Indiana Sidewalk Snow Removal Local Authority

Indiana Code 36-9-2-5 grants municipalities authority to require abutting property owners to maintain sidewalks, including snow and ice removal. The state imposes no uniform duty on homeowners statewide; instead, cities like Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and South Bend enact local rules with varying timeframes, typically 24-48 hours after snowfall ends. Indiana's natural accumulation doctrine generally protects property owners from common-law slip-and-fall liability for natural snow on public sidewalks unless a local ordinance creates a duty or unnatural conditions are present.

Local ordinance violations typically result in $25-$200 fines per occurrence, with cities authorized to perform clearance and bill the property owner under IC 36-9-2-5.