Sarasota, FL Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Banned pesticides
- DDT, arsenic, mercury, strychnine listed
- Operator exception
- State-licensed pest control operators only
- Where allowed
- Inside/under building, within 1 foot
- Citation
- Sarasota City Code §§ 17-2, 17-3
Summary
The City of Sarasota bans sale or use of listed toxic pesticides like DDT and arsenic citywide, but licensed pest control operators may still apply persistent pesticides in and under buildings for pest control.
It shall be unlawful for any person to offer for sale, sell, spray, dust, discharge, spread or in any other manner use or employ any of the following toxic pesticides in the city... Nothing in section 17-2 shall preclude: (1) The use of persistent pesticides by pest control operators who are certified and licensed by the state, where such pesticides are used only inside and underneath buildings and within one (1) foot of buildings and may be necessary for the long-lasting control of disease vectors, termites or other domestic arthropods.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 33 | Zoning: Supplement 44).
Full Breakdown
Sarasota City Code § 17-2 makes it unlawful to sell, spray, dust, or otherwise use a listed set of toxic pesticides, including DDT, aldrin, dieldrin, arsenic and mercury compounds, and strychnine, anywhere in the city. Section 17-3 carves out an exception: pest control operators certified and licensed by the state may still use persistent pesticides for long-lasting control of disease vectors, termites, or other domestic arthropods, but only inside and underneath buildings and within one foot of the building's exterior.
Violations & Fines
Selling or applying a banned pesticide, or a licensed operator using one beyond the inside-and-one-foot perimeter allowed by § 17-3, is a code violation enforced under the city's general penalty provision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an exterminator use DDT or other banned pesticides in Sarasota?
Who can legally treat a Sarasota home for termites with restricted chemicals?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sarasota
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Sarasota to another location·View the Florida public health rules overview
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Rodent Control in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Sarasota County handle rodent control.