Winter homeowner rules by city
Three winter rules cities set for homeowners: how fast you must shovel the sidewalk, whether the city pays when a plow takes out your mailbox, and who pays when the water line freezes. 84 cities, villages and towns, each from an official source.
32 placesSidewalk snow removalMost cities make the owner of the property next to a public sidewalk clear it after snow, even though the city owns the walk.39 placesSnowplow mailbox damageMailboxes sit in the public right-of-way, so plows hit them every winter.16 placesFrozen water linesWhen frost goes deep, the buried water line between the street main and the house can freeze.
Guides
- How long do you have to shovel your sidewalk?
- A snowplow hit my mailbox. Who pays?
- Frozen water line: who pays to thaw it?
Winter rules by city
| Place | Sidewalk snow | Plow-damaged mailbox | Frozen water line |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Hartford, CT | Not tracked yet | $25 (post not included). | Not tracked yet |
| Harwinton, CT | Not tracked yet | Direct plow contact. | Not tracked yet |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 24 hours after snow or ice accumulates. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Des Moines, IA | 48 hours after snowfall ends. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Iowa City, IA | 24 hours after 1 inch or more of snow. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Antioch, IL | 24 hours. | Up to $75 per mailbox. | Not tracked yet |
| Chicago, IL | Falls 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.: clear by 10 p.m. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Farmer City, IL | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet | B-box (curb stop) to the home. |
| Hampshire, IL | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet | $150 flat thawing fee. |
| Huntley, IL | Not tracked yet | Standard mailbox and post. | Not tracked yet |
| Itasca, IL | Not tracked yet | Up to $100 (raised from $75 in 2024). | Not tracked yet |
| Lake Villa, IL | Not tracked yet | $50. | Not tracked yet |
| Naperville, IL | 48 hours after the weather event. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| South Holland, IL | Not tracked yet | Cost of the standard village mailbox or post. | Not tracked yet |
| Sugar Grove, IL | Not tracked yet | Damage from village equipment. | Not tracked yet |
| Wadsworth, IL | Not tracked yet | $100. | Not tracked yet |
| Boswell, IN | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet | $50, plus outside help charges. |
| Ayer, MA | Not tracked yet | $50. | Not tracked yet |
| Boston, MA | 3 hours after snow ends, or 3 hours after sunrise. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Cambridge, MA | Within 12 hours after it stops. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Franklin, MA | Not tracked yet | $50 per incident, per household, per year. | Not tracked yet |
| Holden, MA | Not tracked yet | Up to $40. | Not tracked yet |
| Newton, MA | 24 hours after the storm ends. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Norfolk, MA | Not tracked yet | Up to $300. | Not tracked yet |
| Somerville, MA | 6 daylight hours after snow stops. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Southborough, MA | Not tracked yet | Direct hits by a town or contracted plow. | Not tracked yet |
| Worcester, MA | 10 hours after snow stops. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Portland, ME | 18 hours after the storm or city removal ends, whichever is | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Ann Arbor, MI | 24 hours after more than 1 inch of snow (residential). | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| East Grand Rapids, MI | Not tracked yet | $40 for the box plus $40 for the post. | Not tracked yet |
| Grand Rapids, MI | 24 hours after snowfall stops. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Haring Township, MI | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet | Run one faucet at a pencil-lead-thin cold stream. |
| Kalamazoo, MI | 48 hours of accumulation (Ordinance 33-18). | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Negaunee, MI | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet | Shut-off to the house and under private property. |
| Traverse City, MI | Not tracked yet | Physical contact by plow equipment. | Not tracked yet |
| Aitkin, MN | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet | Curb stop to the building. |
| Blaine, MN | Not tracked yet | Up to $50. | Not tracked yet |
| Columbia Heights, MN | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet | Meter to the water main. |
| Duluth, MN | 24 hours after snowfall ends. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Edina, MN | 48 hours after a winter storm. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Golden Valley, MN | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet | Corporation stop to curb stop. |
| Grand Rapids, MN | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet | Main to curb stop, thawed by Public Utilities. |
| Hopkins, MN | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet | House to the water main, including both stops. |
| Jackson, MN | Not tracked yet | Plowing, winging, or snow blown beyond the curb. | Not tracked yet |
| Lake Elmo, MN | Not tracked yet | At the city's discretion. | Not tracked yet |
| Lake Park, MN | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet | Building to the water main. |
| Minneapolis, MN | 24 hours after snowfall ends. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Owatonna, MN | Not tracked yet | Breakaway mailbox support. | Not tracked yet |
| Rochester, MN | 24 hours after snowfall (Code 9-6-2). | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Saint Paul, MN | 24 hours after snowfall ends. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| St. Louis Park, MN | 6 daylight hours or noon the next day, whichever is longer. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Stillwater Township, MN | Not tracked yet | Up to $75. | Not tracked yet |
| Woodbury, MN | Not tracked yet | A plow striking a standard, USPS-compliant mailbox. | Not tracked yet |
| Bismarck, ND | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet | Restoring water from the main to the meter after extensive f |
| Fargo, ND | 24 hours after snowfall ends. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Lincoln, NE | 9 a.m. the day after the storm ends. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Chesterfield Township, NJ | Not tracked yet | $25. | Not tracked yet |
| West Milford, NJ | Not tracked yet | Up to $50. | Not tracked yet |
| Albany, NY | 24 hours after the storm ends. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| New York City, NY | Ends 7 a.m. to 4:59 p.m.: 4 hours. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Newburgh, NY | Not tracked yet | Highway Superintendent or designee. | Not tracked yet |
| Nichols, NY | Not tracked yet | $25. | Not tracked yet |
| Syracuse, NY | 6 p.m. the day after the snowfall. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Canal Winchester, OH | Not tracked yet | Failures caused by snow impact. | Not tracked yet |
| Lakewood, OH | 24 hours after a snowfall. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Mount Vernon, OH | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet | Up to 900 cubic feet per billing unit. |
| Perry, OH | Not tracked yet | Repair, a generic replacement, or $50 cash. | Not tracked yet |
| Caernarvon Township, PA | Not tracked yet | Direct plow strikes. | Not tracked yet |
| Liberty Township, PA | Not tracked yet | Up to $75 for a post and/or mailbox. | Not tracked yet |
| Northampton Township, PA | Not tracked yet | $60. | Not tracked yet |
| Philadelphia, PA | 6 hours after snowfall stops. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 24 hours after snow, sleet or freezing rain ends. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Solebury Township, PA | Not tracked yet | Direct plow strikes. | Not tracked yet |
| Sioux Falls, SD | 48 hours after snow stops. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| Rutland, VT | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet | $75 flat if the freeze is on the owner's side; waived on the |
| Elm Grove, WI | Not tracked yet | Direct contact with plow equipment. | Not tracked yet |
| Jackson, WI | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet | Main to curb stop. |
| Janesville, WI | Not tracked yet | Up to $50 for a replacement you buy. | Not tracked yet |
| Madison, WI | Noon the day after snow stops. | Up to $75. | At the utility's expense if the lateral is electrically cond |
| Milwaukee, WI | 24 hours after snow stops. | Not tracked yet | Not tracked yet |
| New Berlin, WI | Not tracked yet | $50. | Not tracked yet |
| Oak Creek, WI | Not tracked yet | Report it; a Public Works official inspects. | Not tracked yet |
| Three Lakes, WI | Not tracked yet | Direct plow strikes during the plowing season. | Not tracked yet |
| Wausau, WI | Not tracked yet | Up to $75. | Not tracked yet |
Need help this winter? Tell us what you need. See also all homeowner rules.