How to Report Rats in Chicago (and Get Free Rodent Baiting)

Chicago takes rats seriously: the Bureau of Rodent Control inspects and baits alleys and yards at no cost — but crews go where the 311 requests are. If you're seeing rats, burrows, or droppings, here's how to get your block on the list.

Know the signs worth reporting

You don't need to see a rat in daylight to justify a report. The Bureau of Rodent Control responds to evidence:

• Burrows — smooth-edged holes 2–4 inches across, usually along foundations, under garages, beneath decks and woodpiles, or in alley parkways.
• Droppings along walls, garage floors, or around trash carts.
• Gnaw marks on cart lids, wood, or wiring, and worn “runways” in grass along fence lines.
• Actual sightings, especially during the day — daytime activity usually means a sizable population.

How to request rodent baiting from 311

File a Rodent Baiting / Rat Complaint request through any official channel: call 311 (312-744-5000 from outside the city), use 311.chicago.gov, or file from the alley itself with an Open311 app like Chicago Works. The service is free. Include:

• The precise location — “the alley behind 1234 N Example Ave, west side” beats “my alley.” If the burrows are in your yard, say so; crews can bait private yards with access.
• A photo of the burrows or droppings — it tells the crew exactly where to look and confirms activity.
• What's feeding them, if you can see it — overflowing carts, dumped food waste, dog waste. It helps the city address the source, not just the symptom.

Your request gets a service request (SR) number and is routed to the Bureau of Rodent Control. A crew inspects the area, baits active burrows, and typically leaves notice that they've treated. Baiting works over days to weeks, and stubborn blocks may need repeat visits — each one is a fresh 311 request.

Starve them while the city baits them

Baiting knocks populations down; food keeps them up. The classic Chicago culprits: carts left open or overfilled, bagged trash sitting outside carts, dog waste in yards, fallen fruit and unharvested gardens, and bird seed. Fixing those while the city baits is what actually clears a block. Broken carts that won't close are themselves a 311 request — file for a cart repair or replacement at the same time. If you're doing construction or a big landscaping job, be extra vigilant: disturbing the ground pushes rats into neighboring yards, which is often when a quiet block suddenly has a problem.

Filing it with Chicago Works

Rat evidence is exactly the kind of thing you spot while taking out the trash — and exactly when you don't want to make a phone call. With Chicago Works:

1. Snap the burrow or droppings right there in the alley.
2. Auto-locate — GPS pins the alley and detects your ward; drag the pin to the exact fence line.
3. Choose Rodent Baiting and submit — the request files directly with the city's official Open311 system, no hold, no sign-up.

The Service Tracker then shows the request's live status from the city's system, so you'll know when Rodent Control has been out — and when it's time to file the follow-up if the burrows reopen.