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FL Rodent Control

Rodent Exterminators in Riverview, Florida

Rats in the roof or mice in the pantry of a Riverview home? Get help with trapping and removal, then sealing the ways they could get in, from a cracked foundation to a broken sewer pipe. Riverview is unincorporated, so Hillsborough County's code, not a city code, sets the rodent rules here.

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Statewide rules and background: Florida rodent guide

No city code here, so the county's rules apply

Riverview is not a city. It is an unincorporated part of Hillsborough County, so the county's Property Maintenance Code, Chapter 8, Article IV, covers homes here, not Plant City's city code. To report an unresolved pest infestation, contact Hillsborough County Code Enforcement; its line is with the rules below. The county also names broken building sewers as a potential way in for rodents.

Whether the droppings belong to a house mouse, a roof rat or a Norway rat decides whether the job starts as rat control or mouse control. Either way, rodent exclusion closes the gaps afterward.

A sewer warning, where to report and the county rules

A broken sewer pipe can be a way in

Hillsborough County's page on sewer smoke testing says the smoke will not drive rodents out. It can, though, help find broken building sewers where there is a potential for rodents to enter. The county adds that it cannot fix problems on private property; it can help owners find the source so they know what action to take.

So a break on your side of the line is not one the county will fix. If you rent, tell the landlord. If a plumber finds a broken pipe and you have also seen droppings or gnawing, have the rodent work and the pipe repair planned together.

Where to report, and who must act

To report an unresolved pest infestation in unincorporated Hillsborough, contact county Code Enforcement online or at (813) 274-6600. The county's renters page lists separate lines for Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace. The county code in the rows below covers every building and lot in the unincorporated county, whatever its age, under Section 8-105(d). The last two rows are Florida law.

Situation: Compliance with any of the county rules in the rows belowWho must act: The owner and/or operator; also any owner, tenant or occupant who creates or maintains a violationCode section: 8-105(e)
Situation: Insects or rodents are found in any dwelling or dwelling unitWho must act: The people in the 8-105(e) row must have it promptly exterminated by approved processes not harmful to human health, then take precautions against re-infestationCode section: 8-115(g)(2)
Situation: Foundation wallsWho must act: Kept free of open cracks and breaks, and in a condition that prevents rodents and other pests from getting inCode section: 8-115(f)(1)
Situation: Rubbish, trash, debris, yard waste or similar material on a lot is, or could become, a place for rats to shelter or breedWho must act: Unlawful for the owner, occupant, tenant or other responsible person to allow itCode section: 8-116(a)(2)
Situation: Any rental unit except a single-family home or a duplexWho must act: Reasonable arrangements for rat and mouse extermination fall to the landlord, unless the parties have a written agreement saying otherwiseCode section: F.S. 83.51(2)(a)1
Situation: That extermination needs the unit emptyWho must act: Tenant leaves for no more than 4 days, on 7 days' written notice; the landlord abates the rent and is not liable for damagesCode section: F.S. 83.51(2)(a)1

The county's renters page also lists exterminating insects and rodents among a landlord's duties. That list gives no conditions; the Florida law rows above show them. This is a summary, not legal advice.

Recent building, same full inspection

Census estimates put about 32.3% of Riverview's housing units in the 2000s, its largest single decade, and about 38.4% in 2010 or later, against 18.6% across Hillsborough County. About 74.2% are single-family detached homes.

A recent build year is no reason to skip an inspection. Ask for the full outside check any house gets: roofline, walls, foundation and the places pipes and wires enter. About 8.2% of homes here are mobile homes; on one of those, ask the pro to look underneath as well.

Year built, share of housing units

  • 1.3%

    Built before 1960

    ±0.5 points

  • 6.0%

    Built 1960 to 1979

    ±1.2 points

  • 22.0%

    Built 1980 to 1999

    ±2.2 points

  • 70.7%

    Built 2000 or later

    ±3.2 points

Building type, share of housing units

  • 74.2%

    Single-family detached

    ±1.5 points

  • 8.3%

    Buildings of 5+ units

    ±1.7 points

Spots to check around a Riverview house

  1. Holes in outside walls

    Section 8-115(f)(2) of the county code requires exterior walls to be free of holes and breaks and kept in good repair so as to prevent infestation. Look closely where pipes, wires and vents pass through.

  2. Limbs over or touching the roof

    Statewide UF/IFAS advice is to cut back branches that hang over or touch the house, because rats use them as a route in, and the roof rat is a strong climber and jumper. Walk all four sides, not just the front.

  3. Palm skirts, fruit and compost

    The same UF/IFAS guide says the skirt of dead leaves on palms such as the Mexican fan palm makes excellent rodent habitat and fallen palm fruit may draw rodents. It favors fully enclosed compost bins, kept away from the house.

  4. Where the sewer line leaves

    Because Hillsborough County names broken building sewers as a potential rodent entry, ask the inspector to look at the openings where pipes leave the house near the foundation. A suspected break underground is a job for a plumber.

Rodent exclusion · Guide to rodent entry points in a house

Sealing the house, then the right removal

  • Rodent Exclusion

    With about 74.2% of Riverview homes standing alone, sealing means one building's whole shell: a foundation the county code requires to be kept against rodent entry, outside walls, and a roofline that limbs may reach.

  • Mouse Extermination

    About 24.3% of occupied homes in Riverview are rented. If yours is, tell the landlord about droppings or chewed food before you book, and check the rules above; owners can go straight to trapping and sealing for mice.

Related services

What Professional Rodent Control Covers

Your call reaches a trusted local pro. Ask how they handle each step.

  1. 1. Inspection

    A trusted local pro checks inside and out. Ask about a free inspection.

  2. 2. Identification

    Droppings, tracks and gnaw marks show whether rats or mice are inside.

  3. 3. Trapping and removal

    Trapping removes the rodents already in the building.

  4. 4. Entry points

    The gaps and openings rodents use are found and marked.

  5. 5. Exclusion

    Sealing those openings keeps new rodents from following.

  6. 6. Cleanup

    Ask what cleanup of droppings and nesting material the pro recommends.

  7. 7. Monitoring

    Follow-up checks confirm the activity has stopped.

How a call works

What Affects Rodent Control Cost in Riverview?

  • A broken sewer pipe on the lot

    Hillsborough County says it cannot fix problems on private property. Ask which parts of the job the rodent pro covers and whether a broken sewer pipe needs a plumber.

  • Foundation cracks and wall holes

    Patching the foundation cracks and wall holes named in Section 8-115(f) can add time and material to a sealing job. Ask for each opening and the material to be listed in writing.

The provider sets the price after an inspection.

  • Building size, home or commercial
  • Rats or mice, and how widespread
  • Number of entry points and how hard to reach
  • Attic, crawl space or wall access
  • Trapping visits and dead rodent removal
  • Exclusion materials and amount of sealing
  • Droppings, nesting and insulation cleanup

How each part of a job is priced

Common Questions About Riverview Rodent Control

  • Hillsborough County does, because its property maintenance code covers the unincorporated areas under Section 8-105(d). Plant City has its own city code, so the county rules stop at its limits. The rules section above opens with the county's reporting line. Give the address and describe what you have seen.

  • It is possible. Hillsborough County's smoke-testing page names broken building sewers as a potential way in for rodents, and says the county cannot fix problems on private property. If you suspect a break on your side, a plumber can find and repair it. Ask the rodent pro to seal any other gaps at the same visit.

  • No. Hillsborough County's page says the test smoke is not a rodent treatment; it helps show where building sewers are broken. It also says smoke rising outside from roof vents, foundations, manhole covers and yard cleanouts is normal. If you saw or smelled smoke inside the house, the county says to tell the work crew right away. Droppings or gnaw marks call for a separate rodent inspection.

  • It covers the same ground, plus the underside. Ask the pro to look beneath the home, where pipes and wires come up, and around any skirting, as well as at the walls, doors and roofline. Keep stored items and debris from piling up underneath, since clutter gives rodents cover.

  • Partly. Mice fit through smaller gaps than rats, so sealing for mice has to be tighter and lower down, around doors, pipes and wires. Roof rats often come in higher up, along limbs and rooflines. Ask the pro which one they found, and how that changes the traps and the sealing list.

Nearby City Guides

Free Riverview Rodent Inspection

What happens next

  1. Call and describe what you have seen and where.
  2. A trusted local pro can set up an inspection and confirm whether you have rats or mice.
  3. Ask them to explain trapping, removal and sealing, and what the work involves, before any work starts.
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Sources

  1. Code of Ordinances, Part A, Chapter 8, Article IV: Property Maintenance Code (Secs. 8-105 to 8-118). Hillsborough County, Florida (Municode Library). Retrieved 2026-09-26.
  2. Smoke Testing. Hillsborough County, FL. Retrieved 2026-09-26.
  3. Renters and Landlords Rights & Responsibilities. Hillsborough County, FL. Retrieved 2026-09-26.
  4. The 2026 Florida Statutes, Section 83.51: Landlord's obligation to maintain premises. Online Sunshine, Florida Legislature. Retrieved 2026-09-26.
  5. B25034: Year Structure Built - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-26.
  6. B25024: Units in Structure - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-26.
  7. B25034: Year Structure Built - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Hillsborough County). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-26.
  8. B25024: Units in Structure - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Hillsborough County). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-26.
  9. B25003: Tenure - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Hillsborough County). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-26.
  10. IN1392/IN1397: Landscaping Methods to Prevent Pests from Entering Your Home. UF/IFAS Extension, Ask IFAS. Retrieved 2026-09-26.
  11. B25003: Tenure - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-26.

Related guides

Editorial policy · How it works · Florida guide

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