# Sidewalk Repair in St. Paul, MN: Who Pays? | Who Pays the Repair?

> In St. Paul the City repairs sidewalks and does not charge owners outside downtown; only downtown owners are assessed. Owners still clear snow.

**Who pays:** city

St. Paul: the City repairs sidewalks and does not charge owners outside downtown; only downtown owners are assessed (owners still clear snow).

**Boundary:** Under the City of St. Paul Street Maintenance Service Program, the City repairs sidewalks and does not charge a fee for sidewalk repair to properties bordering sidewalks outside of downtown; only downtown property owners are assessed for panel replacement. Snow and ice removal on the abutting sidewalk is an owner/occupant duty (Legislative Code § 113.02).

**Property owner:** Remove snow and ice from the abutting public sidewalk within 24 hours after it ceases to accumulate (§ 113.02). (Sidewalk repair itself is City-performed outside downtown.)

**City / agency:** The City repairs sidewalks; outside downtown there is no repair fee to the owner. Downtown owners are assessed to recover the cost of replacing cracked, broken or heaved panels.

**Exceptions:** Downtown property owners are assessed for panel replacement.

## Sources
- [City of St. Paul Street Maintenance Service Program Policies (City repairs; no fee outside downtown)](https://www.stpaul.gov/sites/default/files/archive/street-maintenance-service-program-policiesfinal11242021.pdf) — "The City does not charge a fee for sidewalk repair to properties bordering sidewalks outside of downtown." (accessed 2026-09-09)
- [St. Paul Legislative Code § 113.02 (owner/occupant snow and ice removal, 24 hours)](https://library.municode.com/mn/st._paul/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIILECO_TITXIISTSIBROTPUWA_CH113SNICSI_S113.02SNICRESI) — "The owner or occupant of any building or lot abutting a public sidewalk is responsible for and shall remove any accumulation of snow and/or ice from said public sidewalk within twenty-four (24) hours after the snow and/or ice has ceased to fall, gather or accumulate." (accessed 2026-09-09)
- [Street Maintenance Service Program Policies (Nov. 2021)](https://www.stpaul.gov/sites/default/files/archive/street-maintenance-service-program-policiesfinal11242021.pdf) — "In the case of downtown sidewalks, the fee to bordering properties is established to recover 100% of the City's cost to replace deficient, sub-standard, or non-compliant panels." (accessed 2026-09-27)

_Last verified 2026-09-09. Source: Who Pays the Repair? — https://whopaystherepair.com/rules/st-paul-mn-sidewalk-repair/ — every claim checked against a primary source before publication (see /methodology/)._