| Alaska | Yes |
- 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 private areas.
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| California | Yes |
- The act of putting snow or other materials on a public right-of-way is a violation of CVC 23112 and Section 724 of the California Streets and Highways Code, and is a misdemeanor.
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| Colorado | Yes |
- The owners of buildings, stores, and any other public places are responsible for removing snow and ice to enable safe
access to their property.
- Snow cannot be cleared onto a public highway.
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| Connecticut | Yes |
- Owner or resident is responsible for snow removal on adjacent public walkways and public gutters.
- Some cities require the owner also salt or sand the sidewalk and provide timeframes for when snow removal must occur.
- Owners may be liable if snow is cleared and an accident occurs.
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| Delaware | Yes |
- 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.
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| Idaho | Yes |
- The owner of a building (home, business, church, etc) is to keep their sidewalks clear of snow every day.
- Cities may charge private property owners for the cost of snow removal.
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| Illinois | Yes |
- 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.
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| Iowa | Yes |
- Property owners must clear snow from adjacent sidewalks within a reasonable time after a snowstorm.
- The entire width of the sidewalk must be cleared down to the concrete.
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| Massachusetts | Yes |
- 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.
- Snow cannot be cleared onto a state highway.
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| Nebraska | Yes |
- State laws enable the state to use private property to create snow fences if adjacent to a state highway. However, other snow removal laws are left up to cities.
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| New Hampshire | Yes |
- There is currently a bill in the works in New Hampshire with the intent of forcing leases to clarify whether the landlord or tenant is responsible for removing snow from their property.
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| New Jersey | Yes |
- 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.
- Multifamily property owners must clear snow and ice from public walkways and sidewalks on and in front of their property.
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| New York | Yes |
- Municipal ordinances require property owners to remove snow and ice from walkways and sidewalks outside their property to ensure pedestrian safety. If there is a bus stop or fire hydrant in front of their property, they must also clear the surrounding sidewalks.
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| North Carolina | Yes |
- The only statewide snow removal policies govern street clearing and do not address sidewalks. Property and sidewalk clearing laws vary based on the city, but typically prohibit depositing snow in roads and place time restrictions on when snow needs to be removed.
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| Oregon | Yes |
- Snow cannot be placed on any roads. Additionally, many cities regulate the clearing of sidewalks and hold property owners liable if someone is injured on a frozen sidewalk.
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| Pennsylvania | Yes |
- Property owners and occupants have a legal duty to shovel sidewalks within a specified time after a storm has ended. Failing to do so may result in a fine. City ordinances specify a time frame and how wide the path must be when removing snow.
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| Rhode Island | Yes |
- Snow and ice must be removed from sidewalks within a reasonable time frame or face fines, personal injury, or potential lawsuits if someone is injured. The specifics on fines and timeframes, however, are left up to cities.
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| Wisconsin | Yes |
- Owners or occupants are responsible; the board of public works will keep the city’s sidewalks clear of snow and ice in all cases where the owners or occupants of the abutting lots fail to do so. The expense of clearing will be included in a special tax to be levied. The city may also impose a fine or penalty for neglecting to keep sidewalks clear of snow and ice.
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| Alabama | No | |
| Arizona | No |
- In some cities in Arizona, local laws require owners, lessees, or residents to remove snow from public walkways bordering their property within 24 hours. Additionally, it is illegal to park on city streets and alleys during snow removal operations. These regulations depend on the specific local ordinances in each city.
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| Arkansas | No |
- No state snow-removal law. Owners may be liable if snow is cleared and an accident occurs.
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| Florida | No | |
| Georgia | No |
- No state snow-removal requirements. However, if an individual does shovel snow, it may not be placed in any public
road, street, or walkway.
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| Hawaii | No | |
| Indiana | No |
- Local regulations in some areas prohibit obstructing roadways, and pushing or shoveling snow into the street could be considered an obstruction. Additionally, property owners and occupants in these localities are required to clear sidewalks adjacent to their property, ensuring a 5-foot wide path is maintained. These rules are not statewide but depend on the specific local ordinances.
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| Kansas | No |
- In Wichita, KS property owners must shovel snow and ice from public sidewalks for face a fine and a misdemeanor.
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| Kentucky | No |
- Property owners are responsible for removing snow from walkways within 4 hours after daylight and after falling snow has ceased in Lexington, KY.
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| Louisiana | No |
- New Orleans has guidelines for the rare occurrence of winter weather, such as shoveling any snow as soon as possible to prevent it from compacting.
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| Maine | No |
- Residents and residential property owners have 12 hours to remove snow or ice after a storm has ended, in Portland, MI
- Other Maine cities may have similar laws. However, there is no state law in regards to property owners removing snow.
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| Maryland | No |
- Depending on the city, residents have 12-72 hours to remove snow from public sidewalks.
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| Michigan | No |
- City ordinances in Michigan ensure that snow, as well as ice, is removed from sidewalks in order to reduce the likelihood of injuries to pedestrians. Individuals cannot move snow or ice onto roads for safety reasons.
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| Minnesota | No |
- Cities are typically responsible for snow removal in public areas, and individuals cannot move snow onto sidewalks or roads.
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| Mississippi | No |
- 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.
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| Missouri | No |
- 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.
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| Montana | No |
- City ordinances require residents to clear public walkways, driveways and sidewalks of snow and ice within 24 hours.
- Residents and business owners are encouraged to shovel snow from sidewalks and driveway openings back onto their property instead of the streets.
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| Nevada | No |
- No statewide laws, but there are local laws. Generally, property owners need to understand that the burden is on them to keep their properties and the adjoining public sidewalks free and clear of snow, ice, and other dangerous conditions. Failure to do so could result in significant liability exposure if a member of the public suffers injury as a result of a slip and fall.
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| New Mexico | No |
- In some cities, property owners must shovel their sidewalks after each snowstorm to ensure safe pedestrian access. Snowplows may make multiple passes, pushing snow onto already cleared sidewalks, which the property owner must clear again. These rules are not statewide but depend on local ordinances.
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| North Dakota | No |
- In Fargo, ND, the Street Department maintains approximately 34 miles of City sidewalk and will clear sidewalk snow and ice following a storm. However, in Bismarck, ND residents are required to clear all snow and ice from their sidewalks and crosswalks.
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| Ohio | No |
- No official state law requires homeowners to remove snow.
- However, several local ordinances do require owners or residents to remove snow from public sidewalks.
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| Oklahoma | No |
- An ordinance in Tulsa, OK states that property owners and residents must remove snow from public sidewalks on their property within 24 hrs after snowfall.
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| South Carolina | No |
- It is recommended for property owners to keep their properties free of hazards.
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| South Dakota | No |
- South Dakota state law gives every municipality the power to require its citizens to remove snow and ice from sidewalks adjacent to their property. These municipalities place specific requirements on who needs to remove the snow and when they need to do so, such as Summerset’s requirement for owners or occupants to remove snow within 24 hours of the snowfall.
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| Tennessee | No |
- Property owners are expected to take steps to remove snow and ice within a reasonable time after it has formed
or accumulated.
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| Texas | No |
- While not every city in Texas has an ordinance on snow removal, in Dallas, Ordinances Nos. 3314 and 19398 state that an owner, tenant, lessee, or occupant must remove snow and ice from the sidewalk in front of the building. Residents have 3 hrs to clear snow and ice that falls or accumulates before 4 p.m.
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| Utah | No |
- There is a city ordinance in Salt Lake City, UT, that requires the owner or occupant of a property to remove snow and ice from their whole sidewalk adjacent to their property within 24 hours after a storm.
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| Vermont | No |
- No specific state laws regarding snow removal from sidewalks around residential properties.
- The state empowers municipalities and governing bodies to determine ordinances and laws.
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| Virginia | No |
- Municipalities have jurisdiction over fines and other criteria for snow removal, conducted by either the owner or the occupant. However, they cannot charge more than $100 in fines for violations of the city ordinances.
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| Washington | No |
- In some cities and towns, the property owner is responsible for the maintenance of sidewalks or may delegate this responsibility to the tenant, occupant, or lessee by written agreement. Each locality has its own specific rules.
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| West Virginia | No |
- In Morgantown, WV, property owners are required to clear snow and ice from sidewalks adjacent to their property within 24 hours of a snow event. Snow and ice removal from personal walkways, stairs, driveways, and parking spaces is at the discretion of the property owner. However, if these walkways, stairs, driveways, and parking spaces are for rental or business property, they do fall within the same 24-hour clean-up standard. Other cities may differ, as these laws are left to cities.
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| Wyoming | No |
- Owners and occupants must clear snow from the sidewalks, or streets or alleys when required by ordinance. Failure to do so may result in city removal, with the cost of removal assessed against the property. The cost of removal constitutes a lien against the property to be collected in the same manner as special assessments.
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