Huntsville, AL Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Height limit (in subdivision)
- 8 inches
- Height limit (adjacent property)
- 12 inches
- Weed lien fee
- $50.00 plus mowing costs
- Enforcement
- Community Development Division
- Compliance window after hearing
- 5 days
Summary
Huntsville caps grass and weeds at 8 inches on lots inside a platted subdivision (12 inches on property adjacent to one) as a public nuisance, enforced by the Community Development Division with citations and lien-backed mowing.
...any growth of grass or weeds, other than ornamental growth, which exceeds a height of eight inches growing upon any lot or parcel of land within any platted, subdivided, or improved residential, commercial or industrial subdivision, and any growth of grass or weeds, other than ornamental growth, which exceeds a height of 12 inches on property adjacent to a platted, subdivided, or improved residential, commercial or industrial subdivision.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 30 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Code enforcement officers in the Community Development Division can serve notice and call an administrative hearing before ordering the owner to comply within 5 days (Sec. 27-96). If ignored, the city can mow the lot itself and bill the owner, with unpaid costs becoming a $50 weed lien plus mowing costs collected by the Madison County Tax Collector (Sec. 14-4), or issue a municipal court citation. Repeat offenders face escalating fines under Sec. 1-7(c)(3): up to $500 plus 10 days on a first offense, rising to mandatory jail time on a third conviction within 24 months.
Violations & Fines
Overgrown lots over 8 inches (12 inches if adjacent to a subdivision) draw a compliance notice; failure to cut brings a $50 weed lien, city-billed mowing costs, or a municipal court citation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can grass get before it's a violation in Huntsville?
What happens if I don't cut an overgrown lot after notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Huntsville
How Huntsville compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Huntsville to another location·View the Alabama landscaping rules overview
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Weed Ordinances in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Madison County handle weed ordinances.