Do I have to shovel my driveway, sidewalk in Louisville? What law says

Marina Johnson and Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal

Sun, January 25, 2026 at 10:03 AM UTC

3 min read

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Louisville will be impacted by freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall throughout the weekend, which could mean chores for local residents as snow covers the city's yards, streets and sidewalks.

Under a Louisville Metro ordinance, homeowners and occupants are responsible for clearing their driveways and sidewalks in front of their properties following snow events. While the ordinance is clear in its meaning and carries a penalty for violations, the city has not issued a citation under the ordinance for years, according to a records request made by The Courier Journal under Kentucky's open records law.

Here's what to know about Louisville's snow removal law and its enforcement.

Do Louisville residents have to shovel snow off sidewalks? Will I get fined for not shoveling?

The Louisville Metro ordinance places the responsibility of clearing snow from sidewalks on the people who own or occupy a property.

"It shall be the duty of all persons and corporations owning or occupying property abutting a public street in Louisville Metro to remove within 24 hours thereafter such snow as may fall on the sidewalks in front of their property," the ordinance states.

For unoccupied properties, the responsibility falls on the owner or agent. For properties occupied by somebody other than the owner, the responsibility falls on the owner and tenant; both could potentially be cited for violations.

The ordinance calls for placing snow "either on private property or in the public driveway at a distance not less than 12 inches from the curbing of the sidewalk." The snow cannot block water from flowing, however, so keep it out of gutters and away from sewers or catch basins.

Responsible parties who fail to remove snow within 24 hours are subject to a fine of $25 to $100.

How often are people cited for not shoveling sidewalks in Louisville?

An open records request for citations issued for violations of the snow removal ordinance between 2020-2025 produced no records, meaning no one has been cited for violating it in years.

The question of enforcement came up in January 2025, when Louisville was pummeled by multiple snowstorms that dumped several inches of snow.

At the time, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said the city was not enforcing the ordinance, adding that officials "reserve the right to change our mind on enforcing it as we continue to move forward."

Still, he urged people to clear their sidewalks to make way for foot traffic.

"We want people to be able to walk and get moving again. So please, if there are sidewalks, and you are the property owner, it is your responsibility to shovel and maintain those sidewalks," Greenberg said at the time.

Will Louisville enforce the snow removal ordinance this winter?

Kristen Shanahan, a spokesperson for Louisville Metro Public Works, said residents who notice uncleared sidewalks can report it to Metro311, the city's call center for non-emergency issues. The department notifies the property owner and the issue is typically resolved without issuing a citation.

"Based on these reports, the city can conduct inspections and notify property owners that, per ordinance, they need to clear their sidewalk," Shanahan said in an email. "Generally, when businesses/property owners are notified, they clear the sidewalks, which results in citations not having to be issued."

Killian Baarlaer covers Louisville Metro Government. He can be reached at kbaarlaer@courier-journal.com or @bkillian72 on X. Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Do I have to shovel my driveway, sidewalk in KY? What Louisville law says

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