Carroll County, MD Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Baseline standard
- Premises must be free of pest infestation
- Container rule
- Rodent-proof, tight-lidded refuse containers required
- Repeat-infestation remedy
- Rodent-proof walls to IBC Appendix F
- Owner duty
- Extermination before re-renting, common areas
- Tenant duty
- Extermination for tenant-caused infestation
- Maximum penalty
- $500 fine or 3 months jail, per day
Summary
Carroll County's Livability Code requires every rental premises to stay free of rodents and other pests: § 171.035(C) bars infestation outright, subsection (B) requires rodent-proof, tight-lidded refuse containers, and subsection (D) forces rodent-and-vermin-proof wall construction to International Building Code Appendix F standards after repeated infestations.
(B) Refuse containers. All refuse containers shall be rodent-proof, insect-proof, weather-tight, and kept structurally sound as to withstand handling stress, and shall be equipped with tight-fitting covers or similar closures. (C) Insect and rodent control. All premises shall be free from infestation of insects, rodents, vermin, or other pests. (D) Repeated incidents. Continuing or repeated incidents of infestation, as determined by the county, shall require the installation of rodent- and vermin-proof walls. The rodent- and vermin-proof walls shall be installed in accordance with the International Building Code, Appendix F.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-15: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through July 30, 2026).
Full Breakdown
035, General Condition of Premises, treats pest control as a baseline sanitation duty rather than an optional cleanup. Subsection (C) sets the standard directly: all premises must be free from infestation of insects, rodents, vermin, or other pests. Subsection (B) backs that up on the source side, requiring every refuse container to be rodent-proof, insect-proof, weather-tight, structurally sound, and fitted with a tight-fitting cover. Subsection (D) escalates the remedy for repeat problems: once the county determines infestation is continuing or repeated, the property must add rodent- and vermin-proof walls built to International Building Code Appendix F, not just re-treat the pests.
022(G) makes a tenant responsible for infestation the tenant's own conduct caused within their unit. 036(A) requires every foundation, exterior wall, roof, and other exterior surface to be kept in a condition that excludes rodents and other pests.
Violations & Fines
A property that stays infested after a county inspection is cited under the general Livability Code penalty at § 171.999: a misdemeanor with a fine up to $500, up to three months in jail, or both, and each day of continued infestation counted separately. Under § 171.199 the county can also arrange the extermination or wall work itself and bill the responsible owner or tenant for the cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is responsible for exterminating rodents in a Carroll County rental, landlord or tenant?
What happens if rodent problems keep coming back?
Are trash cans regulated for rodent control?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Carroll County
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