Weed Ordinances
Landscaping Rules
Requirements to keep weeds and grass below a set height, the numeric limits (commonly 8 to 12 inches), abatement notices, and the liens cities can place after mowing it themselves.
How Weed Ordinances Rules Differ by Place
Birmingham, AL: Overgrown Weeds Are a Public Nuisance (Over 10 In.)
Heavy RestrictionsBirmingham Code section 11-8-8(c) makes it unlawful to let weeds, shrubs, grass or other vegetable growth on an uncultivated lot exceed ten inches, and Alabama Code section 11-67-60…
Phoenix, AZ: Weeds over six inches and tumbleweeds prohibited
Heavy RestrictionsPhoenix City Code Sec. 39-7(D) bars weeds higher than six inches and tumbleweeds on any premises, and Sec. 31-10 requires owners to keep abutting sidewalks, alleys, and streets free of…
Redwood City, CA: Redwood City Sidewalk-Area Weed and Rubbish Rule
Heavy RestrictionsRedwood City makes it unlawful for an owner or occupant of property fronting an improved street with cement sidewalks or curbs to allow grass, weeds, dirt, rubbish, or other…
Solano County, CA: Solano County Weed Abatement: Nuisance + State Fire Law
Few RestrictionsUnincorporated Solano County does not have a separate numbered weed-abatement chapter; overgrown, dead, or hazardous vegetation is abated as a public nuisance under Solano County Code…
Marion County, FL: Grass Height & Overgrown Lots in Marion County
Few RestrictionsMarion County has no countywide numeric grass-height ordinance for unincorporated property. Overgrown lots are addressed mainly through Florida's sanitary-nuisance law (Fla. Stat…
Linn County, IA: Linn County Has No Grass-Height Rule
Few RestrictionsLinn County stripped the weeds section from the property maintenance code it adopted, so unincorporated parts of the county have no general grass or weed height limit outside licensed…
Weed Ordinances Rules by State
Statewide law governs this topic in many states. Each entry links to that state's full page.
Colorado
Some RestrictionsColorado's Noxious Weed Act, C.R.S. § 35-5.5-104, makes it the duty of every landowner to use integrated management on noxious weeds likely to damage a neighbor's land. The county or…
Idaho
Heavy RestrictionsIdaho Code § 22-2407 makes it the duty of every landowner to control noxious weeds on their land, at their own expense, under rules set by the director of agriculture. County control…
Illinois
Some RestrictionsIllinois law designates noxious weeds and requires landowners to control them on all property regardless of municipal weed ordinances.
Indiana
Significant RestrictionsIndiana Code § 15-16-8-3 requires every person who owns or possesses real estate to destroy detrimental plants, Canada thistle, Johnsongrass, Palmer amaranth, and nine other named…
Iowa
Some RestrictionsIowa Code chapter 317 puts a statutory duty on every landowner and tenant to cut, burn, or otherwise destroy noxious weeds under Section 317.10, following the destruction program the…
Kansas
Heavy RestrictionsKansas law makes noxious weed control an individual legal duty under K.S.A. 2-1314(a): every person must control and eradicate designated noxious weeds on land they own or supervise…
Maine
Some RestrictionsMaine's Title 30-A, §3291 puts a roadside weed-and-brush duty on landowners whose property adjoins a public highway or town way. Once a municipality does the first clearing, the…
Minnesota
Heavy RestrictionsMinnesota Statutes §18.78 makes every landowner, land occupant, and public-land caretaker responsible for managing noxious weeds under the categories set in §18.771…
Missouri
Some RestrictionsMissouri law makes every landowner responsible for controlling noxious weeds. RSMo §263.190.2 requires owners, including corporations, railroads, cities, and even state agencies, to…
Montana
Heavy RestrictionsMontana's County Noxious Weed Control Act requires every landowner to manage state-listed noxious weeds on their property. County weed districts have statutory authority to inspect…
Nebraska
Heavy RestrictionsNebraska Revised Statute 2-952 places an affirmative legal duty on every person who owns or controls land in the state to control the spread of noxious weeds, using methods the…
Nevada
Some RestrictionsNRS 555.150 requires every person who owns, controls, or occupies land in Nevada, along with railroads, canal and ditch companies, counties, and cities, to control weeds the State…
North Dakota
Heavy RestrictionsNorth Dakota Century Code § 4.1-47-02 makes it every person's duty to control the spread of noxious weeds and bars selling or distributing them statewide. County and city weed boards…
Ohio
Some RestrictionsOhio Revised Code § 5579.05 requires a landowner to cut or destroy noxious weeds, wild parsnip, wild carrot, oxeye daisy, or wild mustard within five days of township notice, or…
Pennsylvania
Some RestrictionsThe Pennsylvania Controlled Plant and Noxious Weed Act requires all property owners statewide to control designated noxious weeds, preempting any conflicting local exemptions.
South Dakota
Some RestrictionsSDCL § 38-22-23.13 lets a county weed and pest board confirm an infestation by resolution and order the landowner to meet minimum remedial requirements at the owner's own expense…
Tennessee
Significant RestrictionsTennessee imposes no statewide duty to cut weeds already growing on your land. Instead, Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0080-06-24-.02 bans propagating, selling, offering for sale, or releasing…
Virginia
Some RestrictionsVirginia doesn't set a statewide grass-height limit. Instead, Va. Code § 15.2-901 lets every city, county, and town pass its own ordinance forcing owners of occupied, vacant…
Washington
Significant RestrictionsRCW 17.10.140 makes every Washington landowner eradicate all Class A noxious weeds and control the spread of Class B and C weeds designated for their region. County noxious weed…
Wisconsin
Some RestrictionsWisconsin Statute 66.0407 universally requires every property owner to destroy noxious weeds, including Canada thistle, leafy spurge, and field bindweed, on their land. Municipalities…
Wyoming
Some RestrictionsThe Wyoming Weed and Pest Control Act establishes a uniform statewide system of county weed and pest districts that designate noxious weeds, levy taxes, and require landowners…
Cities & Counties with Weed Ordinances Rules
666 locations
Alabama
Louisiana
Minnesota
Other Landscaping Rules Topics
Tree Trimming
Rules about trimming trees that overhang sidewalks, streets, or neighboring properties, and when you need permission to prune city trees.
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
Permit requirements for removing trees on private property, protected and significant tree thresholds, replacement planting standards, and the penalties for unpermitted removal.
Water Restrictions
Watering schedules, drought restrictions, and limits on outdoor irrigation including which days and times you can water your lawn.
Rainwater Harvesting
Whether you can collect rainwater, how much you can store, and any permits or tank size restrictions for residential rain barrels and cisterns.
Native Plants
Incentives or requirements for using native and drought-tolerant plants in your landscaping, and rules about replacing traditional lawns.
Artificial Turf
Rules about installing synthetic grass, including whether it counts toward water-saving rebates and any HOA or city restrictions.
Composting
Rules for backyard composting bins and piles plus curbside organics, bin requirements, allowed materials, setbacks, pest control, and any mandated diversion programs.