Flagstaff, AZ Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)

Flagstaff does not have a rodent-control chapter of its own; the rule comes from the Littering chapter's definitions in City Code § 6-06-001-0001. The Code defines a 'hazard to the public health and safety' to include seven specific conditions, one of which is an accumulation of litter that is infested or exhibits an infestation with insects, rodents, vermin or other noxious pests. Because 'litter' is defined as refuse or rubbish that, if deposited as prohibited, constitutes such a hazard, a rodent-infested pile of trash, rubbish or vegetative waste falls squarely within the definition.

Section 6-06-001-0003 then makes it unlawful for any property owner, occupant or lessee to let litter, including a rodent-attracting accumulation, build up on private property unless it is kept in covered bins or another authorized container, and requires accumulated litter to be cleared by 9:00 a.m. each day. The City Manager or a designee, under Section 6-06-001-0009, can inspect unscreened exterior areas at any time, with or without notice to the owner, if there is reason to believe a violation exists. A Notice of Violation gives the property owner 30 days to abate the condition before the City can pursue a criminal complaint or a civil hearing before a Municipal Court judge, and the City can perform the abatement itself and bill the owner for the cost plus a 5 percent surcharge.