Is It Illegal to Operate Snow Blowers in North Dakota Outside of These Hours

People in North Dakota are welcoming winter even though it won't officially start for another three weeks.

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The approach of winter signals the holiday season, filled with decorations, lights, shopping, baking, and family traditions. The holidays arriving early in the season may mitigate the effects of the cold weather, even though most people don't always look forward to winter.

In North Dakota, not everyone looks forward to winter and the possibility of snowfall, but those of us who love being outside and doing things like skiing, ice fishing, and sledding are excited about it. Furthermore, a sizable portion of the population depends on snowy conditions for their livelihood, from plow drivers to contractors who remove all the snow.

Probably the most annoying thing about winter is having to clear snow. Never underestimate the assistance you receive from others who shovel and plow for you. For the rest of us in North Dakota, this is going to be a long, hard haul that could break our backs. Every year, over 11,500 people go to the emergency room after getting hurt shoveling snow.

In the event that you don't have someone clearing snow for you, owning a snow blower is the next best thing. While there are time and labor savings when utilizing a snowblower instead of a traditional shovel, there are restrictions on when snowblowers can be used. Yes, you read correctly. There are restrictions on when you can use snowblowers.

While each city is governed differently, there is a noise ordinance (ordinance #12-52) in place in the City of Williston that is in force from 10:00 pm to 7:00 am. Although there isn't specific legislation in the city governing snowblowers, law enforcement abides by the noise ordinance's hourly guidelines. To make a long tale short, it is not against the law to use your snowblower past 7:00 pm; however, if it is late enough and the police receive a complaint, you can be issued a ticket or a fine. If you reside in Williston, you should be careful about when you start up that noisy equipment, especially if it is coming close to 7:00 pm. My fingers are crossed we don't have to use any snow removal equipment until February!

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