Farmersville, TX Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Owner duty
- eliminate rodents and vermin (§14-310(1))
- Occupant duty
- dispose of garbage feeding rodents (§14-312(9))
- Civil penalty
- up to $1,000 per day (§14-304(b))
- Screens required
- without refrigerated cooling (§14-309(2))
Summary
City code makes every property owner responsible for eliminating rodents and vermin on their land and inside any vacant structure. Farmersville's Minimum Building and Property Standards, enforced by the building official, treat an infestation as a code violation carrying the same fines and civil penalties as any other minimum-standards breach.
An owner shall: (1)Eliminate rodents and vermin in or on the land; (2)Provide a structure intended for human habitation with a screen for keeping out insects at each opening of the structure if the structure is not cooled with refrigerated air; (3)Maintain the interior of a vacant structure or vacant portion of a structure free from rubbish and garbage; (4)Keep the interior of a structure free from insects, rodents, and vermin; (5)Be responsible for maintaining in a clean and sanitary condition the shared or common areas of the dwelling and premises thereof; (6)Keep the premises clean and remove from the premises abandoned items such as ice boxes, refrigerators, stoves, glass, building materials, building rubbish or similar items, including but not limited to weeds, dead trees, trash, garbage, etc.
Full Breakdown
Section 14-310 of the Minimum Building and Property Standards article requires every owner to eliminate rodents and vermin in or on the land, keep the interior of a vacant structure or vacant portion free from rubbish and garbage, keep the structure's interior free from insects, rodents and vermin, and maintain shared or common areas of a dwelling in a clean and sanitary condition. The same section requires the owner to remove abandoned items from the premises, including ice boxes, refrigerators, stoves, glass, building materials, rubbish, weeds, dead trees and trash, since accumulated debris is a common rodent harborage.
Section 14-309(2) separately makes screening a factor: every structure intended for human habitation without refrigerated cooling must have insect screens at each opening. Occupants share the duty: section 14-312 requires an occupant to keep the interior areas under his control free of conditions that would encourage insect, rodent or vermin infestation, to dispose of garbage and organic waste that could feed rodents, and to remove any animal whose presence creates a health hazard. The building official or a code enforcement officer investigates under section 14-303 and may obtain a search warrant to inspect for a health hazard. A. Local Government Code chapter 54.
Violations & Fines
Failing to eliminate rodents or vermin under section 14-310, or letting garbage attract them under section 14-312, is a fine under section 1-3 for every day the violation continues. The city may also sue civilly for up to $1,000 per day under section 14-304(b), and a Building and Property Standards Commission order to abate can lead to city cleanup billed back to the owner as a lien.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is responsible for rodent control in a Farmersville rental, the landlord or the tenant?
Can code enforcement inspect my property for a rodent problem?
What is the penalty for an unresolved rodent infestation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Farmersville
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Farmersville to another location·View the Texas public health rules overview
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Rodent Control in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Collin County handle rodent control.