Des Moines property owners must keep premises free of rodent harborage; Polk County Public Health investigates rodent complaints and the city Neighborhood Services Department issues abatement orders.
Under Des Moines Municipal Code Ch. 60 (Health & Sanitation) and Ch. 28 (Code Compliance), owners must maintain structures and yards free of conditions that harbor rats, mice, or other vermin. Common triggers include accumulated trash, pet food left outdoors, unsecured compost, dense overgrowth, and structural openings larger than a quarter inch. Complaints route through MyDSM Connect or Polk County Public Health. Inspectors may require baiting, sanitation cleanup, structural repair, and removal of harborage. Failure to abate within the order timeline results in city-contracted abatement billed to the property.
Maintaining rodent harborage, failing to abate after a notice, or refusing entry for inspection are municipal infractions that can lead to citations, abatement liens, and repeat-offender escalation.
Des Moines, IA
Des Moines regulates when and where residents place trash and recycling containers for collection under Chapter 98. Carts must be curbside by 7 a.m. on colle...
Des Moines, IA
Des Moines enforces a Blighted Structure Code under Chapter 60, Article III, authorizing the city to order repair, rehabilitation, or demolition of propertie...
See how Des Moines's rodent control rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.