Chicago consistently ranks as America's rattiest city. MCC 7-28-710 makes property owners responsible for rat-proofing buildings and yards. CDPH Bureau of Environmental Health and Streets and Sanitation Rodent Control Bureau respond to 311 complaints with baiting and inspections.
Municipal Code Chapter 7-28 governs sanitation, including rat abatement under §7-28-710 through §7-28-740. Owners must keep premises free of harborage, eliminate food sources like uncovered trash, and rat-proof buildings within 30 days of a violation notice. The Bureau of Rodent Control inside Streets and Sanitation responds to 311 service requests, baits public alleys with bromadiolone in tamper-resistant stations, and surveys blocks proactively. CDPH Bureau of Environmental Health investigates restaurant and multi-unit complaints. Illinois law restricts certain second-generation anticoagulants for non-licensed users, so homeowners typically rely on snap traps, exclusion, and first-generation bait.
Failure to abate after notice under MCC 7-28-740 carries fines from $300 to $600 per offense, with each day a separate violation. Buildings with chronic infestations can be cited as public nuisances under MCC 7-28-060 and referred to administrative hearings.
Chicago, IL
Chicago does not post A/B/C letter grades. CDPH inspects food establishments under MCC 7-38 and Title 7 Sanitation Code, issuing Pass, Pass-with-Conditions, ...
Chicago, IL
Chicago aggressively enforces property blight through MCC Chapter 13-12 (vacant buildings), MCC 7-28 (health and safety), and the sanitation code. Vacant pro...
See how Chicago's rodent control rules stack up against other locations.
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