Does the City of Killeen exterminate rats?

No. The city handles the conditions that attract rats, like trash, tall weeds and dangerous buildings, through Code Enforcement. Rodents inside a home or business are handled by a pest control provider.

Can I report anonymously?

Ask Code Enforcement when you call or check the Report a Concern form. Policies on anonymous reports vary by city.

How tall can grass get in Killeen?

On lots of two acres or less, weeds and grass over 12 inches are a violation. Larger tracts have a 12-inch strip along streets and neighboring occupied lots.

Who do I call about rats at a restaurant?

The Bell County Public Health District, which inspects food establishments in Killeen.

I live on post. Can I call a private exterminator?

Cavalry Family Housing says residents cannot contract with outside pest vendors directly. Submit a service request through the Maintenance Solution Center.

A brown Norway rat walking along the edge of shallow water.

How to Report Rats or Mice in Killeen

Killeen has no rodent hotline. Trash, weeds and junk that shelter rats go to Code Enforcement, restaurants go to the county health district, and on-post homes go through housing maintenance.

Call a local technician (254) 276-0111

Updated November 4, 2026

Killeen does not have a city rat program or a rodent complaint line. What it does have is a code enforcement division that handles the conditions that feed and shelter rats: trash piling up on a property, weeds over 12 inches, junked vehicles and run-down buildings. Restaurants are a separate matter handled by the county health district. On-post housing at Fort Hood has its own process.

This guide covers who to contact for each kind of problem, what to include in the report and what usually happens next. It is general information. Check the linked city pages for current contact details.

Which office handles what

Match the problem to the office:

Rats or mice inside your own home: a pest control provider. If you rent, also notify your landlord in writing.
Trash, rubbish or junk piling up on a neighboring property: Killeen Code Enforcement.
Weeds and grass over 12 inches on a lot: Killeen Code Enforcement.
An abandoned, unsecured or dilapidated building: Killeen Code Enforcement, which handles dangerous buildings.
Rodents or droppings in a restaurant or food business: the Bell County Public Health District, which inspects food establishments in Killeen.
Rodents in on-post family housing at Fort Hood: a service request through Cavalry Family Housing.
Missed trash pickup or a damaged city cart: the City of Killeen Solid Waste Division.

Harker Heights, Nolanville and Copperas Cove are separate cities. Code complaints there go to those city halls, not to Killeen.

Reporting to Killeen Code Enforcement

Code Enforcement is part of the city's Development Services department. Its page lists the kinds of violations it handles under Chapter 18 of the city code, the nuisance chapter:

Care of premises: appliances, tires, rubbish or other items visible from the street
Dangerous buildings: abandoned, unsecured, dilapidated or substandard structures
High weeds and grass, which count as a violation once growth passes 12 inches
Junked vehicles: wrecked, inoperable or discarded vehicles with expired registration
Litter and trash debris that has piled up on private property

You can report by phone, by email to code-enforcement@killeentexas.gov, or online through the city's Report a Concern system. The page also mentions the Killeen Connect app. The phone number and the link to Report a Concern are on the Code Enforcement page.

Rodents themselves are not on the list. If a neighbor's yard is full of trash and you see rats running from it, report the trash and the conditions. Code Enforcement can act on those.

What to put in a code report

Specific reports are easier to act on. Include:

The exact address, or the nearest address and a description if it is a vacant lot
What the problem is: trash piles, tall weeds, a junked car, an open building
How long it has been there
Whether you have seen rats or burrows, and where
Photos taken from your own property or the street

Do not go onto someone else's property to take photos or look for burrows.

What happens after a code report

Code Enforcement inspects the property and, if it finds a violation, notifies the owner in writing with a deadline to fix it. The Killeen Daily Herald, reporting on the city's yard rules, described what can follow if the owner does not comply: Code Enforcement can ticket the tenant or the owner, the city can enter the property, correct the violation and bill the owner, and an unpaid bill can become a lien on the property.

Weeds have a special rule. On lots of two acres or less, the limit is 12 inches. On larger tracts, the 12-inch limit applies within 50 feet of a street or of a neighboring occupied lot, and the rest of the property may go up to 48 inches. Agricultural land is exempt. The Herald reported that the city can cut weeds over 48 inches without notice when they create an immediate danger to life, health or safety.

None of this happens overnight. Expect the process to take days or weeks, and follow up if nothing changes. Meanwhile, protect your own house: close gaps on your side, keep your yard clear along the shared fence, and set traps if rats are getting in. Our rodent exclusion page explains what to seal.

Reporting a restaurant

Killeen restaurants are permitted and inspected by the Bell County Public Health District under the Texas Food Establishment Rules. The district's new retail food establishment packet notes that the Texas Department of State Health Services covers areas that are not permitted and inspected by local health agencies like Bell County Public Health, so the district is the right contact for food businesses in its area. Inspection results for Bell County restaurants show up in local news roundups.

If you saw droppings, a live rodent or gnawed food at a restaurant, contact the health district with the business name, address, date and time, and what you saw. Our restaurant rodent rules guide explains how inspections work.

On-post housing at Fort Hood

If you live in family housing on Fort Hood, report rodents to Cavalry Family Housing. Its integrated pest management FAQ says residents should report rodent activity, ask maintenance to fix the entry points pests are using, and remove food and water sources. Residents cannot hire outside pest companies directly. Free traps and bait stations are available from the community self-help location, and if the problem continues, residents submit a service request through the Maintenance Solution Center or the resident app for a professional assessment.

Keep the work order number and photos. See our Fort Hood housing page for more.

If you rent off post

Report rodents to your landlord or property manager in writing, keep a copy, and give them a reasonable chance to fix it. Texas law sets out a notice process for repairs that affect health or safety, covered in our tenant and landlord guide. If the problem comes from a neighboring property with trash or tall weeds, a code report is a separate step you can take at the same time.

Common questions

Does the City of Killeen exterminate rats?: No. The city handles the conditions that attract rats, like trash, tall weeds and dangerous buildings, through Code Enforcement. Rodents inside a home or business are handled by a pest control provider.
Can I report anonymously?: Ask Code Enforcement when you call or check the Report a Concern form. Policies on anonymous reports vary by city.
How tall can grass get in Killeen?: On lots of two acres or less, weeds and grass over 12 inches are a violation. Larger tracts have a 12-inch strip along streets and neighboring occupied lots.
Who do I call about rats at a restaurant?: The Bell County Public Health District, which inspects food establishments in Killeen.
I live on post. Can I call a private exterminator?: Cavalry Family Housing says residents cannot contract with outside pest vendors directly. Submit a service request through the Maintenance Solution Center.