Amherst, NY Parking Rules: Snow Removal Parking Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit fee
- $40 per vehicle, nonrefundable
- Permit season
- September 1 to August 31
- Max penalty
- $250 fine or 15 days jail
- Enforced by
- Police, Highways, Refuse, Building Depts.
- Applies
- Town outside Village of Williamsville
Summary
The Town of Amherst requires anyone who plows snow with a vehicle outside the Village of Williamsville to hold an annual permit from the Town Clerk, and separately bars any person from piling or plowing snow into a street, highway or public sidewalk in a way that blocks safe travel. Violators face a fine of up to $250, up to 15 days in jail, or both.
No person, firm or corporation shall plow snow or cause or allow same to be plowed by the use of any vehicle within the Town of Amherst outside the Village of Williamsville unless a permit therefore as hereinafter prescribed, issued by the Town Clerk, is in full force and effect and such permit is prominently displayed by affixing it to the vehicle so as to be readily visible from the exterior thereof. ... No person or private entity shall plow, shovel, sweep or pile snow, ice or other materials in or beyond the right-of-way of any street or public highway or upon any public sidewalk, or cause such to be done so as to interfere with the safety and convenience of public travel.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 166 of the Amherst Town Code, adopted in 1972 and last amended in 2021, splits snow regulation into two duties: a permit system for people who plow for others, and a blanket ban on dumping snow into the public way. Under § 166-2, no person, firm or corporation may plow snow with a vehicle anywhere in the Town of Amherst outside the Village of Williamsville unless the vehicle carries a current permit sticker issued by the Town Clerk and affixed so it is visible from outside the vehicle; each season's sticker is a different color.
Section 166-3 sets the application process: the vehicle owner applies in writing with the vehicle's VIN and New York plate number, pays a nonrefundable $40 fee per vehicle, and if the Town Clerk denies the application may appeal to the Town Board. Permits run September 1 through August 31 and cannot be transferred to a new owner; the Town posts the list of permitted plowing companies on its website. Separately, § 166-4 bars any person or private entity, permitted or not, from plowing, shoveling, sweeping or piling snow, ice or other material in or beyond a street's right-of-way or onto a public sidewalk if doing so interferes with the safety and convenience of public travel.
The Amherst Police Department, the Superintendent of Highways, the Refuse Department and the Building Department all enforce the chapter, and the Town Board can revoke a plowing permit after a hearing.
Violations & Fines
A violation of Chapter 166, including plowing without a permit or piling snow into a street or sidewalk, is punishable under § 166-6 by a fine of up to $250, imprisonment up to 15 days, or both. Anyone who takes part in or assists a violation faces the same penalty, and the Town Board may separately revoke a plowing permit after a hearing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to plow my own driveway in Amherst?
Can I push driveway snow into the street?
How much does an Amherst snowplowing permit cost and how long does it last?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Amherst
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