It’s Illegal to Mow Your Law Outside of These Hours in Parts of New York

Lawn mowing season has begun across the Hudson Valley but before you crank up your mower make sure your mowing without breaking the law.

Now that spring has begun in New York many of us are now tasked each week with taking care of our lawns. Lawn maintenance is something that many of us look forward to each year and depending on the town where you live did you know that you are only allowed to mow your lawn during a specific window of time?

When is Legal to Mow Your Lawn in New York?

That might be an easy question for some to answer but for this New Yorker who lives in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York I had no idea that I'm only allowed to mow my yard during a certain window of time each week. Every town in the Hudson Valley has something called a "noise code" that explains what, when, and how people living in the town are allowed to operate noisy equipment including lawnmowers.

Mowing the Grass in Poughkeepsie, New York

Being that I live in Poughkeepsie I looked into when I can legally mow my grass without being at risk of a fine and discovered that in Poughkeepsie residents are "allowed to operate lawn mowers with functioning mufflers" Mondays through Saturdays between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. and between 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Sundays and holidays according to the town's website. If I'm reading the town code correctly residents who mow outside of these hours could risk being fined up to $1,000 if they are caught. It is the duty of the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department and the Zoning Administrator to enforce the code and issue appearance tickets to violators according to the town.

SEE ALSO: Popular Business Name Disappears From The Hudson Valley

All Hudson Valley town noise ordinances vary and Poughkeepsie's might not be the same as the town you live in so to play it safe it's a good idea to check your town's website to make sure you aren't breaking the law when you mow your grass. Another suggestion is to only mow the grass during times when you feel it won't be bothersome to any of your neighbors.

Get our free mobile app

Does the town you live in have an ordinance similar to Poughkeepsie? Let us know through our station app above and we may use your town in a future article.