Tacoma property owners must keep premises free of rat harborage, food sources, and breeding conditions. Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department investigates complaints and can order abatement under nuisance and code-enforcement authority.
Tacoma Municipal Code Chapter 8 (Miscellaneous Ordinances) and Chapter 16 (Code Enforcement) treat rodent infestations as a public nuisance. TPCHD inspectors and Tacoma code-enforcement officers can issue orders requiring owners to remove harborage like wood piles, abandoned vehicles, or unsecured trash that attracts rats. Owners must store garbage in rodent-resistant containers, keep dumpsters lidded, and address infestations through licensed pest-control operators or owner-applied baits per WSDA labeling. Severe cases involving commercial properties or multifamily buildings may trigger joint TPCHD and Tacoma Building & Land Use enforcement and rental-housing inspection follow-up.
Failure to abate after notice can lead to civil penalties, contractor abatement billed to the owner, lien recording, and rental-housing inspection escalation in repeat-violator cases.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Tacoma, WA
Tacoma allows residential lawn ornaments and yard art without permits provided they do not exceed the 15-foot accessory-structure height limit in TMC 13.06 a...
Tacoma, WA
Tacoma does not regulate residential inflatable holiday decorations by size or type. The Noise Code (TMC 8.122) applies to continuously running blower motors...
Tacoma, WA
Tacoma has no ordinance restricting when residents may put up or take down holiday lights. The general Noise Ordinance at TMC 8.122 applies to any amplified ...
Tacoma, WA
Built-in outdoor kitchens in Tacoma require building permits from Planning and Development Services (PDS) when they include new electrical, plumbing, gas pip...
Tacoma, WA
Backyard wood and pellet smokers in Tacoma single-family yards are permitted but subject to Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA) Regulation I, Section 9.11, ...
Tacoma, WA
Tacoma adopts the International Fire Code through TMC Title 3 (Fire Prevention) as Tacoma Fire Code. IFC Section 308.1.4 prohibits open-flame cooking devices...
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