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VA Rodent Control

Rodent Control in Henrico, VA

In Henrico County, anyone who removes a building's ratproofing or makes a new opening, from a plumber to a utility crew, must restore it or seal the opening against rats: Section 10-168 of the county code says so. For rats around the bins or mice in the kitchen, the work here is removal of what is inside, then sealing every gap, including any a repair left open.

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Statewide rules and background: Virginia rodent guide

A county rat law that counts mice as rats

Henrico County, VA has its own rat ordinance, Sections 10-164 to 10-171 of the county code, and its definitions say plainly that rat includes mice. Every owner or occupant must keep the building and premises ratproofed, free of rats and free of rat harborage. What keeps a house or apartment clear, once rat control or mouse control has removed the animals inside, is rodent exclusion: sealing the gaps they use.

Henrico also runs its own curbside trash service through the Department of Public Utilities in most areas, expanding in phases in 2026 and 2027, with private companies collecting elsewhere.

What the rat article asks, and what follows

Owner, occupant and contractor duties

Henrico's rat article adds to the county's litter, weed and garbage rules rather than replacing them (Section 10-164). Section 10-165 defines rat harborage as any condition that gives rats shelter, food or protection in, under or outside a building, and counts principal occupants as owners.

Situation: Any building and its premises in the county, where the code's word rat includes miceWho must act: Each owner or occupant keeps it ratproofed and free of rats, and gets rid of any rat harborageCode section: 10-167
Situation: Anyone, including a contractor, utility company, plumber or repairman, removes ratproofing or makes a new openingWho must act: They must restore the ratproofing in like condition, and close or seal any new opening against ratsCode section: 10-168
Situation: An inspection finds a violationWho must act: The owner or occupant gets written notice, by hand or by mail to the owner and any different principal occupant, to ratproof and clear harborage within a reasonable time the notice statesCode section: 10-170
Situation: The work is not done within that timeWho must act: The county may have it done, with a warrant if access is refused, and assess the cost against the owner, occupant or other responsible person; it may be collected like taxesCode section: 10-171
Situation: Refusing to act after the county's written notice or orderWho must act: On conviction, a Class 4 misdemeanor for the owner, occupant or other person responsible, with each day a separate offenseCode section: 10-166

To report a property, use the Build Henrico portal at henrico.us/build or call (804) 501-4757, Option 1. The county asks for your name and phone number and says it keeps them confidential, so a report is not anonymous. This table summarizes the code and is not legal advice.

At the curb and in the yard

Henrico's Department of Public Utilities collects household trash in most of the county, and the service is expanding into parts of far western and far eastern Henrico in phases that began in 2026 and continue in 2027. Private companies collect where county service has not reached. County carts go out with the lid closed, and trash left outside the cart is not picked up.

  • Overflow in a covered can: Keep any trash that will not fit in the cart in a covered can until the next collection.
  • Watertight, covered containers: Section 10-100 of the county code says trash and garbage go in watertight containers kept covered until collected or taken to the county landfill. It is a general trash rule and does not mention rodents.
  • Metal cans with lids: Henrico County's rodent brochure advises metal trash cans with lids, because rats can gnaw through plastic ones.
  • Pet food, seed and standing water: The same Henrico County brochure asks residents to pick up pet droppings and pet food, not to put bread or seed on the ground, and to remove standing water.
  • Wood piles off the ground: Keep wood piles raised 12 to 18 inches and away from walls, as the brochure advises.

The county's own list of ways in

Henrico County's rodent brochure lists the ways rats get into buildings, from chimneys, roof and gable vents down to crawl spaces and broken sewer pipes, with overhanging branches, torn screens and rotted wood among them. An inspection should cover each one that applies to your home.

  1. Chimneys, roof and gable vents

    Ask the inspector to check chimney tops, roof vents and gable vents for damaged screens or gaps, and to say how each opening will be covered.

  2. Where lines and pipes enter

    Check the gap around each phone, electric or pipe line, and after plumbing or utility work make sure the opening was closed again, as Section 10-168 expects.

  3. Branches over the roof

    Ask whether cutting back overhanging branches belongs in the plan, and who will do it.

  4. Torn screens and rotted wood

    Note each torn screen and patch of rotted wood for the quote, since repairing them is part of closing up the building.

  5. Crawl spaces and sewer pipes

    If your home has a crawl space, ask for it to be checked, and have a plumber look at any sewer line you suspect is broken.

Rodent exclusion · Guide to rodent entry points in a house

Where sealing and rat control fit in

  • Rodent Exclusion

    Henrico's Section 10-168 says no one, including a contractor, utility company, plumber or repairman, may remove a building's ratproofing without restoring it, or leave a new opening unsealed against rats. After plumbing or utility work, ask the pro to check where lines enter and to list each opening to close, in writing.

  • Rat Extermination

    Henrico's Section 10-165 counts any condition that gives rats food, shelter or protection as rat harborage, and Section 10-167 has the owner or occupant eliminate it. So a rat plan here pairs trapping with the bin and yard steps above. The Norway rat guide helps with identification.

Related services

Housing mix across the county

Next to Chesterfield County, Henrico's housing is older and more of it is apartments. Census estimates put 18.4% of the county's homes as built before 1960, compared with 6.0% in Chesterfield County, and 20.4% in buildings of 5 or more units, compared with 12.1% in Chesterfield County. Against Virginia as a whole, the age of Henrico's housing is about the same.

More households rent here too: 35.5% of occupied homes are rented, compared with 23.3% in Chesterfield County.

Among the county's Census places, the median build year runs from 1954 in Lakeside CDP to 1999 in Short Pump CDP and 2001 in Wyndham CDP. Glen Allen CDP's median is 1993, against 1985 for the county as a whole. These are area estimates, background for an inspection rather than a verdict on any one home.

What Affects Rodent Control Cost in Henrico?

  • How many openings, and how high

    Each opening that turns up, from a crawl space to a gable vent, adds to the sealing work. Ask for the openings to be itemized so you can see what each one costs.

  • House or apartment building

    In an apartment building, check with the manager before you book; the renting question below explains who handles the shared areas.

  • Yard fixes you can do first

    Ask which of the brochure's yard steps you can handle yourself before the visit, such as raising wood piles and picking up pet food, so the quote covers only the work you cannot do.

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 Henrico Rodent Control

  • Yes. Section 10-168 of the county code says no one, including a contractor, utility company, plumber or repairman, may remove ratproofing without restoring it, or leave a new opening unsealed against rats. Ask whoever did the work to close it. If they do not, a rodent exclusion pro can seal it and note what was done.

  • Use the Build Henrico portal or the phone line in the rat-law table above; the county asks for your name and phone number and keeps them confidential. Under Sections 10-169 to 10-171 an inspection can follow, then a written notice with a deadline, then county work whose cost is assessed against the owner, occupant or other responsible person.

  • It depends on the job: how many openings need sealing and how high they sit, whether a crawl space or roof vents are involved, and, in an apartment, whether shared areas are part of it. Ask for a quote that lists each opening and each trapping visit. The cost guide explains the usual price factors.

  • Not on their own. Henrico County's rodent brochure, the source of the yard checklist above, says poisoning and trapping alone cannot control rats; food, water and shelter have to go too. Ask for a plan that pairs trapping with sealing the openings and clearing what feeds them, then a follow-up check that activity has stopped.

  • No. Section 10-167 is a duty owed to the county, and it reaches owners and occupants alike without splitting the work between them. The split comes from Virginia's landlord and tenant law: Va. Code 55.1-1227 for the part of the home you occupy, including telling the landlord promptly, and 55.1-1220 for the landlord, including a multifamily building's shared areas. A written agreement that passes shared-area duties to you counts only if it is made in good faith, is not meant to evade the landlord's obligations, and does not diminish or affect the landlord's obligations to other tenants.

Nearby City Guides

Free Henrico Rodent Inspection

Mention any recent plumbing or utility work on the building, and where you have seen droppings or gnawing, so the inspection can start with the likeliest openings.

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. Chapter 10 - Environment, Article VI. Rats (Sec. 10-168). Henrico County, Virginia, Code of Ordinances of 2026 (Municode Library), Municode API job 493705. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  2. Refuse Collections. Henrico County, Virginia, Department of Public Utilities. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  3. Solid Waste. Henrico County, Virginia, Department of Public Utilities. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  4. Public Use Areas for Disposal. Henrico County, Virginia. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  5. Rodents (brochure). Henrico County, Department of Community Revitalization, Division of Community Maintenance. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  6. File a Zoning or Environmental Complaint. Henrico County, Virginia, Department of Community Revitalization. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  7. Chapter 10 - Environment, Article IV. Trash, Garbage, Refuse, and Litter. Henrico County, Virginia, Code of Ordinances of 2026 (Municode Library), Municode API job 493705. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  8. Virginia Master Naturalist, Basic Training Course, Mammals in Virginia (465-314, CNRE-176P). Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  9. B25034: Year Structure Built - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Henrico County). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  10. B25035: Median Year Structure Built - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Henrico County). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  11. B25034: Year Structure Built - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Chesterfield County). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  12. B25024: Units in Structure - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Henrico County). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  13. B25024: Units in Structure - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Chesterfield County). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  14. B25034: Year Structure Built - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Virginia). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  15. B25003: Tenure - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Henrico County). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  16. B25003: Tenure - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Chesterfield County). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  17. B25035: Median Year Structure Built - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Lakeside CDP). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  18. B25034: Year Structure Built - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Lakeside CDP). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  19. B25024: Units in Structure - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Lakeside CDP). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  20. B25035: Median Year Structure Built - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Short Pump CDP). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  21. B25034: Year Structure Built - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Short Pump CDP). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  22. B25024: Units in Structure - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Short Pump CDP). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  23. B25035: Median Year Structure Built - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Wyndham CDP). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  24. B25034: Year Structure Built - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Wyndham CDP). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  25. B25024: Units in Structure - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Wyndham CDP). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  26. B25035: Median Year Structure Built - 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables (Glen Allen CDP, Virginia). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  27. Code of Virginia 55.1-1227. Maintenance of dwelling unit by tenant. Virginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  28. Code of Virginia 55.1-1220. Landlord to maintain fit premises. Virginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System. Retrieved 2026-09-27.

Related guides

Editorial policy · How it works · Virginia guide

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