Miami-Dade local guide

Miami-Dade Trash and Property Rules That Affect Rats

Updated November 4, 2026

Grass over 12 inches, junk in the yard, open vacant buildings and garbage on the ground are all code issues in Miami-Dade. Here's what the rules say and how they tie to rats.

Rats need food, water and cover. Miami-Dade's property rules go after two of the three. Chapter 19 of the county code limits grass and weeds to 12 inches in residential districts and bans piles of junk and open-air storage. Chapter 17 requires owners to supply enough garbage facilities and tenants to dispose of garbage properly. Chapter 17A requires vacant buildings to have rodent-proof doors and windows.

These county rules apply in unincorporated Miami-Dade, and cities enforce their own versions inside their limits. Here's what each rule says, how it connects to rats, and what you can do on your own property whether or not a rule requires it.

Grass, weeds and overgrowth (Chapter 19)

Owners of lots in residential zoned districts must maintain their property so grass, weeds and undergrowth don't grow past 12 inches from the ground, or cover more than 10 percent of the area to be maintained. Owners next to a county right-of-way also maintain the swale in front.

Tall growth is cover. Rats move along fence lines and through weedy lots where they can't be seen, and an overgrown lot next door gives them a place to live between meals in your yard. Keep your own lot mowed and the edges along fences clear, and report a neighboring lot through 311 if it stays overgrown.

Junk, trash and open-air storage (Chapter 19)

Chapter 19 also requires owners to prevent piles of litter, junk, trash, solid waste and abandoned property. The county's list of things you can't keep in open-air storage includes:

• Junk, trash and abandoned property, including vehicles, trailers, boats and appliances
• Merchandise and manufacturing materials
• Commercial equipment and machinery
• Motor vehicle parts like engines, tires and transmissions
• Household furniture such as sofas and mattresses
• Construction materials and equipment

How Chapter 19 is enforced

Enforcement starts with a courtesy warning notice. Both tenants and owners can get notices, but the owner is responsible for compliance. If the problem isn't fixed, the county issues a ticket under Chapter 8CC. The county lists property maintenance tickets at $260 for a first offense, $510 for a second and $1,010 for later ones, and open-air storage tickets at $110, $210 and $410. For some violations, the county can make the correction at the owner's expense, and unpaid fines or costs can become a lien on the property.

Garbage facilities and disposal (Chapter 17)

The county's minimum housing code puts garbage on both sides of a rental. Owners must provide sufficient garbage and trash facilities. Tenants must dispose of garbage and trash properly. Florida Statute 83.51 says much the same for most rentals other than single-family homes and duplexes: the landlord must make reasonable provisions for garbage removal and outside receptacles.

For rats, the details matter more than the rule. Keep cart lids closed. Don't leave bags next to the cart, even for a night. Rinse carts that smell, and don't overfill them so the lid sits open. Put trash out close to pickup time instead of the night before.

Food waste on the ground

Miami-Dade's environmental complaints page lists food-waste garbage on pavement or ground, not in a proper receptacle, as a DERM matter. So are dead animals on private property. DERM's complaint line is 305-372-6955, and it also takes complaints by email and online. Illegal dumping of other solid waste goes to 311.

The Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade also investigates sanitary nuisances under Florida Statute 386.041, which include untreated or improperly treated garbage and conditions that can breed flies, mosquitoes or other pests.

Vacant and abandoned buildings (Chapter 17A)

An empty house with a broken window is an invitation. Chapter 17A says vacant structures in unincorporated Miami-Dade must be secure at all times, and that windows and exterior doors must be weather-tight and rodent-proof. Roofs, walls and foundations must be sound, utilities safe or disconnected, and pools fenced or filled with sand. Concrete blocks and storm shutters can't be used to secure a building for more than 180 days unless extended under the Florida Building Code. The owner pays the county's enforcement costs. Report an open vacant building through 311.

Restaurants and commercial property

Florida's food safety rules add a line of their own: rule 61C-4.010 says public food service establishments and all property used in their operations must be kept free of litter. Dumpster pads, grease bins and back doors are where most commercial rat problems start. See restaurant rodent violations and restaurant and commercial rodent control.

Habits that keep rats off your property

Not every rat magnet is a code violation. These are practical steps, not legal requirements, and they make the biggest difference in a Miami yard:

• Pick up fallen mangos, avocados and citrus every day while trees are producing
• Fill bird feeders with only what birds finish in a day, and sweep up spilled seed
• Bring pet food and water bowls inside at night
• Use a closed compost bin, away from the house, and keep meat and fish scraps out of it
• Store firewood, pavers and lumber off the ground and away from walls
• Trim palms so they don't carry a skirt of dead fronds, and keep limbs off the roof

Cities have their own rules

Inside the City of Miami, the Office of Code Compliance handles overgrown lots and other property complaints, reachable through 311 or (305) 416-2087. Miami Beach, Hialeah, Coral Gables, Doral and the county's other municipalities each enforce their own codes. The rules are often similar to the county's, but the numbers and procedures can differ, so check with the city before you cite a specific limit.

Swales and the right-of-way

Owners of property next to a county right-of-way must maintain the swale in front: keeping vegetation thick enough to filter runoff and stop erosion, replacing it where soil is bare, and keeping the swale at the right elevation. Junk and debris left on the swale are as much a rat draw as junk in the yard. Objects placed on the right-of-way are also on the county's list of neighborhood compliance topics.

Dealing with a problem neighbor

Start with a conversation. Many people don't know their palm or fruit tree is feeding rats for the whole block. If that doesn't work, report the specific condition, such as overgrown grass, junk, an open vacant building or garbage on the ground, to the right office. Give your name so the complaint is investigated. Keep photos with dates. Then close up your own house, since enforcement takes time and rats already in your attic won't leave because a neighbor got a notice. See the reporting guide and rat control.

Related services: Rats in Palms, Fruit Trees and Yards, Rat Control, Restaurant and Commercial Rodent Control