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LaPorte County, IN Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
§ 50.04
Food-bearing salvage
disposed daily, sanitary manner
Scavenging
prohibited outright
Inspections
at least monthly, Health Officer
Max fine
$2,500, per-day offense (§ 10.99)
Enforcement
Health Officer, County Prosecuting Attorney

Summary

LaPorte County's Health Officer treats rodent and insect infestation at any public refuse disposal site as a code violation. Operators must dispose of food-bearing salvage like tin cans daily in a sanitary manner, and scavenging is barred outright, under County Code § 50.04. The Health Officer inspects monthly and can suspend or revoke a site's permit for repeat sanitation violations.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of LaPorte County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

(B)(3) All salvage material must be removed from the disposal area at least once each week, except that any and all materials containing food for rodents and insects, including tin cans, shall be disposed of daily in a sanitary manner. ... (F) Infestation of rodents and insects on the premises of a public refuse disposal site shall constitute a violation of this subchapter and the violation shall be determined by the county Health Officer.

View official code

Full Breakdown

04(B)(3), any salvage material containing food for rodents and insects, including tin cans, must be disposed of daily in a sanitary manner, and all other salvage must be cleared from the disposal area at least once a week. 04(F) makes rodent or insect infestation on the premises of a public refuse disposal site a violation of the subchapter, with the county Health Officer deciding whether an infestation exists. 04(C) bans all burning of garbage, rubbish, trash, or industrial waste at a sanitary landfill. 03 requires at least a monthly inspection of every disposal site in the county.

If an inspection turns up a sanitation violation, the Health Officer orders a second inspection after time to fix the problem; a repeat violation of the same item on that second inspection triggers suspension or revocation of the permit. 06, the Health Officer reports violations to the County Prosecuting Attorney, who is directed to prosecute offenders to final termination. 01 defines COUNTY for this subchapter as areas under Health Officer jurisdiction outside the corporate limits of any city or town, these rules bind unincorporated disposal sites, not those inside La Porte or Michigan City.

Violations & Fines

A rodent or insect infestation finding under § 50.04(F) is a code violation subject to the general penalty in § 10.99: a fine of up to $2,500, with each day of a continuing violation counted as a separate offense. Two documented sanitation violations of the same item on successive Health Officer inspections under § 50.03 can also cost the operator the disposal-site permit itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does LaPorte County regulate rodents at private homes?
No. The county's rodent provisions in § 50.04 apply to public refuse disposal sites, including the salvage yards and landfills the county permits, not to individual residential properties. Any infestation there is decided by the county Health Officer, and there is no separate county ordinance in this code addressing rodent harborage on private residential lots.
What counts as a rodent infestation violation?
Under § 50.04(F), the county Health Officer decides whether rodents or insects have infested the premises of a permitted public refuse disposal site. Site operators must also dispose of any salvage containing food for rodents and insects, including tin cans, daily in a sanitary manner rather than letting it sit, under § 50.04(B)(3).
Who enforces the rodent control rule and what's the penalty?
The county Health Officer inspects each disposal site monthly under § 50.03 and reports violations to the County Prosecuting Attorney under § 50.06. Because § 50.04 sets no separate fine, the general penalty in § 10.99 applies: up to $2,500, with each day of a continuing violation treated as a separate offense.
Can the county pull a disposal permit for rodent problems?
Yes. If the Health Officer finds a sanitation violation, including rodent or insect infestation, a second inspection follows once time has passed to fix it. Under § 50.03(A)(2), a repeat violation of that same item on the second inspection results in suspension or revocation of the site's operating permit.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in LaPorte County

Fence Regulations: Height LimitsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: RV & Boat ParkingSignificant RestrictionsFood Handler CertificationSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Decibel LimitsSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Barking DogsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Abandoned VehiclesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Driveway RulesSome Restrictions

All LaPorte County rules

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