Albany, NY Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Local Authority
- Local authority: Albany City Code §313-51.1 — Property Maintenance
- State Authority
- State authority: 2020 Property Maintenance Code of New York State §302.4 (Weeds)
- Maximum Lawful Weed/Grass Height On Developed Areas Of A Premises
- Maximum lawful weed/grass height on developed areas of a premises: 10 inches
- Noxious Weeds Regardless
- Noxious weeds are prohibited regardless of height
- Enforcement Agency
- Enforcement agency: Albany Department of General Services (DGS)
- Dgs May Issue
- DGS may issue a notice to remedy OR abate directly and bill/fine
- Some Cases (chronic
- Some cases (chronic / vacant properties) skip notice and proceed straight to
Summary
Albany enforces tall-grass and weed complaints under City Code §313-51.1, which requires all properties to be maintained free of heavy overgrowth and accumulation of weeds, and under the New York State Property Maintenance Code, Section 302.4, which sets the substantive ceiling: "All developed areas of a premises that are intended to be used by building occupants or the public shall be maintained free from weeds in excess of 10 inches (254 mm). Noxious weeds shall be prohibited." Enforcement is handled by the Department of General Services (DGS), which can issue a notice to remedy or, in many cases, abate the overgrowth directly and bill the property owner.
All properties must be maintained free of heavy overgrowth and or accumulation of weeds. The Department of General Services will take action if private properties show excessive overgrowth. Property owners may receive notification to remedy violations, but if the issue persists after the allotted time, the city will clean the property and bill the owner.
Full Breakdown
Albany regulates lawn overgrowth and weeds through two layered authorities. " The City's Property Maintenance page identifies the Department of General Services (DGS) as the enforcement agency. The substantive numeric threshold comes from the New York State Property Maintenance Code, which Albany has adopted as the operative property-maintenance code for the city. 4 (Weeds) states verbatim: "All developed areas of a premises that are intended to be used by building occupants or the public shall be maintained free from weeds in excess of 10 inches (254 mm).
" The 10-inch standard applies to developed/used portions of the lot, front yards, side yards, rear yards adjacent to walkways, parking areas, and similar spaces, not necessarily to undeveloped wooded edges. DGS handles complaints by issuing a written notice giving the owner time to mow and remove debris; if the owner does not comply, DGS may dispatch a crew to abate the violation and bill the owner for the mowing, administrative costs, and applicable fines. , snake/rodent harborage), the page notes that DGS may abate immediately without prior notice and bill the costs to the property. Unpaid abatement charges can be added to the city tax bill as a lien on the property.
Violations & Fines
Allowing weeds or grass in developed yard areas to exceed 10 inches in height, or permitting noxious weeds to grow at any height, is a violation of City Code §313-51.1 and PMCNYS §302.4. The Department of General Services may serve a notice to remedy with a short cure period (typically 7–10 days). Non-compliance results in city-performed abatement (mowing/cleanup) billed to the owner, plus administrative fines. Unpaid charges may be added to the property's tax bill as a lien. Repeat offenders, vacant-property owners, and properties with noxious-weed infestations can be cited without prior notice and may face escalating per-occurrence fines.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can my grass be in Albany, NY before it's a violation?
Who do I call to report tall grass or weeds on a property in Albany?
What happens if I don't mow after Albany sends me a notice?
Does Albany regulate noxious weeds separately?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Albany
How Albany compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·New York rules heatmap·Compare Albany to another location·View the New York landscaping rules overview
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Weed Ordinances in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Albany County handle weed ordinances.