Gulfport, MS Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)

Article IV of Chapter 4 makes rat control a property-maintenance duty, not just a nuisance complaint. Section 4-83 requires anyone owning, occupying or controlling a building, house or residence to keep it sanitary and maintain the roof, walls, floors and ceiling in proper repair specifically to prevent rats getting in or finding harborage. Section 4-84 goes further for business buildings, defined broadly to include stores, restaurants, warehouses, hotels and factories: they must be ratproofed, freed of rats and kept that way under the direction of the county health department.

If the health department finds a problem, Section 4-85 requires it to give written notice, and the owner then has at least 15 days (or longer if the department grants an extension) to complete the ratproofing work; missing that deadline is itself an offense. Section 4-86 works the same way for active infestations: once the occupant is notified, they must start abatement immediately and finish within 10 days, maintained continuously until the building is rat-free. Section 4-87 places an ongoing duty on occupants of already-ratproofed buildings to repair any breaks that develop (other than normal deterioration), and Section 4-90 makes it unlawful for anyone, including contractors, plumbers and utility crews, to remove ratproofing and fail to restore it, or to cut new unsealed openings.

Section 4-88 gives the county health department authority to make unannounced inspections and requires periodic reinspection of rat-stopped buildings at least every 90 days; any violation found must be abated within 10 days of notice. Section 4-89 lets the department require structural fixes, like replacing wood floors with cement in basements, where harborage is extensive. Sections 4-91 and 4-92 extend the scheme to animal feed storage and to garbage and dead-animal disposal, banning any accumulation that could feed or shelter rats, including lumber, boxes or similar materials stacked directly on the ground rather than on racks at least 18 inches up.