Cambridge, MA Noise Ordinances: Leaf Blower Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permitted season
- Mar 15-Jun 15 and Sep 15-Dec 31
- Weekday hours
- 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Saturday hours
- 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Noise cap
- 65 decibels at 50 feet
- Gas phase-out, owners
- Ended March 15, 2025
- Gas phase-out, commercial/municipal
- Ended March 15, 2026
- Enacted by
- Ord. No. 2023-10, Dec. 4, 2023
Summary
Cambridge bans gas-powered leaf blowers outright and limits all leaf blowers, gas or electric, to two seasonal windows: March 15 to June 15 and September 15 to December 31. Use is capped at 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays, with a 65-decibel manufacturer cap.
1.The use of leaf blowers is at all times prohibited except between March 15 and June 15 and between September 15 and December 31 of each calendar year.2.The use of leaf blowers is further prohibited on Sundays and legal holidays except...Indigenous Peoples' Day and Veterans' Day...4.On days leaf blowers may be used such use by all users is limited to: (a) Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., (b) on Saturdays, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m....9.All leaf blowers shall satisfy the emissions standards of the United States Environmental Protection Agency. All leaf blowers shall be rated by the manufacturer to produce an A-weighted sound pressure level no greater than 65 decibels at a distance of fifty feet as rated by the manufacturer using the American National Standards Institute testing criteria.
Full Breakdown
081 by Ord. No. 2023-10 on December 4, 2023, phases out gas-powered leaf blowers citywide while tightening when any leaf blower, gas or electric, can run. 3, use is 'at all times prohibited except between March 15 and June 15 and between September 15 and December 31,' and further barred on Sundays and legal holidays other than Indigenous Peoples' Day and Veterans' Day. m. on Saturday. Every leaf blower must meet EPA emissions standards and be rated by its manufacturer at no more than 65 decibels measured fifty feet away, and on lots of 10,000 square feet or less only one blower may run at a time.
4 phased out gas-powered use by individual property owners as of March 15, 2025, and by commercial operators, multi-parcel owners, and the City itself as of March 15, 2026, so gas-powered blowers are now barred citywide outside narrow carve-outs for parcels of an acre or more, emergency storm cleanup, and municipal cemetery, park, and golf-course crews. '
Violations & Fines
Enforcement runs through § 8.16.081.5 and the general noise-ordinance penalties in § 8.16.040: the Police Commissioner, the Inspectional Services Commissioner, the License Commission chair, and the Commissioner of Public Works can all cite violators. A citation carries a $300 fine under G.L. c. 40, § 21D, and each day of noncompliant use, whether wrong season, wrong hour, over the decibel cap, or an unpermitted gas blower, is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still use a gas leaf blower on my own lawn?
What months can I blow leaves at all?
Do landscapers need a permit?
Is there an exception for big properties or storm cleanup?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cambridge
How Cambridge compares: Cities with the Strictest Leaf Blower Rules·Compare Cambridge to another location·View the Massachusetts noise ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Leaf Blower Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle leaf blower rules.