Snow Removal Laws by State 2024

Snow removal laws vary across the United States, with each state having its own regulations and requirements. In many states, property owners are responsible for removing snow and ice from sidewalks adjacent to their properties within a certain timeframe after a snowfall. Failure to comply with these laws can result in fines or penalties. For example, in Connecticut, property owners or residents must clear snow from adjacent public walkways and gutters, while in Iowa, residents must clear snow from sidewalks within 24 hours of snowfall. Some states, like Alaska, do not have specific statewide laws but may have regulations at the local level.

Interestingly, some states, such as Florida and Hawaii, do not have state snow removal laws due to their warm climates where snow is not a common occurrence. On the other hand, states like Colorado and Michigan have clear guidelines mandating property owners to ensure safe access to their properties by removing snow and ice. Additionally, states like New York and Pennsylvania hold property owners accountable for maintaining sidewalks outside their properties to prevent accidents and ensure pedestrian safety. These laws aim to prevent slip and fall accidents during the winter months and promote safe travel for pedestrians. Overall, understanding and complying with snow removal laws is crucial to maintaining public safety and avoiding potential legal consequences.

State	Snow Removal Law
Alabama	No state snow-removal law.
Alaska	Property owners are required to maintain their driveways and in most areas, the approach roads to their properties. Tenants may be responsible for removing snow from privare areas.
Arizona	Owners, lessees, or residentsmust remove snow from public walkways that border the property within 24 hours. In winter, it is illegal to park on city streets and alleys where snow removal operations are taking place.
Arkansas	No state snow-removal law.
California	Snow removal when necessary to provide access to properties served by the easement attached or adjacent to it. The act of putting snow or other materials on a public right-of-way is a misdemeanor.
Colorado	The owners of buildings, stores, and any other public places are responsible for removing snow and ice to enable safe access to their property.
Connecticut	Owner or resident is responsible for snow removal on adjacent public walkways and public gutters.
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.
Florida	No state snow-removal law.
Georgia	No state snow-removal requirements. However, if an individual does shovel snow, it may not be placed in any public road, street, or walkway.
Hawaii	No state snow-removal law.
Idaho	The owner of a building (home, business, church, etc) is to keep their sidewalks clear of snow every day.
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	Prohibits obstructing roadways, and pushing or shoveling snow could be considered an obstruction. Property owners and occupants must clear sidewalks adjacent to the property. A 5-foot wide path must be cleared.
Iowa	Residents must remove snow from sidewalks with 24-hours of one inch of snow falling. The entire width of the sidewalk must be cleared down to the concrete.
Kansas	Property owners must shovel snow and ice from public sidewalks for face a fine and a misdemeanor.
Kentucky	Property owners are responsible for removing snow from walkways within 4 hours after daylight and after falling snow has ceased.
Louisiana	No state snow-removal law.
Maine	Residents and residential property owners have 12 hours to remove snow or ice after a storm has ended. Snow removal operators may not deposit, shovel, blow, or plow snow onto or next to a public highway or road.
Maryland	Depending on the city, residents have 12-72 hours to remove snow from public sidewalks.
Massachusetts	Property owners and landlords are responsible for managing all snow and ice on their property and keeping all entrances, exits, and pathways safe and operable.
Michigan	Snow, as well as ice, shall be removed from sidewalks in order to reduce the likelihood of injuries to pedestrians.
Minnesota	Snow and ice must be removed within 24 hours from public sidewalks.
Mississippi	No state regulation regarding snow removal from public sidewalks by owners. Some cities have a snow removal reimbursement program that reimburses residents for hiring contractors to remove snow from streets.
Missouri	Most Missouri cities require property owners to clear any sidewalks on the public streets alongside their property within a reasonable time after snow or ice storms.
Montana	Residents should clear public walkways, driveways and sidewalks of snow and ice within 24 hours.
Nebraska	Property owners and occupants must remove snow and ice from public sidewalks and walkways that adjoin their property within 24 hours or face a fine. Owners must also clear the snow from mailboxes and fire hydrants on their property.
Nevada	The burden is on property owners to keep their properties, and the adjoining public sidewalks, free and clear of snow, ice, and other dangerous conditions.
New Hampshire	Sidewalks on public roads are maintained and cleared of snow and ice by the municipality at no additional cost to property owners.
New Jersey	Single-family homeowners have no duty to clear snow or ice from their property and will only be held liable to injury claims if they make the snow condition more dangerous than what occurs naturally. Owners of multifamily properties must clear snow and ice from public walkways and sidewalks on and in front of their property.
New Mexico	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 a home or business during continuous periods of snowfall. As a result, snow may be pushed onto sidewalks that already have been cleared, and the property owner is responsible to clear 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. If a property owner has a bus stop or fire hydrant in front of his or her property, said owner is responsible for removing snow and ice from the sidewalks surrounding those areas.
North Carolina	Property owners are required to clear the sidewalks abutting their property of ice before 10AM each day in which the temperature exceeds 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
North Dakota	The Street Department maintains approximately 34 miles of city sidewalk and will clear sidewalk snow and ice following a storm. However, in some cities like Bismarck, ND residents are required to clear all snow and ice from their sidewalks and crosswalks.
Ohio	No official state law requires homeowners to remove snow. However, several local ordinances do require owners or residents to remove snow from public sidewalks.
Oklahoma	Property owners and residents must remove snow from public sidewalks on their property within 24 hrs after snowfall.
Oregon	The home or property owner is responsible if someone slips or falls and is injured on an icy or snowy sidewalk.
Pennsylvania	Property owners and occupants have a legal duty to shovel sidewalks within a specified time after a storm has ended.
Rhode Island	All snow must be removed by the property owner from a path not less than three (3) feet in width of the entire border in or on said street, highway, or public place, from "around any fire hydrant on the sidewalk in front of said building or lot," from "the opening of any catch basin in the sidewalk of said building or lot," and from "pedestrian-access ramps cut into street curbs bordering said building or lot."
South Carolina	No state snow-removal law.
South Dakota	No specific state laws regarding snow removal from sidewalks around residential properties. The state empowers municipalities and governing bodies to determine ordinances and laws.
Tennessee	Property owners are expected to take steps to remove snow and ice within a reasonable time after it has formed or accumulated.
Texas	No specific state laws regarding snow removal from sidewalks around residential properties. The state empowers municipalities and governing bodies to determine ordinances and laws.
Utah	No specific state laws regarding snow removal from sidewalks around residential properties. The state empowers municipalities and governing bodies to determine ordinances and laws.
Vermont	No specific state laws regarding snow removal from sidewalks around residential properties. The state empowers municipalities and governing bodies to determine ordinances and laws.
Virginia	Depending on the amount of snow (0-6 inches or 6+ inches), property owners have 24-72 hours to remove snow from public walkways.
Washington	Property owner is responsible for the maintenance of sidewalks or may delegate maintenance to the tenant, occupant, lessee by written agreement.
West Virginia	No specific state laws regarding snow removal from sidewalks around residential properties. The state empowers municipalities and governing bodies to determine ordinances and laws.
Wisconsin	No specific state laws regarding snow removal from sidewalks around residential properties. The state empowers municipalities and governing bodies to determine ordinances and laws.
Wyoming	No specific state laws regarding snow removal from sidewalks around residential properties. The state empowers municipalities and governing bodies to determine ordinances and laws.

State

Snow Removal Law

Alabama

No state snow-removal law.

Alaska

Property owners are required to maintain their driveways and in most areas, the approach roads to their properties. Tenants may be responsible for removing snow from privare areas.

Arizona

Owners, lessees, or residentsmust remove snow from public walkways that border the property within 24 hours. In winter, it is illegal to park on city streets and alleys where snow removal operations are taking place.

Arkansas

No state snow-removal law.

California

Snow removal when necessary to provide access to properties served by the easement attached or adjacent to it. The act of putting snow or other materials on a public right-of-way is a misdemeanor.

Colorado

The owners of buildings, stores, and any other public places are responsible for removing snow and ice to enable safe access to their property.

Connecticut

Owner or resident is responsible for snow removal on adjacent public walkways and public gutters.

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.

Florida

No state snow-removal law.

Georgia

No state snow-removal requirements. However, if an individual does shovel snow, it may not be placed in any public road, street, or walkway.

Hawaii

No state snow-removal law.

Idaho

The owner of a building (home, business, church, etc) is to keep their sidewalks clear of snow every day.

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

Prohibits obstructing roadways, and pushing or shoveling snow could be considered an obstruction. Property owners and occupants must clear sidewalks adjacent to the property. A 5-foot wide path must be cleared.

Iowa

Residents must remove snow from sidewalks with 24-hours of one inch of snow falling. The entire width of the sidewalk must be cleared down to the concrete.

Kansas

Property owners must shovel snow and ice from public sidewalks for face a fine and a misdemeanor.

Kentucky

Property owners are responsible for removing snow from walkways within 4 hours after daylight and after falling snow has ceased.

Louisiana

No state snow-removal law.

Maine

Residents and residential property owners have 12 hours to remove snow or ice after a storm has ended. Snow removal operators may not deposit, shovel, blow, or plow snow onto or next to a public highway or road.

Maryland

Depending on the city, residents have 12-72 hours to remove snow from public sidewalks.

Massachusetts

Property owners and landlords are responsible for managing all snow and ice on their property and keeping all entrances, exits, and pathways safe and operable.

Michigan

Snow, as well as ice, shall be removed from sidewalks in order to reduce the likelihood of injuries to pedestrians.

Minnesota

Snow and ice must be removed within 24 hours from public sidewalks.

Mississippi

No state regulation regarding snow removal from public sidewalks by owners. Some cities have a snow removal reimbursement program that reimburses residents for hiring contractors to remove snow from streets.

Missouri

Most Missouri cities require property owners to clear any sidewalks on the public streets alongside their property within a reasonable time after snow or ice storms.

Montana

Residents should clear public walkways, driveways and sidewalks of snow and ice within 24 hours.

Nebraska

Property owners and occupants must remove snow and ice from public sidewalks and walkways that adjoin their property within 24 hours or face a fine. Owners must also clear the snow from mailboxes and fire hydrants on their property.

Nevada

The burden is on property owners to keep their properties, and the adjoining public sidewalks, free and clear of snow, ice, and other dangerous conditions.

New Hampshire

Sidewalks on public roads are maintained and cleared of snow and ice by the municipality at no additional cost to property owners.

New Jersey

Single-family homeowners have no duty to clear snow or ice from their property and will only be held liable to injury claims if they make the snow condition more dangerous than what occurs naturally. Owners of multifamily properties must clear snow and ice from public walkways and sidewalks on and in front of their property.

New Mexico

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 a home or business during continuous periods of snowfall. As a result, snow may be pushed onto sidewalks that already have been cleared, and the property owner is responsible to clear 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. If a property owner has a bus stop or fire hydrant in front of his or her property, said owner is responsible for removing snow and ice from the sidewalks surrounding those areas.

North Carolina

Property owners are required to clear the sidewalks abutting their property of ice before 10AM each day in which the temperature exceeds 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

North Dakota

The Street Department maintains approximately 34 miles of city sidewalk and will clear sidewalk snow and ice following a storm. However, in some cities like Bismarck, ND residents are required to clear all snow and ice from their sidewalks and crosswalks.

Ohio

No official state law requires homeowners to remove snow. However, several local ordinances do require owners or residents to remove snow from public sidewalks.

Oklahoma

Property owners and residents must remove snow from public sidewalks on their property within 24 hrs after snowfall.

Oregon

The home or property owner is responsible if someone slips or falls and is injured on an icy or snowy sidewalk.

Pennsylvania

Property owners and occupants have a legal duty to shovel sidewalks within a specified time after a storm has ended.

Rhode Island

All snow must be removed by the property owner from a path not less than three (3) feet in width of the entire border in or on said street, highway, or public place, from "around any fire hydrant on the sidewalk in front of said building or lot," from "the opening of any catch basin in the sidewalk of said building or lot," and from "pedestrian-access ramps cut into street curbs bordering said building or lot."

South Carolina

No state snow-removal law.

South Dakota