Bed Bug Laws for Landlords: Disclosures, Inspections and Treatment
Bed bug rules for rentals in Maine, California, Arizona and New York City: what to disclose before renting, inspection and treatment deadlines, annual filings.
By Seayora Editorial Team · Published · Facts checked · 4 min read
Short answer: Several states and New York City regulate bed bugs in rentals. Maine requires a landlord to inspect within five days of a tenant’s report and to contact a pest control agent within ten days of confirming an infestation, and to disclose infested adjacent units before renting. California requires a written bed bug notice before every new tenancy, Arizona bars leasing a unit known to be infested, and New York City owners file a free annual bed bug report and give the receipt to tenants.
Key takeaways
- Maine: inspect within 5 days of notice, contact a pest control agent within 10 days of confirming an infestation, and disclose infested adjacent units before renting (14 M.R.S. § 6021-A).
- California: a written bed bug notice in at least 10-point type before every new tenancy (Civ. Code § 1954.603).
- Arizona: provide bed bug educational materials, and do not lease a unit known to be infested (A.R.S. § 33-1319).
- New York City: a free annual bed bug report filed with HPD from December 1 to 31, with the receipt given to tenants at each lease and renewal or posted.
- Tenants have duties too: report suspected bed bugs, and in Arizona do not knowingly bring infested items in.
Do landlords have to disclose bed bugs?
In some places, yes, and the rules take three forms: a general notice about bed bugs before a lease, a disclosure of known infestations, and a duty to inspect and treat when a tenant reports them. Many states have no bed bug statute and treat an infestation under the general duty to keep a rental habitable. The places below are among those with specific rules.
| Where | Before renting | After a report | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | Disclose infested or treated adjacent units; never rent a unit known or suspected to be infested | Inspect within 5 days; contact a pest control agent within 10 days of confirming | 14 M.R.S. § 6021-A |
| California | Written bed bug notice to every prospective tenant | Procedure for reporting described in the notice | Civ. Code § 1954.603 |
| Arizona | Educational materials; never lease a unit known to be infested | Tenant must notify the landlord in writing or electronically | A.R.S. § 33-1319 |
| New York City | Give tenants the annual filing receipt at a new lease and renewal, or post it | Address infestations promptly with a DEC-licensed pest professional | HPD; Local Law 69 of 2017 |
What does Maine require?
On written or oral notice that a unit may have bed bugs, the landlord “shall within 5 days conduct an inspection,” and on finding an infestation “shall within 10 days contact a pest control agent,” who must carry liability insurance, and take reasonable measures to treat it. Before renting, the landlord must disclose whether an adjacent unit is currently infested or being treated and, on request, when the unit and adjacent units were last inspected and found free of bed bugs; a unit the landlord knows or suspects is infested may not be offered for rent. A tenant who cannot comply with preparation steps must be offered reasonable assistance, which the landlord may charge back over up to six months (14 M.R.S. § 6021-A).
What does California require?
Since July 1, 2017, “prior to creating a new tenancy for a dwelling unit, a landlord shall provide a written notice to the prospective tenant,” in at least 10-point type, with general information about bed bug identification, behavior and biology, the importance of cooperation and prompt written reporting, and the procedure for reporting suspected infestations to the landlord; the statute supplies the text in substantially the form required (Cal. Civ. Code § 1954.603).
What does Arizona require?
A landlord “shall provide bedbug educational materials to existing and new tenants” and “shall not enter into any lease agreement with a tenant for a dwelling unit that the landlord knows to have a current bedbug infestation.” A tenant must not knowingly move infested materials into a unit and must notify the landlord in writing or electronically of bed bugs they know about. The section does not apply to single-family residences (A.R.S. § 33-1319).
What must New York City owners file?
Under Local Law 69 of 2017, owners of multiple dwellings must try to obtain each unit’s bed bug history from the tenant or unit owner and file an annual report with the Department of Housing Preservation and Development between December 1 and December 31, covering November 1 through October 31: the number of units, the number with an infestation, the number treated and the number re-infested after treatment. The filing is free, corporate owners must file electronically, and HPD publishes the information. After filing, the owner must give each tenant the filing receipt at a new lease and each renewal, or post it prominently, and distribute or post the Health Department’s bed bug guide. HPD also notes that New York State law requires owners to use pest control professionals licensed by the State Department of Environmental Conservation (HPD).
How should a landlord handle a bed bug report?
- Log the report with the date and how it arrived; Maine’s five-day clock starts with oral notice too.
- Inspect promptly, including adjacent units, and bring in a licensed pest professional when bed bugs are confirmed.
- Give the tenant written preparation instructions and record what was done and when.
- Keep the history; New York City’s annual report and Maine’s disclosure both depend on it.
Frequently asked questions
How fast must a landlord respond to bed bugs?
In Maine, inspect within five days of notice and contact a pest control agent within ten days of confirming an infestation. Elsewhere the general duty to keep the unit habitable applies, and New York City requires prompt treatment.
Can a landlord rent an apartment that has bed bugs?
Not in Arizona if the landlord knows of a current infestation, and not in Maine if the landlord knows or suspects one. Maine also requires disclosure of infested adjacent units.
Does the NYC bed bug report cost anything?
No. HPD says the filing is free and warns owners about companies charging fees to file it.
Sources
- 14 M.R.S. § 6021-A, Treatment of bedbug infestation, Maine Legislature
- California Civil Code § 1954.603, California Legislative Information
- A.R.S. § 33-1319, Bedbug control; landlord and tenant obligations, Arizona Legislature
- Bedbugs: property owner requirements and the Bed Bug Annual Report, NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development
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This article is general information, not legal advice. Landlord-tenant law varies by state and city and changes often, so check the current rule for your property and talk to an attorney before acting on a dispute.
How we write and check these guides: editorial standards.
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