It’s that time of year again: There’s snow in the forecast for NYC. Every winter, that raises a question that strikes fear into many New Yorkers’ hearts: “Do I have to shovel?” When the white stuff piles up on city sidewalks, especially in residential areas, who is responsible for snow removal in NYC? Is it tenants? Landlords? The city? We reveal who is responsible for what.

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Midwood

1947 Ocean Avenue

$1,995 No Fee

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Fort Hamilton

16 94th Street

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Ditmas Park

684 East 21st Street

$2,450 No Fee

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Weeksville

1481 Sterling Place

$2,271 No Fee

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Weeksville

889 Empire Boulevard

$2,200 No Fee

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Bensonhurst

1973 81st Street

$2,000 No Fee

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Borough Park

1525 60th Street

$1,850 No Fee

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Crown Heights

1100 Dean Street

$2,075 No Fee

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Bushwick

1569 Broadway

$2,350 No Fee

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Kensington

392 East 4th Street

$2,495 No Fee

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Kensington

392 East 4th Street

$2,295 No Fee

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Flatbush

2223 Cortelyou Road

$2,000 No Fee

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Rules for Snow Removal in NYC

Landlord-tenant law isn’t always perfectly clear about who is responsible for specific tasks. And that’s certainly true in the case of ice and snow removal in NYC. According to one local landlord-tenant lawyer, the final word on tasks like shoveling snow is the landlord-tenant lease agreement. 

“In certain settings,” says attorney Steven Smollens, “a tenant may become the responsible party for maintaining the sidewalk. The lease should state this responsibility.”

Often, large buildings with multiple tenants will use a property management company to take care of work like fixing appliances and leaks. They are also often tasked with clearing snow from the property. Be sure to check your lease to see if this applies to your building. 

NYC’s sanitation rules and regulations outline who is responsible for maintaining the sidewalks in front of buildings. They’re published by the New York City Department of Sanitation. The regulation states, “Every owner, lessee, tenant, occupant, or other person having charge of any lot or building must clean snow and ice from the sidewalks adjacent to their properties.”

Whoever is named responsible in the lease agreement should clear sidewalks of snow and ice without delay if at all possible. If ice is too hard to remove, you can sprinkle sand or rock salt on top to make it safer to walk on. 

Psst, is your apartment freezing cold? Get up to speed on NYC Heat Laws.

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Chelsea

393 Eighth Avenue

$2,500 No Fee

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Yorkville

236 East 82nd Street

$2,325 No Fee

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Yorkville

313 East 89th Street

$2,300 No Fee

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Lower East Side

68 Forsyth Street

$2,170 No Fee

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Lincoln Square

116 West 69th Street

$1,875 No Fee

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Inwood

17 Vermilyea Avenue

$2,295 No Fee

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Two Bridges

17 Pike Street

$2,400 No Fee

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Hudson Heights

10 Overlook Terrace

$1,700 No Fee

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Central Harlem

10 West 132nd Street

$2,150 No Fee

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Gramercy Park

333 East 17th Street

$1,950 No Fee

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Two Bridges

74-80 Madison Street

$2,300 No Fee

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Hell’s Kitchen

450 West 55th Street

$2,300 No Fee

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What’s the Penalty for Not Shoveling?

The rules are a bit complicated. How quickly snow must be cleared depends on what time of day the flakes stop falling. If the snow stops falling in the daytime, after 7 a.m. and before 5 p.m., it must be cleared within four hours. If it stops in the evening, between 5 p.m. and 8:59 p.m., it must be cleared within 14 hours. And if it stops overnight, between 9 p.m. and 6:59 a.m., it must be cleared by 11 a.m.

Failure to comply with required ice and snow removal in NYC can result in a fine for the owner of the building. This is true even if shoveling is spelled out in the lease as the tenant’s responsibility. If this is the case, Smollens says, the landlord can sue the tenant for the amount of the fine. City fine amounts are spelled out in the regulation as follows:

• $100–$150 for a first offense
• $150–$350 for a second offense
• $250–$350 for third and subsequent offenses

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Astoria

32-29 Steinway Street

$2,500 No Fee

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Forest Hills

61-20 Grand Central Parkway

$1,900 No Fee

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Briarwood

84-11 Lander Street

$2,095 No Fee

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Rego Park

64-54 Booth Street

$2,095 No Fee

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Ditmars-Steinway

21-38 Crescent Street

$2,135 No Fee

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Astoria

31-42 43rd Street

$2,200 No Fee

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Kew Gardens

83-84 116th Street

$2,490 No Fee

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Forest Hills

111-14 76th Avenue

$1,995 No Fee

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Middle Village

61-88 Dry Harbor Road

$1,975 No Fee

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Ridgewood

56-50 Myrtle Avenue

$2,500 No Fee

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Kew Gardens

83-15 116th Street

$1,844 No Fee

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Astoria

26-39 30th Street

$2,200 No Fee

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What if Someone Slips and Falls?

In terms of personal injury, accidents due to snowy, icy sidewalks are a serious liability. If someone is seriously injured after the 4-hour time limit has expired, the responsible party could be liable for hefty damages. In addition to being fined, they might also be sued by the injured party.

Smollens recommends that a tenant responsible for an entire building — i.e., they rent an entire townhouse — discuss liability issues with an insurance agent. If the tenant is not identified as the responsible party per the lease agreement, then the owner is liable for injuries, he says.

A building with multiple tenants might employ a superintendent or property manager who is responsible for clearing the sidewalks. Even if the building is serviced by a property manager, the city will likely fine the owner of the building. But, the owner could then pursue legal remedy from the management company.

Thus, any person who is injured may make a personal injury claim against both the owner and the management company for damages, Smollens says.