Reading, PA Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Height limit
- 6 inches (152.4 mm)
- Governing code
- IPMC § 302.4
- Exempt
- cultivated flowers, gardens
- Non-compliance
- City cuts and bills owner
Summary
Reading caps grass, weeds and plant growth on any property at six inches; the City can serve a notice of violation and, if ignored, send a crew to cut the weeds and bill the owner.
302.4 Weeds. Premises and exterior property shall be maintained free from weeds or plant growth in excess of six (6) inches (152.4 mm). Noxious weeds shall be prohibited. Weeds shall be defined as all grasses, annual plants and vegetation, other than trees or shrubs provided; however, this term shall not include cultivated flowers and gardens. Upon failure of the owner or agent having charge of a property to cut and destroy weeds after service of a notice of Violation, they shall be subject to prosecution in accordance with Section 106.3 and as prescribed by the authority having jurisdiction. Upon failure to comply with the notice of violation, any duly authorized employee of the jurisdiction or contractor hired by the jurisdiction shall be authorized to enter upon the property in violation and cut and destroy the weeds growing thereon, and the costs of such removal shall be paid by the owner or agent responsible for the property.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-8: Current through August 10, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under the city's adopted Property Maintenance Code, premises and exterior property throughout Reading must be kept free of weeds or plant growth taller than six inches, and noxious weeds are prohibited outright. The rule defines weeds broadly as grasses, annual plants and vegetation, but exempts cultivated flowers and gardens. If an owner or agent ignores a notice of violation to cut overgrown weeds, the City is authorized to send its own crew or a hired contractor onto the property to cut and destroy them, then bill the owner or agent for the cost of that work.
Violations & Fines
Ignoring a weed notice of violation exposes the owner to prosecution under the Property Maintenance Code's general penalty: $75-$500 for the first two uncorrected violations, $150-$1,000 for later ones, plus the City's cutting costs and a $50 Neighborhood Mitigation Penalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can grass legally get in Reading before it's a violation?
What happens if I don't cut overgrown weeds after a notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Reading
How Reading compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Reading to another location·View the Pennsylvania landscaping rules overview
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