Schenectady, NY Property Maintenance: Garage Sale Rules (2026)

Schenectady County municipalities treat garage sales as an incidental residential use that must not violate general property maintenance standards. Under the NY Property Maintenance Code and local code, items offered for sale must be stored inside (garage, basement, or house) when the sale is not actively running, rather than left on the lawn or driveway for the full weekend - failure to do so can trigger a property maintenance citation for outdoor storage of household goods. Tables, clothing racks, and signage must be removed within 24 hours after the sale ends. Sellers must maintain access to sidewalks and driveways; parked shopper vehicles cannot block fire hydrants, mailboxes, or neighbors' driveways. Any damage to the lawn, landscaping, or public right-of-way caused by shoppers is the resident's responsibility. Commercial-scale operations - where items are repeatedly purchased for resale, inventory is stored outdoors persistently, or sales run beyond the municipality's frequency limits (typically 3-4 per year) - are treated as unlicensed retail businesses subject to stricter enforcement under zoning.