City ordinances and local laws typically dictate your legal obligation to remove snow and ice from the public sidewalks and walkways adjacent to your property.
If you own a rental property in an areas with snow removal requirements make sure you know who will be responsible for snow removal – owner or tenant.
If you are a landlord or property manager you may be allowed to include snow removal requirements in the rental lease agreement that would make your tenant responsible for snow removal. This is typically the case for single-family rental properties. If you own or manage a multifamily property, the common areas and walkways may be solely your responsibility for clearing snow.
To learn more about a landlord’s duty to clear snow and ice from a rental property – Click Here.
Each state and the cities within have different ordinances that govern their snow and ice removal requirements for property owners and residents. Below is a list of all 50 states and snow removal laws from a city in that state.
Click on the links below to learn more about snow removal laws in your state. If you have questions about your specific county or city ordinance on snow removal contact your city offices. Or use the keyword search “snow removal ordinance” along with your city or local municipality’s name.
Snow Removal Laws by State
Alabama: No state snow removal law. Local laws may differ.
Alaska: The Alaska Landlord Tenant Act says that the landlord must remove snow and ice from common areas ( Coburn v. Burton, 790 P.2d 1355 (Alaska 1990).) The lease can require that the tenant be responsible for removing snow from private areas of the property.
Arizona: City ordinances about snow removal, like this one from Flagstaff, AZ, require owners, lessees, or residents to remove snow from public walkways that border the property within 24 hours. However, as snow isn’t common in much of the state, there are no statewide laws.
Arkansas: No statewide snow removal law. Owners may be liable if snow is cleared and an accident occurs.
California: The act of putting snow or other materials on a public right-of-way is a violation of CVC 23112 and Section 724 of the California Streets and Highways Code, and is a misdemeanor in many counties.
Colorado: The owners of buildings, stores, and any other public places are responsible for removing snow and ice to allow safe access to their property. They have an obligation to ensure areas accessible to the public are safe and clear of any dangerous accumulation of snow and ice. Additionally, it is illegal to move snow and ice onto public roads.
Connecticut: Property owners are expected to take reasonable precautions against snow and ice-related hazards. This includes snow removal, de-icing, and other similar actions taken to ensure the property is safe.
Delaware: The state assumes responsibility for clearing sidewalks along public roadways; however, property owners in some towns and counties will still need to meet local requirements for removing snow. Owners are not allowed to shovel snow into gutters or streets.
Florida: No state snow removal law
Georgia: No state snow removal requirements. However, if anyone does shovel snow, it may not be placed in any public road, street, or walkway.
Hawaii: No state law.
Idaho: The owner of a building (home, business, church, etc) is to keep their sidewalks clear of snow every day in Boise (Boise City Code 9-08-07).
Illinois: Residents and property owners are encouraged to remove snow from sidewalks and public walkways. Anyone who removes snow shall not be held liable for injuries that occur as a result of snow or snow removal.
Indiana: Snow removal laws in Indiana are generally left up to cities and counties. Property owners and residents typically cannot remove snow and leave it in a public roadway. If a property owner or resident removes snow from a public walkway or path, they may be found liable if someone experiences an injury as a result of the snow removal. The city advises residents to move the snow to their yard and not into the street, an alley, or covering a fire hydrant.
Iowa: In Iowa, residents must remove snow from sidewalks within a certain time limit of one inch of snow falling, which varies by city. The entire width of the sidewalk must be cleared down to the concrete.
Kansas: In Wichita, KS, property owners must shovel snow and ice from public sidewalks or face a fine and a misdemeanor. Other cities may have similar laws, but the state does not have any overarching snow removal laws.
Kentucky: Property owners are responsible for removing snow from walkways in front of their personal property, but other areas are kept clear of snow. No state laws explicitly govern snow removal, but city ordinances typically require property owners to remove snow within 4 hours of the storm ending.
Louisiana: No state snow removal laws due to infrequent snowstorms, but city laws may differ. New Orleans, for example, has guidelines for the rare occurrence of winter weather, such as shoveling any snow as soon as possible to prevent it from compacting.
Maine: Residents and residential property owners in Portland, MI, have 12 hours to remove snow or ice after a storm has ended or when the City finishes snow removal operations, whichever is later. Failure to comply will result in the city performing the task and billing the owner for the cost of snow removal. Other Maine cities may have similar laws. However, there is no state law in regards to property owners removing snow.
Maryland: Depending on the city, residents have 12-72 hours to remove snow from public sidewalks. Property owners are expected to keep their properties hazard-free. However, there are no statewide laws regarding property owners removing snow.
Massachusetts: The Supreme Judicial Court ruled that property owners and landlords are responsible for snow and ice on their property. However, cities have jurisdiction to create more specific laws.
Michigan: City ordinances in Michigan ensure that snow, as well as ice, is removed from sidewalks in order to reduce the likelihood of injuries to pedestrians. Individuals cannot move snow or ice onto roads for safety reasons.
Minnesota: Cities are typically responsible for snow removal in public areas, and individuals cannot move snow onto sidewalks or roads.
Mississippi: No state regulation regarding snow removal from public sidewalks by owners, but some cities have a Snow Removal reimbursement program for residents to get reimbursed for hiring contractors to remove snow from streets.
Missouri: Most Missouri cities require property owners to clear public sidewalks–those on the public streets alongside their property–within a reasonable time after snow or ice storms are over. Property owners who exercise ordinary care in clearing sidewalks and walkways are, in general, not any more liable for injuries than those who do nothing.
Montana: City ordinances typically require Montana residents to clear public walkways, driveways, and sidewalks of snow and ice within 24 hours. Residents and business owners are encouraged to shovel snow from sidewalks and driveway openings back onto their property instead of the streets. Additionally, mobile home park owners must maintain roads and keep them free of snow.
Nebraska: State laws enable the state to use private property to create snow fences if adjacent to a state highway. However, other snow removal laws are left up to cities.
Nevada: No statewide laws, but there are local laws. Generally, property owners need to understand that the burden is on them to keep their properties and the adjoining public sidewalks free and clear of snow, ice, and other dangerous conditions. Failure to do so could result in significant liability exposure if a member of the public suffers injury as a result of a slip and fall.
New Hampshire: There is currently a bill in the works in New Hampshire with the intent of forcing leases to clarify whether the landlord or tenant is responsible for removing snow from their property.
New Jersey: Property owners are responsible for removing snow and ice from their property and the adjacent sidewalks. Typically, this needs to be done within 12 daytime hours of the snowfall stopping.
New Mexico: There are no statewide laws, but some common responsibilities. Property owners are responsible for shoveling their sidewalks after each snowstorm to ensure safe pedestrian access. Snowplows may have to make several passes in front of your home or business during continuous periods of snowfall. As a result, snow may be pushed onto sidewalks that have already been cleared, and the property owner is responsible for clearing this as well.
New York: Property owners are responsible for removing snow and ice from paved walkways and sidewalks outside their property in order to create a safe path for pedestrians. Additionally, the snow needs to be placed out of the way so that it does not cause any additional safety concerns.
North Carolina: The only statewide snow removal policies govern street clearing and do not address sidewalks. Property and sidewalk clearing laws vary based on the city, but typically prohibit depositing snow in roads and place time restrictions on when snow needs to be removed.
North Dakota: In Fargo, ND, the Street Department maintains approximately 34 miles of City sidewalk and will clear sidewalk snow and ice following a storm. However, in Bismarck, ND, residents are required to clear all snow and ice from their sidewalks and crosswalks. However, the state does not have any specific laws governing snow removal.
Ohio: There is no official state law that requires homeowners to remove snow, but there are several local ordinances that require snow removal from public sidewalks by owners or residents.
Oklahoma: No state laws, but an ordinance in Tulsa, OK, states that property owners and residents must remove snow from public sidewalks on their property within 24 hrs after snowfall.
Oregon: Snow cannot be placed on any roads. Additionally, many cities regulate the clearing of sidewalks and hold property owners liable if someone is injured on a frozen sidewalk.
Pennsylvania: Property owners and those who occupy properties (i.e., single-family home tenants) have the duty to shovel sidewalks within a specified time frame after a storm has ended. Failing to do so may result in a fine. City ordinances specify a time frame and how wide the path must be when removing snow.
Rhode Island: Snow and ice must be removed from sidewalks within a reasonable time frame or face fines, personal injury, or potential lawsuits if someone is injured. The specifics on fines and timeframes, however, are left up to cities.
South Carolina: No state ordinance. However, cities may differ and it is still recommended for property owners to keep their properties free of hazards.
South Dakota: South Dakota state law gives every municipality the power to require its citizens to remove snow and ice from sidewalks adjacent to their property. These municipalities place specific requirements on who needs to remove the snow and when they need to do so, such as Summerset’s requirement for owners or occupants to remove snow within 24 hours of the snowfall.
Tennessee: Property owners are expected to take reasonable steps to remove snow and ice within a reasonable time after it has formed or accumulated.
Texas: While not every city in Texas has an ordinance on snow removal, in Dallas, Ordinances Nos. 3314 and 19398 state that an owner, tenant, lessee, or occupant must remove snow and ice from the sidewalk in front of the building. Residents have 3 hrs to clear snow and ice that falls or accumulates before 4 p.m.
Utah: No state ordinances. There is a city ordinance in Salt Lake City, UT, that requires the owner or occupant of a property to remove snow and ice from their whole sidewalk adjacent to their property within 24 hours after a storm.
Vermont: The state gives local ordinances the power to determine the responsibility of snow removal from private property and maintain public areas such as roads.
Virginia: Municipalities have jurisdiction over fines and other criteria for snow removal, conducted by either the owner or the occupant. However, they cannot charge more than $100 in fines for violations of the city ordinances.
Washington: This page provides a brief overview of snow and ice removal policies and procedures for cities, towns, and counties in Washington State, including sidewalk clearance requirements. However, there are no statewide laws.
West Virginia: In Morgantown, WV, property owners are required to clear snow and ice from sidewalks adjacent to their property within 24 hours of a snow event. Snow and ice removal from personal walkways, stairs, driveways, and parking spaces is at the discretion of the property owner. However, if these walkways, stairs, driveways, and parking spaces are for rental or business property, they do fall within the same 24-hour clean-up standard. Other cities may differ, as these laws are left to cities.
Wisconsin: Owners or occupants are responsible; the board of public works will keep the city’s sidewalks clear of snow and ice in all cases where the owners or occupants of the abutting lots fail to do so. The expense of clearing will be included in a special tax to be levied. The city may also impose a fine or penalty for neglecting to keep sidewalks clear of snow and ice.
Wyoming: Owners and occupants must clear snow from the sidewalks, or streets or alleys when required by ordinance. Failure to do so may result in city removal, with the cost of removal assessed against the property. The cost of removal constitutes a lien against the property to be collected in the same manner as special assessments.
