose, or to let anyone else move in, until the infestation is corrected. These provisions derive from Ordinance No. 9651, Section 1, adopted October 14, 2019.
Violations & Fines
An owner who fails to correct an ordered infestation problem faces a civil penalty of $100.00 for the first day of noncompliance and $100.00 for every day after that, collectible by the city as a debt if unpaid within 30 days (Section 11-45(b)). If the infestation is severe enough to make the habitation "imminently dangerous," the owner additionally loses the right to collect rent from the affected occupant while the hazard continues (Section 11-45(e), (f)(8)).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who enforces Charlotte's rodent control rule?
Can a landlord still collect rent if a rental has a rat problem?
Does the infestation rule apply to commercial buildings too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Charlotte
Compare Charlotte to another location·View the North Carolina public health rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.