Virginia Beach Code Chapter 9 and Chapter 23 require property owners to keep premises free of rats, mice, and harborage conditions, with city Code Enforcement issuing notices for unmaintained lots.
Virginia Beach Code Chapter 9 (Building Maintenance Code, adopting the Virginia Maintenance Code) requires owners to keep structures and premises free from rodent harborage. Virginia Beach Code Chapter 23 covers nuisances, including accumulations of trash, food waste, or stagnant water that attract rats. Code Enforcement officers respond to complaints and may inspect exterior conditions. Sanitation Department crews enforce trash bin closure rules under Chapter 26 to prevent rodent feeding. Virginia Beach Vector Control, part of the Health Department, advises owners on bait stations and exclusion measures but does not provide free pest treatment for private property.
Allowing rodent harborage is a Class 4 misdemeanor in Virginia Beach with civil penalties up to $250 per offense, and the city may abate conditions and lien the property under Virginia Beach Code Chapter 23.
See how Virginia Beach's rodent control rules stack up against other locations.
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