Skip to content
Call (888) 733-3114
Call Now
RODENTEXTERMINATOR.com

VA Rodent Control

Rodent Exterminator in Charlottesville, VA

Charlottesville's Property Maintenance brochure tells residents that brush piles and stagnant water can be breeding grounds for rats and must be eliminated. Those outdoor rules do not reach rats or mice already in a house or apartment; for that, book removal and ask for sealing of every gap the inspection turns up. The city rules on yards, brush and trash follow below.

Call Now: (888) 733-3114

Free inspection  ·  Same-day service in many areas

Statewide rules and background: Virginia rodent guide

City rules apply inside the city limits

Crozet and Pantops sit in Albemarle County in Census records, but Charlottesville, VA belongs to no county: the Census counts Charlottesville city as its own county-equivalent, an independent city. So the City Code covers only addresses inside city limits. Its closest rule to a rodent problem is Section 5-148, which makes piled garbage, refuse and stagnant water on private property a public nuisance. That rule is aimed at the yard; inside, the animals themselves call for rat control or mouse control, and rodent exclusion closes the openings they came through.

What the City Code asks of the lot and the can

Who must act under the city's code

None of these sections names rats, but each one covers the food, water or cover that draws them. Neighborhood Development Services enforces the nuisance sections, and under Section 5-27 the city also enforces the maintenance part of the statewide building code.

Situation: Garbage, refuse, vegetable matter or stagnant water piles up on private propertyWho must act: The owner, a word that includes the tenant, has ten days after the city's notice; then the city may clear it and bill the ownerCode section: 5-148
Situation: Kitchen or other damp garbage set out for city collectionWho must act: Whoever sets it out drains it into a closed, nonleaking container with a tight-fitting cover, or a securely tied plastic bag; paper bags are not approvedCode section: 26-27
Situation: Curbside trash outside the Uptown and Downtown collection areasWho must act: Out no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the day before and no later than 7:00 a.m.; emptied containers back behind the setback line no later than 12 hours after pickupCode section: 26-30
Situation: A rental property on city curbside serviceWho must act: Both the owner and the tenants must follow the curbside refuse rulesCode section: 26-68
Situation: Weeds, grass or brush on a developed lotWho must act: The owner or occupant keeps it below 18 inchesCode section: 5-149

To report a property, call Neighborhood Development Services at 434-970-3182 or use the city's online form. The city says it may take several weeks from a report before a violation is actually corrected, because owners get notice and time to fix it. Read the table as a short guide to city rules, not legal advice.

Brush, firewood and the sticker on the can

City trash service runs on stickers and decals: a trash container or bag without one is not collected. The Uptown area gets daily pickup, Downtown twice daily, and every other route once a week on an assigned day.

  • Brush piles and standing water: The city's Property Maintenance brochure says brush piles and stagnant water can be breeding grounds for rats and must be eliminated.
  • Tree limbs go out as large items: Curbside customers can book the city's Large Item Pickup for tree limbs and other bulky items by calling 434-970-3830. The code limits how long and how thick brush can be, so cut it down first.
  • Firewood on a rack: Virginia Tech's school pest management guide says the house mouse, when living outdoors, prefers covered spots such as wood piles, rock piles and leaf litter. Keep firewood on a rack away from the siding.
  • Tied bags, set out on the day: The city's solid waste guidelines recommend tying off each bag securely, keeping pets from running loose and setting trash out only on collection day, by 7:00 a.m., because wind and pets scatter it.

Older homes and more renters than the county

Census estimates put 38.8% of Charlottesville's homes as built before 1960, compared with 10.0% in Albemarle County and 19.2% across Virginia, and the city's median build year is 1968. Only 47.0% of homes are single-family detached houses, while 29.0% are in buildings of 5 or more units.

Renting is the norm here: 55.8% of occupied homes in the city are rented, compared with 34.1% in Albemarle County. The city's Property Maintenance brochure puts holes in exterior surfaces and rotting wood on the landlord's list, and Sections 26-68 and 26-80 bind tenants to the trash rules too.

Year built, share of housing units

  • 38.8%

    Built before 1960

    ±2.8 points

  • 25.2%

    Built 1960 to 1979

    ±2.4 points

  • 14.3%

    Built 1980 to 1999

    ±1.9 points

  • 21.7%

    Built 2000 or later

    ±2.3 points

Building type, share of housing units

  • 47.0%

    Single-family detached

    ±2.2 points

  • 29.0%

    Buildings of 5+ units

    ±2.8 points

Openings to check in an older house or small building

With 38.8% of the city's homes built before 1960 and 14.7% in buildings of 2 to 4 units, these are the spots to ask about in an older house or a small shared building.

  1. Rotted sills and exterior holes

    Point out soft sills, loose trim and any hole in an outside wall. In a rental, the city's Property Maintenance brochure lists rotting wood and holes in exterior surfaces on the landlord's side, so report them in writing.

  2. Basement floor drains

    Ask whether each basement floor drain has a firm, perforated cap, and whether any old drain or cleanout without a cover is still open.

  3. Shared basement in a duplex

    In a duplex or other small shared building, ask the owner whether the inspection covers the shared basement and the space between units, not only your rooms.

  4. Window air conditioners

    Check the frame and side panels of each window or wall air conditioner for gaps, and whether the foam or filler has shrunk since it went in.

  5. Porch and stoop voids

    Look under porches, stoops and steps for burrows or a hollow space that runs back toward the foundation.

Rodent exclusion · Guide to rodent entry points in a house

Sealing first, and closed bins for kitchens

  • Rodent Exclusion

    Homes built before 1960 make up 38.8% of the city's stock. On a house that old, get the sealing plan in writing, one opening per line. In a rental, pass that list to the landlord, since the city's Property Maintenance brochure puts holes in exterior surfaces on the landlord's side.

  • Commercial Rodent Control

    In the Downtown trash area, City Code Section 26-30 requires restaurants to use only closed, non-leaking containers with tops, marked with their name and address. The Blue Ridge Health District permits and inspects restaurants in the city. A commercial plan should cover the bin area as well as the kitchen.

Related services

  • Rat Extermination

    For rats around the brush piles that the Property Maintenance brochure says can be breeding grounds for them.

  • Mouse Extermination

    For the house mouse, which Virginia Tech's guide says favors wood piles, rock piles and leaf litter when living outdoors.

  • Rodent Removal

    For trapping out what is inside, then a follow-up visit.

  • Attic Rodent Removal

    Virginia Cooperative Extension calls the roof rat much less common than the Norway rat in the state; in a building it tends to use the upper floors.

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 Charlottesville?

  • Openings on an older house

    On an older house, ask for a written list of openings with the repair planned for each, so you can decide what gets done now and what can wait.

  • Rental or owner-occupied

    In a rental, find out first whether the landlord is arranging the work; the city's Property Maintenance brochure lists holes in exterior surfaces on the landlord's side.

  • Brush cleared before the visit

    Call 434-970-3830 to book the city's Large Item Pickup for tree limbs before the visit, so the quote covers only work you cannot do yourself.

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 Charlottesville Rodent Control

  • Keep firewood on a rack, off the ground and away from the siding, and bring in only what you will burn soon. Cut brush and fallen limbs down and get them off the lot rather than leaving a pile by the back fence. A covered pile that nobody moves gives mice and rats a place to nest close to the walls.

  • Yes, if your address gets City-operated curbside trash and recycling. The Large Item Pickup takes tree limbs, large furniture and appliances for a fee: you pay first, then call 434-970-3830 for a date. City Code limits how long and how thick brush can be, so cut limbs down before you book.

  • It needs a slower one. Older houses tend to have more places where wood has softened, trim has pulled away, or a basement drain or old opening was never closed. Ask the inspector to walk the whole foundation line and the basement, look under porches, and list each opening in writing before any sealing starts.

  • The city's Property Maintenance brochure asks tenants to clear open garbage, food waste, stagnant water and brush piles, and puts rotting wood and holes in interior and exterior surfaces on the landlord's list. City Code Section 5-148 also counts a tenant as an owner when trash piles up on the lot. Check your lease for who arranges pest work, and report holes to the landlord in writing.

  • For a yard, lot or building in the city, call Neighborhood Development Services at 434-970-3182 or use its online form; its inspectors enforce the City Code and the Virginia Maintenance Code. The Blue Ridge Health District inspects restaurants and takes pest complaints about hotels, bed and breakfasts and overnight camps. City rules cover addresses inside city limits; Albemarle County is a separate jurisdiction.

  • NOAA normals for the Charlottesville Albemarle Airport weather station put the coldest average lows in the months from November through March. Seal openings in early fall, before November, and set traps at the first droppings you find rather than waiting for spring.

Free Charlottesville Rodent Inspection

List the rooms where droppings or chewed wood turned up, whether you rent or own, and whether brush or firewood sits against the house, so the inspection can start at the likeliest spots.

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.
(888) 733-3114
Call Now

Free Inspection  ·  Same-Day Service in Many Areas

Or find a local rodent exterminator by phone.

Sources

  1. Property Maintenance: Responsibilities as a tenant and as a landlord (rev. April 22, 2011). City of Charlottesville, Virginia, Neighborhood Development Services. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  2. 2020 Census Place Codes: Virginia (st51_va_place2020.txt). U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  3. Chapter 5, Article V, Sec. 5-148. Unlawful accumulations of garbage, refuse, etc. City of Charlottesville, Virginia, Code of Ordinances (Municode Library); text read through the Municode API (client 1604, product 12078, job 487467, Supp. No. 63, codified through Ord. No. O-26-036, adopted March 16, 2026). Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  4. Chapter 5, Article II, Sec. 5-27. Local election. City of Charlottesville, Virginia, Code of Ordinances (Municode Library); text read through the Municode API (client 1604, product 12078, job 487467, Supp. No. 63, codified through Ord. No. O-26-036, adopted March 16, 2026). Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  5. Chapter 5, Article II, Sec. 5-26. Building Code adopted. City of Charlottesville, Virginia, Code of Ordinances (Municode Library); text read through the Municode API (client 1604, product 12078, job 487467, Supp. No. 63, codified through Ord. No. O-26-036, adopted March 16, 2026). Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  6. Chapter 5, Article I, Sec. 5-1. Violations of chapter. City of Charlottesville, Virginia, Code of Ordinances (Municode Library); text read through the Municode API (client 1604, product 12078, job 487467, Supp. No. 63, codified through Ord. No. O-26-036, adopted March 16, 2026). Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  7. Chapter 26, Article II, Sec. 26-27. General container requirements. City of Charlottesville, Virginia, Code of Ordinances (Municode Library); text read through the Municode API (client 1604, product 12078, job 487467, Supp. No. 63, codified through Ord. No. O-26-036, adopted March 16, 2026). Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  8. Chapter 26, Article II, Sec. 26-30. Placement of containers and bundles for collection. City of Charlottesville, Virginia, Code of Ordinances (Municode Library); text read through the Municode API (client 1604, product 12078, job 487467, Supp. No. 63, codified through Ord. No. O-26-036, adopted March 16, 2026). Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  9. Chapter 26, Article IV, Sec. 26-68. Landlord and tenant responsibility. City of Charlottesville, Virginia, Code of Ordinances (Municode Library); text read through the Municode API (client 1604, product 12078, job 487467, Supp. No. 63, codified through Ord. No. O-26-036, adopted March 16, 2026). Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  10. Chapter 26, Article V, Sec. 26-80. Landlord and tenant responsibility. City of Charlottesville, Virginia, Code of Ordinances (Municode Library); text read through the Municode API (client 1604, product 12078, job 487467, Supp. No. 63, codified through Ord. No. O-26-036, adopted March 16, 2026). Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  11. Chapter 26, Article I, Sec. 26-2. Violations of chapter. City of Charlottesville, Virginia, Code of Ordinances (Municode Library); text read through the Municode API (client 1604, product 12078, job 487467, Supp. No. 63, codified through Ord. No. O-26-036, adopted March 16, 2026). Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  12. Chapter 5, Article V, Sec. 5-149. Unlawful growth of weeds and other vegetation. City of Charlottesville, Virginia, Code of Ordinances (Municode Library); text read through the Municode API (client 1604, product 12078, job 487467, Supp. No. 63, codified through Ord. No. O-26-036, adopted March 16, 2026). Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  13. Property Maintenance. City of Charlottesville, Virginia, Neighborhood Development Services. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  14. Trash. City of Charlottesville, Virginia, Public Works. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  15. Large Item Pickup. City of Charlottesville, Virginia, Public Works. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  16. Chapter 26, Article V, Sec. 26-77. Conditions of service. City of Charlottesville, Virginia, Code of Ordinances (Municode Library); text read through the Municode API (client 1604, product 12078, job 487467, Supp. No. 63, codified through Ord. No. O-26-036, adopted March 16, 2026). Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  17. Schools Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for Rats and Mice. Virginia Tech Department of Entomology, School IPM program (Virginia Cooperative Extension site). Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  18. Solid Waste Management Program: Trash Disposal and Recycling Guidelines (rev. 11/2020). City of Charlottesville, Virginia, Public Works. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  19. B25034: Year Structure Built - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Charlottesville city). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  20. B25035: Median Year Structure Built - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Charlottesville city). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  21. B25024: Units in Structure - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Charlottesville city). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  22. B25034: Year Structure Built - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Albemarle County). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  23. B25034: Year Structure Built - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Virginia). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  24. B25003: Tenure - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Charlottesville city). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  25. B25003: Tenure - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Albemarle County). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  26. Environmental Health - Blue Ridge. Virginia Department of Health, Blue Ridge Health District. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  27. Virginia Master Naturalist, Basic Training Course, Mammals in Virginia (465-314, CNRE-176P). Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  28. U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020: Monthly Normals, Station USW00093736 CHARLOTTESVILLE AP, VA US. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). Retrieved 2026-09-28.

Related guides

Editorial policy · How it works · Virginia guide

Call Now(888) 733-3114