Jersey City, NJ Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- §§ 182-30, 182-31
- Standard
- Qualitative: no numeric height set
- Covers
- Ragweed, poison ivy, high weeds, overgrown brush/grass
- Applies to
- Any lot, building, or right-of-way, public or private
- Notice period
- Minimum 5 days before City abates
- Enforcer
- Division of Health
Summary
Jersey City declares ragweed, poison ivy, high weeds and overgrown brush and grass a public nuisance on any lot, building or right-of-way, public or private. Code § 182-30 bars owners, tenants and occupants from letting them grow or exist, and § 182-31 lets the Division of Health order abatement on as little as five days' notice.
The infestation of rodents and vermin and the growth or existence of ragweed, poison ivy, high weeds and overgrown brush and grass in or on any building, structure, plot of land, lot, street, highway, right-of-way or any other public or private place is declared to be a nuisance and detrimental to public health. No owner, tenant or occupant of any building, structure, plot of land, lot, street, highway, right-of-way or any other public or private place shall cause, allow or permit rodent or vermin infestation, ragweed, poison ivy, high weeds and overgrown brush and grass to grow or exist thereon.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 52).
Full Breakdown
Article V of Chapter 182, titled 'Rodent and Vermin Infestation; Ragweed, Poison Ivy, High Weeds and Overgrown Brush and Grass' and rewritten by Ord. No. 99-170 in 1999, treats overgrown vegetation as a public-health nuisance rather than a pure aesthetics rule. ' The article doesn't set a numeric height threshold for 'high weeds', the standard is qualitative, not a measured inch count, but it applies to every lot and right-of-way in the city, public or private, not just residential yards. Enforcement runs through § 182-31: when the Health Officer or designee finds a violation, written notice goes to the owner giving 'not less than five days' to abate, with a duplicate left with a tenant or occupant, unless the Health Officer determines in writing that a rodent or insect infestation poses an imminent danger, which allows faster action.
If the owner doesn't comply within the notice period, the Division of Health may abate the nuisance itself 'by such means as the Division of Health shall deem proper,' and § 182-32 lets the City recover its abatement costs from the owner in a civil action.
Violations & Fines
Beyond the City's right to abate overgrown weeds and grass itself and bill the owner under § 182-32, § 182-34 makes any refusal or neglect to comply with the article punishable under the Code's general penalty, § 1-25: up to a $2,000 fine, 90 days' imprisonment and/or community service, with each day of continued violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a maximum grass height in Jersey City's code?
How much notice does Jersey City give before cutting overgrown weeds itself?
Does the high-weeds rule apply to vacant lots as well as occupied homes?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jersey City
How Jersey City compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Jersey City to another location·View the New Jersey landscaping rules overview
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