Bedbug Statutes

Alabama

Insured/Premises owner or pest control company must visually inspect for bedbugs within five (5) days of a tenant’s report of alleged bedbugs. Within ten (10) days of finding evidence of bedbugs, the owner will start the eradication process. Hotels are to be kept in such a condition as to prohibit the infestation or feeding of rodents and insects, which include bedbugs.

 

Alaska

No information.

 

Arizona

Insured/Premises owner will provide bedbug educational materials to a tenant. The owner may not knowingly rent a unit that has a bedbug infestation, and the tenant cannot knowingly bring items into a unit infested with bedbugs. Any place that has sleeping accommodations offered to the public will be declared a public nuisance which is dangerous to the public health if the presence of bedbugs is found. Otherwise, Arizona prohibits bedbug control requirements.

 

Arkansas

No information.

 

California

Insured/Premises owner may not rent, show, or lease a property with bedbugs or that is being treated for bedbugs; the owner must provide the tenant the pest control operator’s findings within two (2) business days. The owner must also provide information about bedbugs to tenants as specified in the law.

 

Colorado

Within ninety-six (96) hours after receiving notice of the possibility of bedbugs, an insured/premises owner must obtain an inspection of the unit by a qualified inspector. The owner may enter any contiguous unit for an inspection. If the inspection confirms the presence of bedbugs, the owner will inspect all contiguous units as promptly as is reasonably possible.

 

Connecticut

The tenant must promptly notify the insured/premises owner verbally or in writing when the tenant knows or reasonably suspects that the dwelling unit is infested with bedbugs. Within five (5) business days after receiving the notice, the owner must have an inspection by a qualified inspector of the dwelling unit and any contiguous unit of which the landlord is an owner, lessor or sublessor. The owner may enter the dwelling unit or contiguous unit for the purpose of conducting the inspection. If the owner conducts an inspection himself/herself, s/he must provide the tenant within two (2) days a written notice indicating if the unit is infested with bedbugs and information on how to contact the local health department. Owner may not rent a property with bedbugs or that is being treated for bedbugs; the owner must notify the tenant or prospective tenant the last date the property was inspected for bedbugs. This code also outlines the tenant’s duties, which are not discussed here.

 

Delaware

No information.

 

District of Columbia

Within three (3) days of beginning an inspection, the insured/premises owner must retain services from a license pest control professional to begin reasonable measures to effectively treat for the presence of bedbugs. Treatment will be to the dwelling unit and the contiguous units. The owner is responsible for all costs.

 

Florida

Landlords must enact reasonable steps to exterminate bedbugs.

 

Georgia

Effective measures to eliminate the presence of rodents, flies, roaches, bedbugs, and other insects must be taken (GA. Rules of Department of Public Health 511-6-2-.13, Tourist Accommodations - Insect and Rodent Control).

 

Hawaii

No law in Hawaii that apply to tenants; the bedbug laws only apply to hotels.

 

Idaho

No information.

 

Illinois

There does not appear to be a state law concerning bedbugs. Cook County, where Chicago is located, discusses “bed bugs” (sic) in Cook County Code of Ordinances §42-110. There is the Railroad Sanitation Act which states that the owner or operator of a railroad must keep the railroad cars in a clean and sanitary conditions and is free from cockroaches, body lice, bedbugs, and other vermin (610 ILL. COMP. STAT. 85/1 to 85/4, Railroad Sanitation Act).

 

Indiana

Insured/Premises owner is responsible for a dwelling to be clean, safe and in a livable condition. If the bedbug infestation is due to the owner’s negligence, then he must pay for the cost of the extermination.

 

Iowa

Insured/Premises owner must commence pest control measures within fourteen (14) days of a confirmation of bedbugs. Control of the pest is considered complete when there is no evidence of bedbug activity in the unit for fifty (50) days after the last application of treatment. The Iowa Admin. Code § 138.13 states in migrant labor camps successful measures should be taken to control bedbugs within the camp.

 

Kansas

Bedbugs are classified as an imminent health hazard. Insured/Premises owners are required to cease operations in the units affected by bedbugs and to notify the Secretary of Agriculture within 12 hours of discovery. Guest rooms which have bedbugs may not be rented and also must be reported to the authorities within one business day. All infestations will be treated by a licensed pest control operator.

 

Kentucky

No information.

 

Louisiana

No information.

 

Maine

Insured/Premises owner must perform a visual inspection of a unit within five (5) days of receiving notice of a bedbug infestation. Within ten (10) days, the owner must contact a pest control agent. Owner may not rent a property with bedbugs or that is being treated for bedbugs; the owner must notify the tenant or prospective tenant the last date the property was inspected for bedbugs. This code also outlines the tenant’s duties, which are not discussed here.

 

Maryland

No information.

 

Massachusetts

Insured/Premises owner must perform a visual inspection of a unit within five (5) days of receiving notice of a bedbug infestation. If the owner sees the presence or evidence of bedbugs, the owner will begin an extermination protocol. Within ten (10) business days, a certified applicator must be retained to inspect the unit. If the certified application observes bedbugs or the evidence of bedbugs, the owner must enact treatment and extermination services as outline by the certified applicator.

 

Michigan

County infirmaries are required to enact preventative and treatment procedures to eradicate bedbug infestations.

 

Minnesota

Buildings should be constructed or equipped to prevent the infestation of bedbugs, other insects, and vermin. A licensed pest control operator will be retained for the cleaning, renovation, or fumigation of such pests.

 

Mississippi

No information.

 

Missouri

No information.

 

Montana

No information.

 

Nebraska

Legislative Bill 553 is pending as of August 2021. Insured/Premises owners may treat their land for insects and pests which create health issues for humans such as bedbugs and flees. The owner must show a practical and risk knowledge of the outdoor application and handling of the pest control due to the possibility of it being carried off-sit by drift or runoff. For a facility which cares for the developmentally disabled, the unit will be equipped to prevent the entrance, infestation, or breeding of flies, roaches, bedbugs, rats, mice, and all other insects and vermin. Eradication must be by a license pest control operator for the elimination of the pests.

 

Nevada

Insured/Premises owner must fumigate, disinfect, and renovate a hotel room which is infested with bedbugs until the bedbugs are completely eradicated. For labor camps, effective measures must be taken to control rats, flies, mosquitoes, bedbugs, and other insects within the camp premises.

 

New Hampshire

Insured/Premises owner are allowed to investigate tenant reports of bedbugs by entering the premises to inspect it for bedbugs. The owner cannot rent the premises if it is infested by bedbugs, if the owner is not conducting a periodic inspection, and if the owner does not engage an eradication program.

 

New Jersey

Insured/Premises owner of dwellings with two or more residences (regardless of occupancy) is responsible for the extermination of insects, rodents, vermin, or other pests on the premises. The trigger for the insured is a letter from the tenant stating there is an infestation and requesting extermination. The building owner must treat a total of nine (9) units if there is an infestation of bedbugs. These units are:

• Two units on either side of the affected unit

• The units directly above and below the affective unit

• The unites on either side of the units above and below the affected unit.

 

The extermination service must be completed by a certified exterminator for bedbugs as many times as necessary to completely eradicate the reported bedbug problem. If the problem is eradicated, the building owner is not responsible to provide treatments if a new bedbug problem originates from the same tenant during the remainder of the current calendar year.

 

New Mexico

No information.

 

New York

Insureds/Premises owners will provide a notice which describes the property’s bedbug infestation for the previous year concerning the premises and building of the premises rented by the tenant. The owner will make an annual report to the state that includes the street address, number of dwelling units, number of units that had bedbug infestations, number of units where eradication measures were taken, and number of units where the infestation continued after eradication methods were employed.

 

North Carolina

No information.

 

North Dakota

No information.

 

Ohio

Insureds/Premises owners are required to comply with all applicable building, housing, health, and safety codes.

 

Oklahoma

No information.

 

Oregon

Reporting the location and giving detailed facts regarding the infestation of bedbugs to an agency is confidential information.

 

Pennsylvania

No information.

 

Rhode Island

Senate Bill 702 is pending for further study as of August 2021.

 

South Carolina

No information.

 

South Dakota

No information.

 

Tennessee

No information.

 

Texas

Bedbugs are considered to be a public health nuisance. The insured must take action to reduce the nuisance once known.

 

Utah

No information.

 

Vermont

No information.

 

Virginia

No information.

 

Washington

No information.

 

West Virginia

Hotel operators must fumigate, disinfect, and renovate any room infected with bedbugs until bedbugs are eradicated.

 

Wisconsin

Eradication using all means necessary of bedbugs and other household pests; extreme care shall be used to prevent accidental poisoning of people and domestic animals.

 

Wyoming

No information.