San Antonio, TX Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Code Reference
- SAPMC / Ch. 6 Buildings
- Responsibility
- Property owner
- Complaints
- 311 or Code Compliance
- Fines
- $100-$2,000 per violation
Summary
San Antonio's Property Maintenance Code (SAPMC) requires all structures to be maintained free of pest infestations. Property owners must eliminate rodent, insect, and vermin harborage through approved methods. The city's Code Compliance Department enforces pest-related nuisance violations with fines of $100-$2,000.
309.1 Infestation. All structures shall be kept free from insect and rodent infestation. All structures in which insects or rodents are found shall be promptly exterminated by approved processes that will not be injurious to human health. After extermination, proper precautions shall be taken to prevent reinfestation. 309.2 Extermination Prior to Occupancy. Where infestation exists, the owner of any structure shall be responsible for extermination within the structure prior to renting or leasing the structure. 309.3 Single occupant. The occupant of a one-family dwelling or of a single-tenant nonresidential structure shall be responsible for extermination on the premises.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
The San Antonio Property Maintenance Code (SAPMC), adopted through Chapter 6 of the Code of Ordinances, defines pest elimination as the control and elimination of insects, rodents, or other pests by eliminating their harborage places, removing or making inaccessible materials that serve as their food or water, and by other approved pest elimination methods. Property owners are responsible for maintaining structures and premises free of rodent, insect, and vermin infestation. Standing water, accumulated trash, and overgrown vegetation that creates pest harborage are violations. The Code Compliance Department investigates complaints and issues notices of violation. Texas Structural Pest Control Board (part of TDLR) licenses all commercial pest control operators. San Antonio Animal Care Services handles wildlife pest issues (raccoons, opossums, etc.). The city participates in mosquito abatement through SAMHD's vector control program, which conducts surveillance and larviciding.
Violations & Fines
Code Compliance issues notices with a cure period (typically 10-30 days). Failure to comply: fines of $100-$2,000 per violation per day. Repeated violations may result in city-performed abatement with costs billed to the property owner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is responsible for pest control in San Antonio rental properties?
How do I report a pest problem to the city?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Antonio
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How other cities in Bexar County handle rodent control.