Phoenix, AZ Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing rule
- §39-6(C) exterior; §39-5(H) interior
- Correction deadline
- 30 days after notice of violation
- Non-compliance
- City abates, bills owner, records lien
- Exemption
- Undisturbed bees, rabbits causing no nuisance
Summary
Phoenix requires every premises, yards, buildings, and vacant lots alike, to stay free of insect and rodent infestation under the Neighborhood Preservation Ordinance, with a narrow exception for undisturbed bee, rabbit, or wildlife activity that creates no nuisance.
All premises shall be kept free from insect and rodent infestation and other noxious pests. This provision shall not require action to disturb the natural or cultivated activity of bees, rabbits, or other insects and animals where such activity is not a danger or nuisance to any resident or residents of the area, and where other applicable legal requirements are met.
D. Drainage. All premises shall be maintained so as to prevent the accumulation of stagnant water when such water causes a hazardous or unhealthy condition, becomes a breeding area for insects, or which is causing soil erosion or damage to foundation walls. This does not apply to City-approved retention basins or other similar conditions. This exemption is not operable when actual and probable danger exists due to neglect.
E. Foundations, walls and roofs. Every foundation, exterior wall, roof and all other exterior surfaces shall be maintained in structurally sound and weathertight condition. The foundation elements shall adequately support the building at all points and shall also be free from deterioration.
1. Foundation. The building foundation shall be maintained in a safe condition and be capable of supporting the load which normal use may place thereon.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance G-7524, passed June 17, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under Chapter 39 (Neighborhood Preservation Ordinance), Phoenix code officers can cite any property, house, yard, or vacant lot, for insect or rodent infestation. Section 39-6(C) requires all premises be kept free of rodent and insect infestation and other noxious pests; a companion rule, Section 39-5(H), reaches building interiors. Inspectors issue a notice of violation with a reinspection date; if the owner doesn't correct the infestation within 30 days, the City can abate the condition itself and bill the owner, recording a lien against the property for the cost. Repeat or severe infestation that renders a structure uninhabitable can trigger the separate nuisance-abatement process under Section 39-8.
Violations & Fines
Unresolved infestation after a notice of violation and 30-day correction window lets the City abate the condition and bill the owner, plus record a lien; unresolved cases can draw a civil sanction in Phoenix Municipal Court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Phoenix require pest control inside rental units too?
Are bees or rabbits on my property automatically a violation?
What happens if I ignore the City's notice of violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Phoenix
Compare Phoenix to another location·View the Arizona public health rules overview
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