Denver, CO Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Scope
- All buildings, occupied or vacant
- Enforcement
- Manager of Public Health and Environment
- Compliance window
- At least 30 days after notice
- Infestation response
- 5 days for occupants to eradicate
- Inspection interval
- Every 45 days for business buildings
Summary
Denver requires every building, occupied or vacant, to be ratproofed and kept free of rats, with the health department able to order repairs, perform the work itself, and bill the owner for noncompliance.
All buildings in the city, and in its police jurisdiction, shall be ratproofed, shall be freed of rats, and shall be maintained in rat-free condition.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 147 Update 3).
Full Breakdown
Denver Revised Municipal Code Chapter 40, Article III requires every building in the city to be ratproofed against rodent entry and kept rat-free. If the manager of public health and environment finds inadequate ratproofing or infestation, the owner gets written notice and at least 30 days to complete the work; occupants get 5 days to eradicate an active infestation. Unaddressed conditions let the manager do the work and bill the owner, with unpaid charges becoming a lien on the property. The code also bars accumulating garbage or lumber that harbors rats, requires ratproof food storage, and bans housing animals in non-ratproofed buildings; commercial buildings get inspections at least every 45 days.
Violations & Fines
Failing to ratproof after notice is a code offense; the city can perform the ratproofing itself and bill the owner, and unpaid costs become a lien on the property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who enforces Denver's ratproofing requirement?
Does the ratproofing rule apply to vacant buildings?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Denver
Compare Denver to another location·View the Colorado public health rules overview
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