City Home Rules

How long do you have to shovel the sidewalk in Minneapolis, MN?

Minnesota · Last checked November 2026

About 24 hours

Minneapolis gives single-family homes and duplexes 24 hours after snow stops to clear the full sidewalk width down to bare pavement. All other properties get 4 daytime hours.

Key facts

Houses and duplexes
24 hours after snowfall ends.
Other properties
4 daytime hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
Standard
Full width, down to bare pavement.
If you don't
The city can clear it and bill you.

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How it works

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.

  1. Check when the clock starts: when the snow stops, at sunrise, or at a set hour.
  2. Clear the full width, or at least the minimum path your city sets, including curb ramps.
  3. Do not push snow into the street, alley or crosswalk. Many cities fine that separately.
  4. Treat ice with salt or sand, since many rules cover ice as well as snow.
  5. 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.

Other Minneapolis home rules

More in Minnesota and nearby

Sources

Last checked November 2026. Programs open, close and change funding every year. Confirm with the city before you hire anyone. Report a change.

See all Minnesota homeowner rules in one place.