Durham, NC Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)

Durham regulates rodents through the property maintenance standards of its housing code, Article III of Chapter 10, at § 10-234(g)(3). The rule has two parts. Paragraph a sets the outcome: grounds and structures must be kept free of insect, vermin and rodent harborage and infestation, and any structure where rodents or their harborage are found must be promptly exterminated by an accepted method of extermination that is not injurious to human health. Once the infestation is eliminated, proper precautions must be taken to prevent reinfestation. Paragraph b sets a physical standard: every basement window used or intended for ventilation, and every other basement opening that could give rodents an entry, must carry a screen or another device that effectively prevents their entrance.

The code also decides who pays for the fix. Under § 10-234(g)(3)a the owner of any structure is responsible for eliminating infestations inside it before renting or leasing it. Under § 10-236(b) the occupant of a single-family dwelling is responsible for eliminating pest infestations on the premises, but when a structural defect caused the infestation the owner is responsible instead. Under § 10-237(f) the owner of a multifamily dwelling with two or more units, and the owner of a rooming house or residency hotel, must exterminate insects, rodents and vermin in every unit and in the shared public areas. That owner duty includes blocking every entry passage with pest-impervious material, removing harborage, paving basements and cellars that touch the soil, and keeping screens or other devices on basement windows.

Durham's housing code administrator enforces these standards through inspections under § 10-239. The administrator can enter dwellings at reasonable times with proper credentials, and a refusal of entry can be overcome through G.S. 15-27.2. The current text of this section was adopted by Ord. No. 16682 on June 15, 2026.