Palm Springs, CA Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Municipal Code § 6.08.010
- Covers
- Vacant buildings infested with vermin or rodents
- First infraction fine
- Up to $100
- Misdemeanor max
- $1,000 fine and/or 6 months jail
- Enforcement tool
- Administrative citation, Chapter 1.06
- Civil remedy
- Judicial abatement, Gov. Code § 38773
Summary
Palm Springs Municipal Code Section 6.08.010 makes it an unlawful nuisance for any owner or agent to let a vacant or unoccupied building sit open to trespassers or become infested with vermin or rodents. Code enforcement can act directly, and a violation exposes the owner to a public nuisance abatement action.
It is a nuisance, and it is unlawful, for any person or agent to allow any vacant or unoccupied building to remain open and of easy access to trespassers or to allow the same to become a habitation of vagrants or to become infested with vermin or rodents, or to become a menace to health.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4923139; v14 updated 2026-06-24).
Full Breakdown
010 targets vacant and unoccupied buildings specifically: it is a nuisance, and unlawful, for any person or agent to allow such a structure to remain open and of easy access to trespassers, to become a habitation of vagrants, to become infested with vermin or rodents, or to become a menace to health. 110), all of which the health officer and code enforcement can invoke together against a rodent-attracting property. 145, or a judicial abatement action under California Government Code Section 38773, which lets the city recover its abatement cost as a special assessment or lien against the property.
Owners of vacant buildings in Palm Springs, particularly seasonal or investor-owned properties common in this resort market, are expected to keep structures secured and free of vermin or rodent harborage year-round, not only when a complaint is filed.
Violations & Fines
A violation of Section 6.08.010 is a misdemeanor under Section 1.01.140 unless charged as an infraction, punishable under Section 1.01.160 by up to a $1,000 fine, up to six months in county jail, or both. Infractions carry escalating fines under Section 1.01.155: up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second within a year, and $500 for each additional violation within that year. Each day the condition continues is a separate offense under Section 1.01.150, and the city may also pursue civil judicial abatement under Government Code Section 38773 with costs assessed as a lien on the property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Palm Springs regulate rodents on occupied properties too?
Who enforces the vacant building rodent rule in Palm Springs?
Can the city put a lien on my property for a rodent nuisance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Palm Springs
California rules heatmap·Compare Palm Springs to another location·View the California public health rules overview
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How other cities in Riverside County handle rodent control.