Syracuse, NY Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Rev. Gen. Ord. § 27-74(a),(b),(d)
- General duty
- Grounds/buildings free of rodent harborage
- Basement openings
- Ratproofed with wire mesh
- Opening-screening zone
- 2 feet above ground and below
- Enforcing agency
- Division of Code Enforcement
- Civil penalty
- $100 per day past deadline
Summary
Syracuse's Property Conservation Code requires every building and lot to stay free of rodent and vermin harborage, and where a rodent problem exists, owners must screen or wire-mesh basement openings and any exterior opening within two feet of ground level. The Division of Code Enforcement enforces the standard under Section 27-74.
(a)Grounds, buildings and structures shall be maintained free of insect, vermin and rodent harborage and infestation. Methods used for exterminating insects, vermin and rodents shall conform with generally accepted practice.(b)Where the potential for rodent infestation exists, windows and other openings in basements shall be appropriately ratproofed with wire mesh or other suitable materials. ... (d)The exterior of every building shall be so maintained as to be vermin and rodent free. Where rodent or vermin problems exist, all exterior windows, doors and other openings, two (2) feet above ground level and below, shall be screened, or protected with acceptable wire mesh or other approved materials. Defects, cracks or holes shall be rightly sealed to prevent the entrance of vermin and rodents.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 41).
Full Breakdown
Section 27-74(a) requires that grounds, buildings and structures be maintained free of insect, vermin and rodent harborage and infestation, and that any extermination method used conform with generally accepted practice. Subsection (b) adds a preventive duty: where the potential for rodent infestation exists, windows and other openings in basements shall be appropriately ratproofed with wire mesh or other suitable materials. Subsection (d) is the corrective duty that applies once a problem is confirmed: the exterior of every building shall be maintained vermin and rodent free, and where rodent or vermin problems exist, every exterior window, door and opening two feet above ground level and below must be screened or protected with wire mesh or another approved material, with defects, cracks and holes sealed to prevent the entrance of vermin and rodents.
The Division of Code Enforcement, Chapter 27's designated administering agency under Section 27-111, inspects for infestation conditions under its Section 27-113 authority and, upon finding a violation, issues a written notice under Section 27-114 specifying the openings to be sealed and a compliance deadline.
Violations & Fines
An owner who leaves a documented rodent-entry point unsealed after notice faces a criminal fine of $10 to $150 or up to 15 days in jail under Section 27-120(a), plus a civil penalty of $100 per day the infestation condition continues past the compliance deadline, collectible by the corporation counsel against the owner or the property.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Syracuse require if my building has a rat problem?
Does Syracuse require rodent-proofing before an infestation happens?
Who enforces Syracuse's rodent-control rule and what's the penalty?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Syracuse
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