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Orange County, NY Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)

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

Key Facts

Enforcing agency
Orange County Commissioner of Health
Storage rule
Stack materials to prevent harborage
Extermination standard
"Promptly exterminated by approved processes"
Owner liability
Infestation from failure to rat-proof
Pre-demolition rule
Must be certified "rodent free" first
Citation
Sanitary Code Art. III §2(8)

Summary

Orange County's Sanitary Code makes rodent control a shared owner-occupant duty: rubbish and materials must be stored so they can't shelter rodents, structures and yards must be kept free of harborage and infestation, and any rodents found must be promptly exterminated, under Article III, Section 2(8).

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

8. Rodent control (a) Every owner and/or occupant of a premises, structure, building , dwelling or dwelling unit shall store and dispose of accumulated rubbish, boxes, lumber, scrap metal, or any other materials in such a manner as to prevent rodent harborage in or about any premises, structure, building, dwelling or dwelling unit. Materials shall be stacked neatly in piles elevated to a level high enough to permit effective cleaning. (b) All structures and exterior property shall be kept free from rodent harborage and infestation. Where rodents are found, they shall be promptly exterminated by approved processes which will not be injurious to human health. After extermination, proper precautions shall be taken to eliminate rodent harborage and prevent re-infestation. (c) Every owner or occupant of a dwelling or dwelling unit shall not store, place, or allow to accumulate, any materials that may serve as food or harborage for rodents in a site accessible to rodents.

Source: NY Property Maintenance CodeView official code

Full Breakdown

" Structures and exterior property must be kept free from rodent harborage and infestation, and where rodents are found they must be "promptly exterminated by approved processes which will not be injurious to human health," with follow-up precautions to stop reinfestation. Owners and occupants also can't store or let accumulate any material that could serve rodents as food or harborage in a spot they can reach. Responsibility for extermination itself is split under Section 2, subdivision 7: an occupant of a single-unit dwelling has to handle pest control there, but the owner takes over if the infestation traces to the owner's failure to keep the building rat-proof, or if two or more units in the same building are infested.

Windows, basement hatchways and other ground-level openings that could let rodents in must carry adequate screening under Section 6(c). Before any structure slated for demolition comes down, Section 2, subdivision 8(f) requires it to be exterminated and then inspected and certified rodent-free by the Commissioner of Health or a designee.

Violations & Fines

Failing to control rodents carries the Sanitary Code's standard penalties: a criminal fine up to $250 for a first offense and $500 for a repeat, plus up to 15 days in jail, or a civil penalty up to $2,000 per violation that can be added to the property's county tax bill, with each day of continued infestation a separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is responsible for rodent control in an Orange County rental, the landlord or the tenant?
In a single-unit dwelling, the occupant handles extermination under Article III, Section 2(7). But the owner becomes responsible if the infestation stems from the owner's failure to keep the building rat-proof, or if two or more units in the same building are infested.
What are property owners required to do to prevent rodents?
Article III, Section 2(8) requires owners and occupants to store rubbish, boxes, lumber and similar materials so they can't shelter rodents, keep structures and yards free of harborage and infestation, and promptly exterminate by approved methods whenever rodents are found.
Can Orange County make me exterminate before I demolish a building?
Yes. Section 2(8)(f) requires proper extermination before any scheduled demolition, and the structure must then be inspected and certified rodent-free by the Commissioner of Health or a designee before the demolition can actually proceed, closing off a common way rodents scatter into neighboring buildings.
What happens if I ignore a rodent complaint?
You risk the Sanitary Code's standard penalties: up to $250 for a first offense and $500 for a repeat, plus up to 15 days in jail, or a civil penalty up to $2,000 per violation, with each day the infestation continues counted as a separate offense.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Orange County

Parking Rules: EV ChargingFew RestrictionsAnimal Ordinances: Wildlife FeedingSome RestrictionsFire Regulations: Smoke DetectorsSome RestrictionsFire Regulations: Wildfire ZonesFew RestrictionsLandscaping Rules: Weed OrdinancesLight RestrictionsLandscaping Rules: Native PlantsFew Restrictions

All Orange County rules

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