How long do you have to shovel the sidewalk in Pittsburgh, PA?
Pennsylvania · Last checked November 2026
Pittsburgh City Code 419.03 requires owners, tenants or occupants to clear snow and ice from the sidewalk within 24 hours after it stops. Uncleared sidewalks can be reported to 311.
Key facts
- Deadline
- 24 hours after snow, sleet or freezing rain ends.
- Who
- Owner, tenant or occupant.
- Rule
- City Code 419.03.
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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.
- 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.
Other Pittsburgh home rules
More in Pennsylvania and nearby
- Philadelphia 12 hours or less
- Sioux Falls 48 hours
- Madison Set time of day
- Milwaukee About 24 hours
- Lakewood About 24 hours
- Syracuse Set time of day
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 Pennsylvania homeowner rules in one place.