Davidson County, NC Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 50.03(D)
- Enforcing agency
- Planning Dept. Solid Waste Officers
- Removal frequency
- At least every 7 days
- First offense fine
- $75
- Repeat offense fines
- $200, then $300
- Flagrant violation fine
- $500
- Appeal path
- Written appeal to Planning Director
Summary
Davidson County requires refuse on every property to be sorted so it will not harbor rodents or vermin, under Code of Ordinances § 50.03(D). Garbage must sit in durable, rust-resistant, watertight containers with tight-fitting lids and be removed at least once every seven days. The Planning Department's Solid Waste Enforcement Officers cite and fine violators.
(D) Refuse shall be sorted in a manner that will resist harborage to rodents and vermin and will not create a fire hazard. Regulated refuse under this section includes, but is not limited to, lumber, boxes, barrels, bottles, cans, tires, paper, cardboard, rags, old furniture and other bulky waste, and white goods. Useful materials, such as firewood and building materials, may be stored on the premises, provided they ate sorted in a safe manner at a reasonable height above ground.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2024 S-15: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ordinance passed 4-22-2024; and State legislation through 2023 North Carolina Legislative Service, Pamphlet No. 6).
Full Breakdown
03 of the Solid Waste Disposal chapter sets the county's property-level rodent and vermin control standard. Subsection (D) bars storing lumber, boxes, barrels, bottles, cans, tires, paper, cardboard, rags, old furniture and other bulky waste, plus white goods, in any manner that lets it become a rodent or vermin harborage or a fire hazard; useful materials like firewood may stay on the premises only if sorted safely at a reasonable height above ground. 03: subsection (A) bars any owner, occupant, tenant or lessee from letting solid waste accumulate outside the manner this chapter prescribes; subsection (B) requires removal of all solid waste from the property at least once every seven-day period; subsection (C) requires garbage containers to be durable, rust-resistant, nonabsorbent, watertight and fitted with a close-fitting, fly-tight cover, kept clean enough that no odor or nuisance condition exists; and subsection (E) bars leaving bulky waste outside a building or dwelling for more than 72 hours (junk vehicles stored under Chapter 151 are exempt from that 72-hour clock).
09, the Davidson County Board of Commissioners vests administration and enforcement of the whole chapter in the Planning Director, who may employ Solid Waste Enforcement Officers with authority to inspect, cite, assess penalties and take enforcement action. § 153A-123.
Violations & Fines
Under § 50.99, a Solid Waste Enforcement Officer may issue a citation in person or by certified mail once there is probable cause of a § 50.03 violation, directing payment and proof the violation was remedied within 72 hours (six days if mailed); an officer may instead issue a warning where no health or safety risk exists. Civil penalties run $75 for a first offense, $200 for a second and $300 for a third, with a $500 penalty for a flagrant or willful violation and injunctive relief available. Appeals go in writing to the Planning Director within the citation's response window.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Davidson County regulate rodent harborage on private property?
How often must I remove garbage from my property?
How long can bulky waste sit outside my house?
What happens if I violate the refuse storage rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Davidson County
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