Mobile County, AL Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Ala. Code § 45-49-170.51 (Act 94-216)
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Mobile County only
- Enforcement
- County Commission, Circuit Court civil action
- Remedy
- Abatement plus attorney's fees, court costs
- Exemptions
- Farms, wood-waste burners, 60-day waste programs
Summary
Under Ala. Code § 45-49-170.51, it is a public nuisance in unincorporated Mobile County for an owner or person in control of a lot, building or junkyard to let debris pile up in a way that shelters or breeds insects or rodents. The Mobile County Commission enforces the standard in Circuit Court and can recover abatement costs and attorney's fees.
(a) It shall be unlawful and constitute a public nuisance for the owner or other person in charge or control of a building, lot, junkyard, or other premises, within the unincorporated territory of Mobile County to fail to keep the lot, junkyard, or premises clean and free from garbage, refuse, litter, junk, debris, salvaged materials, household furniture, trash, used motor vehicle tires, inoperable motor vehicles, kitchen and other household appliances, rags, paper, cardboard, and other nondecorative matter, including any materials within which water may accumulate or which may shelter or encourage the growth of insects or rodents, or materials which generate obnoxious odors, or which offend the esthetics of the community, and which thereby cause a substantial diminution in the value of other property nearby or which threaten the health and safety of any citizen.
Full Breakdown
" The statute also reaches conditions that generate obnoxious odors or diminish neighboring property values. Two narrow exemptions apply: businesses that burn or incinerate wood waste, land-clearing debris, or construction refuse as their primary operation, and farms storing equipment and materials around farm buildings, plus businesses with an active on-site waste program storing material no more than 60 days. 54, which may bring a civil action in the Circuit Court of Mobile County to abate or enjoin the nuisance and may recover all costs of abatement, including attorney's fees, court costs, and other litigation expenses, from the person creating or maintaining the condition.
50 legislative finding that unregulated junk, inoperable vehicles and litter in unincorporated Mobile County are a public nuisance. There is no separate county pest-control licensing scheme in the local acts; the operative tool is this property-maintenance nuisance standard.
Violations & Fines
A property found in violation faces a civil abatement suit in Circuit Court rather than a citation ticket. The court can order the condition remedied and assess the full cost of abatement against the owner, plus attorney's fees and court costs. There is no fixed per-day fine printed in the statute itself; the remedy is injunctive and cost-shifting, brought and pursued by the county commission.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Mobile County have a rodent control ordinance for unincorporated property?
Who enforces the rodent nuisance rule in Mobile County?
Are farms or businesses exempt from the rodent-harboring nuisance rule?
Is there a fine for violating Section 45-49-170.51?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mobile County
Compare Mobile County to another location·View the Alabama public health rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.