Chattanooga, TN Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Owner duty
- extermination before renting/leasing
- Single-family homes
- occupant handles own pest control
- Multi-unit buildings
- owner covers shared/public areas
- Structural-defect cause
- owner responsible regardless
- Max penalty
- $500 per day, per violation
Summary
Chattanooga's property maintenance code requires every structure to be kept free of insects and rodents, with the owner on the hook for extermination before renting a unit and single-family occupants covering their own premises.
(a) Infestation. All Structures shall be kept free from insect and rodent infestation. All Structures in which insects or rodents are found shall be promptly exterminated by approved processes that are not injurious to human health. ... (b) Owner. The owner of any structure shall be responsible for pest elimination within the structure prior to renting or leasing the structure.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 40 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Under Sec. 21-173 of the Chattanooga City Code, all structures must be kept free from insect and rodent infestation, and any infestation found must be promptly exterminated by approved, non-injurious processes with precautions taken against reinfestation. The owner bears responsibility for pest elimination before renting or leasing a unit. In a single-family dwelling, the occupant handles pest control on the premises unless a lease says otherwise. For buildings with two or more dwelling units, the owner covers shared and public areas, while an occupant who causes infestation in their own space is on the hook for that area. If the infestation stems from a defect in the structure itself, responsibility falls back on the owner regardless of the other rules.
Violations & Fines
Violations of the Property Maintenance Code carry a monetary penalty of up to $500 under the citywide general penalty (Sec. 1-8), with each day of continued violation a separate offense; cases can go before the City's Administrative Hearing Officer under Sec. 21-232.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to pay for pest control in a Chattanooga rental?
Is the landlord responsible for bugs in a Chattanooga apartment building?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chattanooga
Compare Chattanooga to another location·View the Tennessee public health rules overview
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