Westchester County, NY Noise Ordinances: Leaf Blower Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Licensed landscapers only
- Emission standard
- EPA Phase 2, 2007
- Effective date
- Jan. 1, 2009
- Hours/seasonal ban
- Set by municipality, not county
Summary
Westchester County requires landscaping and gardening licensees to use only EPA Phase 2, 2007-compliant leaf blowers operated per manufacturer specs; it sets no hours or seasonal ban.
Effective January 1, 2009, no licensee engaged in the business of landscaping, gardening, arboriculture, or any similar outdoor vocation, nor its agent, affiliate or employee, shall operate a leaf blower that does not meet EPA Phase 2, 2007 exhaust emission standards or that does not operate in accordance with manufacturer's instructions or specifications.2.Ninety days from the effective date of this local law, and to the extent practicable, the Director or sealer shall notify all licensees and applicants and provide:(a)A copy of this local law regarding the operation of leaf blowers by a contractor or licensee under this section; and(b)A copy of EPA Phase 2, 2007 exhaust emission standards.3.Nothing in this section shall be deemed to supersede any municipal ordinance or rule regulating the use of leaf blowers or any similar device. (Added by L.L. No. 3-2007, § 5; L.L. No. 23-2020, § 33, 12-10-2020)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 47).
Full Breakdown
Under § 863.327 of the county's home-improvement licensing article, any home improvement licensee doing landscaping, gardening or arboriculture work, and their employees, must use leaf blowers meeting EPA Phase 2, 2007 exhaust emission standards and follow the manufacturer's operating instructions. The rule targets contractor equipment, not use hours or a seasonal ban, and the county expressly leaves municipal leaf-blower ordinances in place: "Nothing in this section shall be deemed to supersede any municipal ordinance or rule regulating the use of leaf blowers or any similar device."
Violations & Fines
Operating a non-compliant leaf blower as a licensed contractor violates the county's home improvement licensing rules; hour and seasonal restrictions are set locally, not by the county.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Westchester County ban leaf blowers by season or time of day?
Who does the county leaf blower emissions rule apply to?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Westchester County
How Westchester County compares: Cities with the Strictest Leaf Blower Rules·New York rules heatmap·Compare Westchester County to another location·View the New York noise ordinances overview
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