Rat Control — Authority of the Health Officer
San Diego Municipal Code § 44.0342
in effect§44.0342 Rat Control — Authority of the Health Officer
(a) The Health Officer is authorized to make frequent and unannounced inspections of all buildings, structures, and premises within the corporate limits of The City of San Diego for the purpose of determining signs or existence of rat infestation and compliance with this ordinance. The Health Officer is directed to make periodic inspections of all business buildings in the City as frequently as the number of personnel permit. No person shall interfere with or refuse to permit such inspection.
(b) The Health Officer is authorized to order by written notice the owner, occupant, agent, or any other person in charge, management, or custody of a building, structure, or premises showing any evidence that rats are or have been present, to have said building, structure, or premises rat– proofed at once as herein provided. He may in addition order such other rat control measures as he may deem necessary to eliminate all rats, other rodents, and rat–harborages present. The written order or notice shall specify the time, in no event less than fifteen (15) days, for completion of the rat–proofing or rat–stoppage work.
(c) The Health Officer is authorized to make inspections during the course of and upon completion of any construction, repair, remodeling, or installation of any building, structure, or premises to insure compliance with the provisions of this Article, and no person shall interfere with or refuse to permit such inspection. Furthermore, should the construction, repair, remodeling or installation fail to comply with the standards or provisions of this Article, such work shall be altered according to the directions of the Health Officer.
(d) The Health Officer is authorized to notify the owner, occupant, agent, or any other person in charge, management, or custody of a building, structure, or premises that there is evidence of rat or other rodent infestation and to order in writing such person or persons to institute immediately appropriate measures for freeing the premises each occupies or controls of all rats, other rodents and rat–harborages. The written order or notice shall specify the time, in no event less than five (5) days, for institution of the rat eradication work.
(e) Whenever the Health Officer finds that satisfactory rat– proofing of any rat infested building or premises is impossible or impracticable, or whenever the owner or occupant of such premises or building shall fail to commence such rat– proofing as the Health Officer may order in writing, within the time specified in such order, or whenever the owner or occupant of such premises or building shall fail to carry to completion all such rat–proofing with reasonable diligence, the Health Officer is authorized and directed to prosecute any or all legal or equitable actions for the abatement of the nuisance created by such rat infestation and/or the condition of such building or premises.
The existence of a condition of rat infestation in or on any building or premises, and the existence of any building or premises in such condition as to provide shelter, protection, or food for rats, are each declared hereby to be and constitute a public nuisance.
(f) Any person who fails to comply with the order of the Health Officer within the time specified therein, or within the time to which a written extension may have been granted by the Health Officer, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor.
(Renumbered from Sec. 46.02 on 2-10-1953 by O-5486 N.S.)
Source: City of San Diego Office of the City Clerk, San Diego Municipal Code and City Charter (docs.sandiego.gov PDFs)URL: https://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/MuniCodeChapter04/Ch04Art04Division03.pdf#page=12Fetched: 10/28/2026