Lafayette, LA Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)

Sec. 42-126 defines "rodent harborage and infestation" as the existence of a natural habitat for rodents -- garbage, growth, solid waste, trash or other waste on a property that shows feeding entry, burrows, trails or droppings -- and the definition is also satisfied by simply spotting at least two rodents during an inspection. Sec. 42-127 makes it unlawful for any owner to permit, allow or cause that harborage or infestation to exist on property the owner holds. Enforcement starts with a citizen complaint: Sec. 42-128 lets the director of public works enter the premises to inspect once notified that an owner or occupant may be allowing a harborage or infestation.

If the inspection confirms the problem, Sec. 42-129 requires five calendar days' written notice to the owner or occupant -- sent by certified mail to the address on the tax assessor's rolls, or by two days of newspaper advertisement in the official journal if the owner cannot be found -- before the city acts. After that window, the director may destroy or remove the harborage and hire a commercial exterminator licensed by the state structural pest control commission. Sec. 42-130 then bills the owner for the actual abatement cost plus a 25 percent administrative charge; an unpaid bill after 30 days is added to the owner's next property tax bill, and the finance director records a lien in the parish clerk of court's mortgage records, securing the debt with legal interest until paid. Citations for a Sec. 42-127 violation are issued by the director of public works under Sec. 42-131.