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Lancaster County, PA Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified July 2026

Key Facts

County rule
None: municipal + state
State noxious-weed law
3 Pa.C.S. Ch. 15 (Act 46, 2017)
Enforcing agency
PA Dept. of Agriculture
Prohibited
Cultivating/propagating noxious weeds
Local overgrowth
Municipal nuisance ordinance

Summary

Lancaster County sets no weed ordinance; your municipality does (e.g., Lancaster City's six-inch limit). Statewide, Pennsylvania's Controlled Plants and Noxious Weeds law bars cultivating or propagating listed noxious weeds and lets the state order landowners to treat them.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Lancaster County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Except as established in an individual permit allowing educational or research purposes, it shall be a violation of this chapter to distribute, cultivate or propagate any noxious weed within this Commonwealth.

View official code

Full Breakdown

Overgrown weeds on residential lots are a municipal nuisance matter, not a county one: for example, the City of Lancaster's Chapter 105 bars grass or weeds over six inches. Separately, Pennsylvania's statewide Controlled Plants and Noxious Weeds law (Act 46 of 2017, 3 Pa.C.S. Ch. 15) makes it a violation to distribute, cultivate, or propagate any listed noxious weed, and empowers the PA Department of Agriculture to issue a control order requiring a landowner to treat noxious weeds such as Palmer amaranth or giant hogweed. That state program is enforced by the Department, not by Lancaster County government.

Violations & Fines

Municipal: cut-and-bill plus summary fine. State: PA Dept. of Agriculture control order; failure to comply allows treatment and cost recovery, plus civil penalties under 3 Pa.C.S. Ch. 15.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are tall weeds a county violation in Lancaster County?
No. Overgrown-weed nuisance rules are set and enforced by your city, borough, or township, not by the county.
What are noxious weeds in Pennsylvania?
State-listed plants (Class A, B, or C) that are illegal to cultivate or propagate. The PA Department of Agriculture can order a landowner to treat them under 3 Pa.C.S. Ch. 15.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Lancaster County

Noise Ordinances: Quiet HoursSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Construction HoursSome RestrictionsTree Removal & Heritage TreesSome RestrictionsTree TrimmingSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Vehicle NoiseSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Leaf Blower RulesSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Barking DogsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesSome Restrictions

All Lancaster County rules

How Lancaster County compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Lancaster County to another location·View the Pennsylvania landscaping rules overview

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