Yakima, WA Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- YMC §§ 11.40.309.1.1, 11.40.309.2
- Verification
- Health officer or pest control pro, not the city
- Elimination duty
- Property owner, owner-occupied or leased
- Penalty
- $250-$1,000 escalating (§11.40.106.4)
- Related
- 'Vermin/rat infested' = unfit for occupancy (§11.40.108.1.3)
Summary
Yakima puts the burden of proving and fixing a rodent or pest infestation on the property owner. YMC § 11.40.309.1.1 states the city itself 'does not inspect or verify the existence of infestation,' leaving that to the health officer or a pest control professional at no cost to the city, while § 11.40.309.2 makes the structure's owner responsible for pest elimination whether the property is owner-occupied or rented out.
309.1.1 Verification of infestation. The City of Yakima does not inspect or verify the existence of infestation. The code official may utilize the health officer to verify an infestation, or may require the utilization of a pest control professional for such verification, at no expense to the City of Yakima. ... 309.2 Owner. The owner of any structure shall be responsible for pest elimination within the structure, regardless of whether the structure is owner-occupied or leased.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4980636; v1 updated 2026-08-03; through 08-03-2026).
Full Breakdown
40's pest provisions put the verification burden and the fix-it burden in different hands. 1, added to the 2018 International Property Maintenance Code by Ordinance 2021-004, the City of Yakima does not itself inspect for or verify an infestation; instead the code official 'may utilize the health officer to verify an infestation, or may require the utilization of a pest control professional for such verification, at no expense to the City of Yakima,' meaning a tenant or neighbor reporting rats, mice or insects must typically obtain independent confirmation before the city will act.
regardless of whether the structure is owner-occupied or leased,' so a landlord cannot shift the cost or the legal duty to a tenant lease clause. 1 requires owners to supply covered rubbish containers and arrange removal, since uncontained garbage is the most common infestation driver the code addresses. 111.
Violations & Fines
Once the health officer or a licensed pest control professional verifies an infestation, the property owner who fails to eliminate it after notice under § 11.40.107 is subject to the § 11.40.106.4 penalty schedule: $250 for missing the abatement deadline, escalating to $500, $750 and $1,000 for repeat offenses within 24 months, plus $50 for each additional day of noncompliance, or a discretionary civil infraction up to $250.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the City of Yakima inspect for rat or pest infestations?
Who has to pay to get rid of pests in a Yakima rental?
What triggers a rat-infestation violation under Yakima's building code?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yakima
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