Sidewalk snow removal deadlines by city
Most cities make the owner of the property next to a public sidewalk clear it after snow, even though the city owns the walk. Deadlines range from a few hours in Boston and New York to 48 hours in Des Moines, and cities that clear it for you send the bill.
32 cities and utilities in 13 states, each checked against official sources in November 2026.
| City | Rule | Key detail | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 24 hours after snow or ice accumulates. | Cedar Rapids gives owners 24 hours after snow or ice builds up to clear public sidewalks and curb ramps next t | About 24 hours |
| Des Moines, IA | 48 hours after snowfall ends. | Des Moines gives owners and tenants 48 hours after snow ends to clear sidewalks | 48 hours |
| Iowa City, IA | 24 hours after 1 inch or more of snow. | Iowa City requires the full width of the sidewalk to be cleared within 24 hours after a snowfall of 1 inch or | About 24 hours |
| Antioch, IL | 24 hours. | Antioch requires the lesser of 72 inches or the full sidewalk width to be cleared within 24 hours | About 24 hours |
| Chicago, IL | Falls 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.: clear by 10 p.m. | Chicago requires owners to shovel as soon as possible | Set time of day |
| Naperville, IL | 48 hours after the weather event. | Naperville requires sidewalks to be cleared within 48 hours after a storm that drops more than 2 inches of sno | 48 hours |
| Boston, MA | 3 hours after snow ends, or 3 hours after sunrise. | Boston gives owners 3 hours after snow ends, or 3 hours after sunrise if it stops overnight, to clear sidewalk | 12 hours or less |
| Cambridge, MA | Within 12 hours after it stops. | Cambridge requires snow removed within 12 hours after it stops falling during the day, and before 1 p.m | 12 hours or less |
| Newton, MA | 24 hours after the storm ends. | Newton gives residential owners 24 hours after a storm ends to clear the sidewalk | About 24 hours |
| Somerville, MA | 6 daylight hours after snow stops. | Somerville requires sidewalks to be cleared within six daylight hours after snow stops | 12 hours or less |
| Worcester, MA | 10 hours after snow stops. | Worcester requires sidewalks cleared at least 4 feet wide within 10 hours after snow stops | 12 hours or less |
| Portland, ME | 18 hours after the storm or city removal ends, whichever is later. | Portland, Maine gives homeowners 18 hours after a storm ends, or after city snow removal finishes, to clear si | 12 hours or less |
| Ann Arbor, MI | 24 hours after more than 1 inch of snow (residential). | Ann Arbor requires residential owners to clear sidewalks within 24 hours after each snowfall over 1 inch | About 24 hours |
| Grand Rapids, MI | 24 hours after snowfall stops. | Grand Rapids gives owners 24 hours after snow stops | About 24 hours |
| Kalamazoo, MI | 48 hours of accumulation (Ordinance 33-18). | Kalamazoo requires owners to clear snow and ice from sidewalks within 48 hours of accumulation | 48 hours |
| Duluth, MN | 24 hours after snowfall ends. | Duluth requires owners to clear the whole length of sidewalk along their property, edge to edge or at least 36 | About 24 hours |
| Edina, MN | 48 hours after a winter storm. | Edina gives owners 48 hours after a winter storm to remove snow and ice from the sidewalks next to their prope | 48 hours |
| Minneapolis, MN | 24 hours after snowfall ends. | Minneapolis gives single-family homes and duplexes 24 hours after snow stops to clear the full sidewalk width | About 24 hours |
| Rochester, MN | 24 hours after snowfall (Code 9-6-2). | Rochester, Minnesota requires snow and ice removal within 24 hours after a snowfall | About 24 hours |
| Saint Paul, MN | 24 hours after snowfall ends. | Saint Paul requires owners to clear the full sidewalk width to bare pavement within 24 hours after snow ends | About 24 hours |
| St. Louis Park, MN | 6 daylight hours or noon the next day, whichever is longer. | St | Set time of day |
| Fargo, ND | 24 hours after snowfall ends. | Fargo requires sidewalks to be cleared within 24 hours after snowfall ends | About 24 hours |
| Lincoln, NE | 9 a.m. the day after the storm ends. | Lincoln requires owners to clear snow and ice from sidewalks by 9 a.m | Set time of day |
| Albany, NY | 24 hours after the storm ends. | Albany requires owners to clear snow and ice within 24 hours after a storm ends | About 24 hours |
| New York City, NY | Ends 7 a.m. to 4:59 p.m.: 4 hours. | New York City sets the deadline by when snow stops: 4 hours if it ends between 7 a.m | 12 hours or less |
| Syracuse, NY | 6 p.m. the day after the snowfall. | Syracuse requires sidewalks to be cleared by 6 p.m | Set time of day |
| Lakewood, OH | 24 hours after a snowfall. | Lakewood, Ohio requires owners to keep sidewalks clear of snow and ice within 24 hours of a snowfall under Ord | About 24 hours |
| Philadelphia, PA | 6 hours after snowfall stops. | Philadelphia requires a 36-inch path cleared within 6 hours after snow stops | 12 hours or less |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 24 hours after snow, sleet or freezing rain ends. | Pittsburgh City Code 419.03 requires owners, tenants or occupants to clear snow and ice from the sidewalk with | About 24 hours |
| Sioux Falls, SD | 48 hours after snow stops. | Sioux Falls gives owners up to 48 hours after snow stops falling to clear sidewalks | 48 hours |
| Madison, WI | Noon the day after snow stops. | Madison requires sidewalks to be cleared by noon the day after snow stops falling, under ordinance 10.28 | Set time of day |
| Milwaukee, WI | 24 hours after snow stops. | Milwaukee requires sidewalks to be cleared within 24 hours after snow stops | About 24 hours |
Step by step
- Check when the clock starts: when the snow stops, at sunrise, or at a set hour.
- Clear the full width, or at least the minimum path your city sets, including curb ramps.
- Do not push snow into the street, alley or crosswalk. Many cities fine that separately.
- Treat ice with salt or sand, since many rules cover ice as well as snow.
- If you travel or cannot shovel, line up a neighbor or a service before the storm.
What it costs
Fines usually run $40 to $250 and can repeat daily. If the city sends a crew, you pay its cost, sometimes with an added fee. A seasonal snow removal contract for a house often costs a few hundred dollars.
Full guide: how long you have to shovel, city by city.
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