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Vanderburgh 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 sections
County Code 8.16.020(A)(2) and (B)(1)
Trigger standard
provides food or harborage for rodents/pests
Enforcing agency
Health Dept. and code enforcement
Correction window
10 calendar days after notice
First violation penalty
$100 civil penalty

Summary

Rank vegetation and junk that could feed or shelter rodents are banned property-wide in unincorporated Vanderburgh County. County Code 8.16.020(A)(2) and (B)(1) both key their violation directly to material that "might provide food or harborage for insects, rodents, or pests," giving code enforcement a specific pest-control hook distinct from the general weed-height rule.

City-specific rules exist: Evansville has its own rodent control rules that differ from Vanderburgh County's county-level regulations. If you live in Evansville, check the city-specific page instead.

It shall be a violation of this code for the owner, or anyone having a substantial property interest in real property, including open or vacant property within the unincorporated County, to allow any growth of rank vegetation, as defined in Vanderburgh County Code 8.16.010, which items might provide food or harborage for insects, rodents, or pests; pose a fire safety hazard; or pose a nuisance.

Full Breakdown

020(A)(2) of the Vanderburgh County Code separately bars letting rank vegetation grow when it "might provide food or harborage for insects, rodents, or pests," pose a fire safety hazard, or pose a nuisance, a standard that applies regardless of the nine-inch height threshold that governs plain weeds under (A)(1). 020(B)(1), uses the identical rodent-harborage language to reach deposited or accumulated trash, debris, garbage, junk, and rubbish. 020(D), the county treats a violation of either clause as creating an "unsafe premises" that is a hazard to public health under IC 36-7-9-4, which grounds the county's authority to inspect and abate.

The Vanderburgh County Health Department's Executive Director, or that office's designee, is named among the officials empowered to enforce the county's nuisance and public-health chapters, alongside the Department of Metropolitan Development's code enforcement staff. 080 if the county has to clear the harborage itself. 020(B)) are the operative sections a property owner would be cited under.

Violations & Fines

A first calendar-year violation of the harborage provisions carries a $100 civil penalty, a second $250, and a third or later violation that year $500, per 8.16.090(B)(1), with courts able to add up to $5,000 more under 8.16.090(B)(2) for noncompliance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a specific rodent-harborage rule in Vanderburgh County's code?
Yes. County Code 8.16.020(A)(2) bars rank vegetation that might provide food or harborage for insects, rodents, or pests, and 8.16.020(B)(1) applies the same standard to accumulated trash, debris, garbage, junk, or rubbish on the property.
Who enforces the rodent-harborage nuisance rule?
8.16.040's enforcement structure and the county's health provisions put the Vanderburgh County Health Department's Executive Director or designee, along with the Department of Metropolitan Development's code enforcement staff, among the officials who can act on a harborage complaint.
What happens if I don't clear rodent-harboring debris after a notice?
You get 10 calendar days under 8.16.050 to correct the condition or request a hearing; after that the department can clear it with its own crew or a contractor and bill you under 8.16.080, with unpaid costs becoming a lien collected like property taxes.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Vanderburgh County

All Vanderburgh County rules

Compare Vanderburgh County to another location·View the Indiana public health rules overview

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