How long do I have to clear my sidewalk after it snows in New Jersey?
It depends on the town, because New Jersey has no single statewide deadline. Across the 171 northern NJ towns we checked, it runs from 5 hours of daylight in Alpha to 48 hours in Wayne, and 12 and 24 hours are the most common.
Read the wording closely. Many towns count hours of daylight, not hours on the clock, and others start the clock when the snow stops or set a fixed time like 9 a.m. or noon the next day.
Several towns give businesses less time than homes. Fort Lee gives commercial, professional and office property four daylight hours, for example.
Our table lists each town's rule with the ordinance section it comes from. Codes change, so check the current ordinance before relying on a deadline.
Go deeper
More on sidewalks & nj town rules
- Who is responsible for clearing the sidewalk in front of a business in NJ?
- Can my town fine me for not clearing the sidewalk?
- Can my plow contractor push snow into the street?
- Is rock salt banned on sidewalks anywhere in New Jersey?
- Who is responsible for snow removal at a commercial property, the landlord or the tenant?
- Do I need a permit to plow or haul snow in New Jersey?
From JRW Services LLC, commercial snow and ice management across Sussex, Passaic, Bergen, Morris and Warren counties, NJ. All answers
Need this handled at your property?
Call (973) 459-0074 or send the form, and we will walk the site and put it in writing before the first storm.