Is a newly built Frederick rental part of the City's inspection sampling?

Not at first. Section 12.5-76(a) leaves out new units whose certificate of occupancy is recent, and the rental section above gives the cut-off. The owner's duty for rodent control under Section 12.5-91(d) applies either way.

What does Frederick's new rodent ordinance ask of property owners?

Ordinance G-26-6 makes owners responsible for rodent control on their premises, and has them keep areas they control, including landings and adjoining common areas, free of conditions that could lead to infestation. After a written City notice of an infestation, the owner must start remediation right away, with inspection and treatment by a pest control applicator certified by the Maryland Department of Agriculture, then file proof with the City. The duties table above lists each section.

Do I have to remove a tree stump that rats are living in?

In Frederick, yes. Section 302.4.1, which the City added to its property maintenance code, says a stump infested with rodents or other vermin must be removed without delay. Line up the stump removal with the rat treatment, so any burrows around it are dealt with at the same time.

Does Frederick's rodent article cover a demolition or grading site next to my home?

Yes, through the permit. Section 12.5-94 has the applicant for a grading or demolition permit submit a rodent control management plan, and has the owner eliminate rodent harborage when the work ends. If rats show up around your home while work is under way, report them on the City's rodent form.

MD Rodent Control

Rodent Exterminators in Frederick, MD

Frederick's City Code gained its own rodent article in August 2026. It makes owners responsible for rodent control on their premises and, once the City gives written notice of an infestation, calls for inspection and treatment by a certified pest control applicator. Here is what the article asks, and how a pro handles removal of rats and mice and seals the way in.

Call Now: (888) 733-3114 Get Help

Free inspection · Same-day service in many areas

Statewide rules and background: Maryland rodent guide

What Frederick's new rodent article asks of owners

Inside the City of Frederick, City Code 12.5-91(d) has made the owner responsible for rodent control on the premises since August 11, 2026. Trapping is booked as rat control or mouse control, depending on the animal, and sealing as rodent exclusion.

Every rule on this page is City Code, and Section 12.5-91 covers buildings in the City. The Frederick ZIP codes reach further: the 2020 Census counted 146,454 people in ZIP areas 21701 to 21704 and 78,171 in the City itself, and those ZIP areas also take in communities outside the City, such as Ballenger Creek and Urbana, where the City article does not apply.

What the new City rodent article requires

Duties under Article VI, Rodent Control

Ordinance G-26-6 added Article VI, Rodent Control, to Chapter 12.5 of the City Code. It passed on August 6, 2026 and took effect when the Mayor approved it on August 11, 2026.

Situation	Who must act	Code section
Situation: The City gives written notice that a rodent infestation exists	Who must act: The property owner starts remediation immediately, including inspection and treatment by a pest control applicator certified by the Maryland Department of Agriculture	Code section: 12.5-92(d)
Situation: A certified applicator has carried out remediation	Who must act: The owner files certification of each inspection and remediation with the Department within seven days of its completion	Code section: 12.5-93
Situation: A vacant building, as Section 12.5-90(h) defines it	Who must act: The owner inspects yearly, has rodent remediation carried out for the building and its lot by a certified applicator, and files the documentation with the code official	Code section: 12.5-92(e)
Situation: Applying for a grading or demolition permit	Who must act: The applicant submits a rodent control management plan with abatement by a certified applicator; the owner keeps its records on site until the work is done, then eliminates all rodent harborage	Code section: 12.5-94
Situation: An assessment after observed or reported widespread infestation, or a Council request, confirms rodents in a residential area	Who must act: The City writes a RAT Plan within ten days and pays for neighborhood pest management, not treating one property on request	Code section: 12.5-95

From about October 5, 2026, 60 days after passage, a violation will be a municipal infraction, with a fine that is higher for a second or later offense within twelve months, and each day will count as a separate offense. The rest of the article has applied since August 11, 2026.

Rentals: the City license and who treats

A license, with random inspections

Since January 1, 2024, renting out a home in Frederick has needed a City license, renewed every two years. The standards a licensed unit must meet include IPMC 309.1 on infestations and 308.1 on rubbish. Each year at least 15% of licensed units are inspected at random, and the Director may also order an inspection where a unit may pose a risk of harm to its tenants.

These inspections check the whole maintenance standard, not rodents alone, and come with at least 72 hours' written notice except as the code provides. Some units sit outside the program, including a lot of up to two units where the owner lives in one, and new units whose certificate of occupancy is no more than eight years old.

Who treats: the rodent article and the IPMC

The City adopted Section 309 of the 2021 IPMC without amending it, and the 2026 article adds the owner duty in Section 12.5-91(d). The article repeals conflicting rules only where they conflict, and the code does not say how the two fit together. The two rows below set them side by side.

Situation	Who must act	Code section
Situation: Rodent control on any premises in the City	Who must act: The owner, who also keeps areas under the owner's control, including landings and adjoining common areas, free of refuse and of conditions that could lead to infestation	Code section: 12.5-91(d)
Situation: A one-family dwelling, or a single-tenant nonresidential structure	Who must act: The occupant handles the premises	Code section: 309.3

Section 309 also has its own rules for renting, shared areas and structural defects. With both on the books, ask Code Enforcement at 301-600-3825 how they apply to your home or unit before assuming either one settles it.

Stumps, trash cans and the rodent report form

Remove an infested stump: Frederick added Section 302.4.1 to its property maintenance code: a tree stump that becomes diseased or infested with insects, rodents or other vermin must be removed without delay, as must a dead or diseased tree, limb or shrub.
Keep cans whole and closed: Section 10-17(d) has owners keep trash containers clean and free of holes, with trash held so as to prevent animal or insect infestation. Tied bags are allowed on the manual system, but a lidded can is safer.
Use the City's rodent form: Code Enforcement's Report a Rodent Infestation form asks for the location and a description, and lets you add photos. You can also call 301-600-3825, and to stay anonymous, use the general Report a Code Complaint form or the phone.

Which service fits Frederick's rules

Rat Extermination
Rat work under Section 12.5-92(d) can mean eliminating harborage and removing or securing food and water sources as well as trapping. If the City has sent a written notice, the duties table above shows who must do the inspection and treatment.
Mouse Extermination
Buildings of 5 or more units hold about 30.1% of Frederick's housing units. Section 12.5-91(d) has owners keep areas under their control, landings and adjoining common areas included, free of conditions that could lead to infestation, so for house mice in an apartment, ask the manager about the common areas as well as your unit.

Related services

Rodent Exclusion
For closing entry points once the animals are out; ask the pro to show you each gap it sealed.
Rodent Removal
Catching what is already indoors, and the cleanup after it.
Commercial Rodent Control
For builders and owners applying for a grading or demolition permit, which now needs a rodent control management plan under Section 12.5-94.

What Affects Rodent Control Cost in Frederick?

After a City notice
If the City has sent a written notice, ask for a quote that covers the inspection and treatment Section 12.5-92(d) calls for and the paperwork you file with the City afterward.

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

Newer than Hagerstown, more renters than the county

About 33.2% of Frederick's housing units were built in 2000 or later, against 20.9% across Maryland and 16.5% in Hagerstown. About 20.6% were built before 1960, against 48.5% in Hagerstown.

About 30.1% of units are in buildings of 5 or more units, against 14.5% county-wide, and about 41.2% of occupied homes are rented, against 23% county-wide. These Census shares describe the housing, not its condition, and newly built rental units can sit outside the license program for a time, as the rental section explains.

Year built, share of housing units

20.6%
Built before 1960
±1.6 points
14.3%
Built 1960 to 1979
±1.7 points
31.9%
Built 1980 to 1999
±2.2 points
33.2%
Built 2000 or later
±2.1 points

Building type, share of housing units

31.8%
Single-family detached
±1.7 points
30.1%
Buildings of 5+ units
±2.3 points

Common Questions About Frederick Rodent Control

Not at first. Section 12.5-76(a) leaves out new units whose certificate of occupancy is recent, and the rental section above gives the cut-off. The owner's duty for rodent control under Section 12.5-91(d) applies either way.
Ordinance G-26-6 makes owners responsible for rodent control on their premises, and has them keep areas they control, including landings and adjoining common areas, free of conditions that could lead to infestation. After a written City notice of an infestation, the owner must start remediation right away, with inspection and treatment by a pest control applicator certified by the Maryland Department of Agriculture, then file proof with the City. The duties table above lists each section.
In Frederick, yes. Section 302.4.1, which the City added to its property maintenance code, says a stump infested with rodents or other vermin must be removed without delay. Line up the stump removal with the rat treatment, so any burrows around it are dealt with at the same time.
Yes, through the permit. Section 12.5-94 has the applicant for a grading or demolition permit submit a rodent control management plan, and has the owner eliminate rodent harborage when the work ends. If rats show up around your home while work is under way, report them on the City's rodent form.

Nearby City Guides

Free Frederick Rodent Inspection

What happens next

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

(888) 733-3114

Call Now Get Help

Free Inspection · Same-Day Service in Many Areas

Get help from a rodent exterminator near you.

Sources

Ordinance No. G-26-6, An ordinance concerning rodent control and abatement (signed; passed August 6, 2026, approved August 11, 2026). The City of Frederick, Maryland, City Council. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
Pending and Recently Adopted Legislation (lists Ordinance G-26-6 Concerning Rodent Control, Approved August 6, 2026). The City of Frederick, Maryland. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
2020 ZCTA to Place Relationship File. U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
P1: Total Population (2020 DHC), ZCTA5 21701 to 21705. U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
P1: Total Population (2020 DHC), Frederick city, Maryland. U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
Chapter 12.5, Article V Residential Rental Licensing and Affordable Housing Conservation (12.5-71 to 12.5-88). City of Frederick, Maryland (via Municode Library; Supp. No. 112, codified through Ord. No. G-26-1). Retrieved 2026-09-27.
Rental Licensing Ordinance. The City of Frederick, Maryland. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
Reporting Issues and Code Enforcement. The City of Frederick, Maryland. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
2021 International Property Maintenance Code, Chapter 3 General Requirements. International Code Council. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
Chapter 12.5 Real Property: Maintenance and Sale, Article I Property Maintenance (12.5-1, 12.5-1.2). City of Frederick, Maryland (via Municode Library; Supp. No. 112, codified through Ord. No. G-26-1). Retrieved 2026-09-27.
Code Enforcement. The City of Frederick, Maryland. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
Report a Rodent Infestation (Code Enforcement form). The City of Frederick, Maryland. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
Frederick weighs sweeping rodent-control ordinance; council member calls it a 'crisis' (July 14, 2026). The Frederick News-Post (syndicated on Yahoo News). Retrieved 2026-09-27.
Chapter 10 Solid Waste Management (10-1 to 10-22). City of Frederick, Maryland (via Municode Library; Supp. No. 112, codified through Ord. No. G-26-1). Retrieved 2026-09-27.
B25024: Units in Structure, 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Frederick city). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
B25034: Year Structure Built, 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Frederick city). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
B25034: Year Structure Built, 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Maryland). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
B25034: Year Structure Built, 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Hagerstown city). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
B25024: Units in Structure, 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Frederick County). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
B25003: Tenure, 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Frederick city). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
B25003: Tenure, 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Frederick County). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.