Fall River, MA Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- New construction, repairs, alterations, additions
- Requirement
- Ratproofing provision mandatory
- Also prohibited
- Removing or damaging existing ratproofing
- General penalty
- Up to $300 per day
- Citation
- Fall River Code § 34-283
Summary
Fall River requires every building erected, repaired, altered or extended in the city to include ratproofing, and separately bans removing or damaging existing ratproofing except during lawful, promptly restored construction work.
No building or structure shall be erected, repaired, altered or extended in this City unless provision is made for ratproofing such structure.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4739915; v14 updated 2025-12-23; through 12-23-2025).
Full Breakdown
Fall River's rodent-control article ties pest exclusion to construction itself: § 34-283 bars erecting, repairing, altering or extending any building or structure in this Massachusetts city unless the work includes provision for ratproofing. A companion section, § 34-287, separately bars removing, damaging or destroying ratproofing on improved property, except where necessary for lawful construction that is promptly restored. Together they place an ongoing building-safety duty on owners to keep structures sealed against rat entry, backed by the Board of Health's inspection and notice process in §§ 34-285 and 34-286.
Violations & Fines
Building work done without ratproofing, or ratproofing removed or damaged outside lawful construction, violates the Code and can draw the City's general penalty of up to $300 per day (§ 1-15).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Fall River require ratproofing on home renovations?
Can ratproofing be removed during a renovation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fall River
Compare Fall River to another location·View the Massachusetts public health rules overview
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Rodent Control in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Bristol County handle rodent control.