Local Law 18 of 2010 added Administrative Code section 24-242 to cap leaf-blower noise at 65 decibels at 50 feet and limit operation to weekdays and Saturdays, but unlike many California cities NYC has not banned gas-powered backpack blowers citywide.
NYC Administrative Code section 24-242 imposes a 65 dBA noise ceiling measured at 50 feet for any leaf blower used inside the five boroughs and forbids operation between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m., on Sundays, and on holidays under most conditions. The Department of Environmental Protection enforces the rule alongside Department of Parks rules that ban blowers outright in city parks during summer months. Although City Council members have introduced gas-blower phase-out bills (Intro 0073 of 2022) modeled on California Assembly Bill 1346, none have passed as of 2026. Some private buildings and Business Improvement Districts impose stricter electric-only rules.
Operating a non-compliant leaf blower violates Admin Code section 24-244 and carries fines from $175 to $875 per offense; using any blower during prohibited hours can trigger separate noise-code summonses under Admin Code section 24-218.
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New York, NY
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See how New York's gas leaf blower ban rules stack up against other locations.
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