Rockville, MD Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- multifamily, commercial, vacant lots
- Container standard
- verminproof, tight-fitting lid
- Enforcer
- Supt., Div. of Licenses & Inspection
- Citation
- Rockville City Code § 20-9
Summary
Rockville, Maryland requires owners of multifamily, commercial, and other nonsingle-family properties to keep refuse in verminproof, tight-lidded containers, and treats any sign of insects, rodents, or vermin as a maintenance violation.
All containers for the storage of refuse, except bins for the storage of bulky rubbish shall be verminproof and waterproof, of noncorrodible metal or similar material, and shall be equipped with tight-fitting lids at all times. Containers recessed into the ground shall be permitted only if they are of such construction that they do not permit the entrance of waste material or water seepage into the nonremovable parts.(d)All containers or local disposal systems shall be accessible to the users at all times. Refuse bins, as constructed under the terms of the fire and building codes, shall not be used for the storage of garbage. Doors to refuse storage rooms, incinerator doors, chute doors, lids to hoist containers, and lids to all other refuse containers shall be in place and shall be kept closed when not in actual use. Containers and storage area surfaces shall be washed periodically so that no encrusted waste material is evidence upon inspection. Interior storage rooms, unloading platforms or aprons, other refuse storage area or buildings shall be kept clean, free of litter and refuse overflow, free of vermin and well ventilated.(e)The presence of refuse in places other than inside proper containers or disposal devices, the presence of sour odors, and the presence of insects, rodents or other vermin, or the evidence of their presences shall constitute improper maintenance or lack of maintenance and the need for more frequent removal.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 17 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 20-9 applies to any multifamily, commercial, industrial, other nonsingle-family, or vacant property in Rockville. Owners must supply enough verminproof, waterproof containers with tight-fitting lids to store refuse between collections, and keep storage rooms, platforms, and other refuse areas free of vermin and well ventilated. The presence of refuse outside proper containers, sour odors, or insects, rodents, or other vermin is treated as improper maintenance requiring more frequent removal, and the Superintendent of the Division of Licenses and Inspection may order, or in hazardous cases immediately carry out, removal at the owner's expense, which becomes a lien on the property.
Violations & Fines
Letting refuse attract insects, rodents, or other vermin, or using containers that aren't verminproof, is improper maintenance; the City can remove the refuse and bill the owner, creating a property lien.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Rockville require pest-proof trash containers?
What happens if vermin are found around a Rockville property's trash?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rockville
Compare Rockville to another location·View the Maryland public health rules overview
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