Tacoma, WA Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Basements/walls
- Must be rat-proofed with approved material
- Food storage
- Must be protected from rat access
- Traps
- Required, inspected daily (§ 5.38.040)
- Enforcement
- Director of Health
Summary
Tacoma requires every basement, wall, dock, warehouse, and residence to be built or repaired to keep rats out, and all stored food kept rat-proof, under Chapter 5.38's Rat Prevention ordinance.
All basements and walls of all buildings, store rooms, warehouses and residences within the city shall be so constructed, or repaired by the use of screens, nettings, cement or other material or materials approved by the Director of Health as to prevent rats from gaining entrance to or harboring beneath the same...All food products or other goods, whether kept for sale or for any other purpose, shall be so protected as to prevent rats from gaining access thereto or coming in contact therewith.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 5.38 of the Tacoma Municipal Code, dating to 1928 and still in force, makes rat prevention a duty of every property owner, lessee, or occupant. Basements and walls of buildings, store rooms, warehouses, and residences must be constructed or repaired with screens, netting, cement, or other Health-Director-approved material to keep rats from entering or nesting underneath. Food products and other goods, whether for sale or otherwise, must be protected from rat access. Owners must also maintain a Director-approved number of rat traps, inspected and cleared daily, and keep the property clean and sanitary. Public and private docks carry parallel screening requirements to keep rats from boarding from moored vessels.
Violations & Fines
Failing to rat-proof a building, leaving food unprotected, or not maintaining required traps violates Chapter 5.38 and is enforceable by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department against the owner, lessee, or occupant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is responsible for rat-proofing a Tacoma property?
Does Tacoma require rat traps on commercial property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tacoma
Compare Tacoma to another location·View the Washington public health rules overview
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Rodent Control in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle rodent control.