Sedgwick County, KS Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing code
- Rental Housing Code, Sec. 6-426 to 6-435
- Who is covered
- Non-owner-occupied dwellings, unincorporated county
- Duty holder
- Owner is responsible for extermination
- Enforcing agency
- Department of Code Enforcement (building official)
- Violation class
- Class H, up to $450 for repeat
- Adopted by
- Resolution No. 74-2002
Summary
Sedgwick County's rental housing code requires every rental dwelling in the unincorporated county to be free of visible insects and rodents at each new occupancy. Sec. 6-431 puts extermination on the owner and requires every window and exterior door to be weather-tight, lockable, and rodent-proof, with the county's building official inspecting and enforcing compliance.
Every dwelling must be free of visible evidence of insects and rodents upon every new occupancy, and extermination thereof shall be the responsibility of the owner. Every window and exterior door of every dwelling shall be reasonably weather-tight, lockable, and rodent-proof and shall be kept in good working condition and good repair.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 22 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
The rental housing code, adopted by Resolution No. 74-2002, sets minimum habitability standards for residential buildings in the unincorporated area of the county that are not occupied by their owner, per Sec. 6-427's stated purpose and Sec. 6-428's scope. It covers dwellings, dwelling units, rooming houses, and rooming units rented to tenants; it does not reach owner-occupied homes. Sec. 6-431 requires every covered dwelling to be free of visible evidence of insects and rodents at every new occupancy and puts the extermination duty squarely on the owner, along with keeping every window and exterior door weather-tight, lockable, and rodent-proof and in good working condition.
Failing that duty has teeth: Sec. 6-434(b)(2) lists infestation of insects, vermin or rodents, and any violation of section 6-431, as one of the specific conditions that make a dwelling 'substandard' for purposes of the code, alongside inadequate garbage storage, missing plumbing fixtures, structural hazards, and hazardous wiring. Sec. 6-434(f) makes it unlawful for anyone to knowingly allow another person to occupy a dwelling that has been declared substandard. The building official, meaning the department of code enforcement, enforces the article and, per Sec. 6-435, may inspect a dwelling at reasonable times when there is cause to believe it violates the code, presenting credentials to an occupant or first attempting to locate the owner if the unit is vacant.
If entry is refused, the building official can pursue the legal remedies available to secure access. Owners remain responsible for meeting the rodent-control duty even if a lease shifts day-to-day upkeep to the tenant, per Sec. 6-435(d).
Violations & Fines
Occupying or knowingly allowing occupancy of a dwelling that has become substandard, including one infested with insects, vermin, or rodents in violation of Sec. 6-431, is a class H violation under Sec. 6-434(f). The county's fine schedule at Sec. 8-5 sets class H fines at $150.00 for a first conviction, $300.00 for a second, and $450.00 for a third within a twelve-month period, prosecuted through county court under Chapter 8's uniform complaint and notice-to-appear procedure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this rodent rule apply to a house I own and live in myself?
Whose job is it to exterminate rodents, the landlord or the tenant?
What happens if a rental unit stays infested?
Can the county inspect my rental for rodent problems?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sedgwick County
Compare Sedgwick County to another location·View the Kansas public health rules overview
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