Key takeaways
- 11 of the 15 Macomb County communities we checked have a confirmed snow parking rule, from Warren and Sterling Heights to Chesterfield Township.
- The clock varies: 6 hours in Warren, 2 hours in Sterling Heights, 1 hour in Eastpointe, Roseville, New Baltimore and Macomb Township.
- Fraser bans street parking 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. from Nov. 15 to March 15, and New Baltimore and Roseville restrict residential streets whenever snow or ice is on the ground.
- Penalties run from a $20 ticket to a misdemeanor, usually with towing at your expense, and several codes say missing the announcement is no defense.
On this page
What happens if you leave your car on the street when it snows?
Three things, and the ticket is the smallest of them:
- It can be towed. Every community in the table below allows towing or impounding cars left out during a declared emergency, at the owner's expense. State law backs that up: MCL 257.252d lets police remove a vehicle when snow makes it necessary for public safety.
- The street stays half plowed. A plow has to swing around a parked car, which leaves the curb lane unplowed and slick. Warren's ordinance gives exactly that as its reason.
- Your car gets buried. The plow ridge lands against it and freezes there. Eastpointe's code even treats a snow-covered car hemmed in by plowed snow as evidence it was parked during the emergency.
Which Macomb County communities have snow parking rules?
We checked the ordinances and official websites of 15 Macomb County communities. These 11 have a confirmed rule:
| Community | Rule (code section) | Cars off the street | Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warren | Snow alert by the mayor; the city declares one at 4 inches or more (Sec. 34-7) | 6 hours after the alert | $100 to $1,000 per 24 hours, plus towing |
| Sterling Heights | Declared snow emergency (Ch. 37, Art. V) | 2 hours after the announcement | $75, rising to $125 for repeats, plus towing |
| St. Clair Shores | Declared snow emergency; street parking permits void (Sec. 12-19) | Tickets and tows from 12 hours after the declaration | Ticket, plus towing and storage |
| Roseville | Declared snow emergency, plus a weekday daytime rule (Sec. 340-22) | 1 hour after filing or announcement | Up to $50, plus towing |
| Eastpointe | Declared snow emergency (Sec. 44-89) | 1 hour after filing or announcement | Towing and impound |
| Macomb Township | Declared snow emergency, private roads included (Sec. 18-715) | 1 hour after filing or announcement | Misdemeanor: up to $500, 90 days or both, plus towing |
| Fraser | Weather emergency, plus a seasonal overnight ban (Sec. 28-11) | 2 hours after notice on the city channel and website | Civil infraction per 24 hours, plus towing |
| Mount Clemens | Snow emergency alert by the city manager (Sec. 30.032) | 6 hours on major streets, 12 on local streets | Up to $100, plus towing and storage |
| New Baltimore | Declared snow emergency, plus an overnight rule (Sec. 52-34) | 1 hour after filing or announcement | Up to $50, plus towing |
| Center Line | Snow emergency; the city says it may declare one when 6 inches is expected (Sec. 62-10) | For the length of the emergency | Towing |
| Chesterfield Township | Snow emergency when 4 inches or more is forecast (Sec. 62-175) | Towing can start 2 hours after notice | Misdemeanor: up to $500, 90 days or both, plus towing |
Checked in October 2026 against each community's code of ordinances and official website. No published snow parking rule turned up for Clinton Township, Shelby Township, Harrison Township or Utica, which does not make street parking there risk-free. Ordinances change, so confirm with your city or township.
Most bans end street by street once that street has been plowed curb to curb. Roseville's, New Baltimore's and Macomb Township's also lapse 36 hours after the weather that caused them ends, and Eastpointe's after 48, unless extended.
Which rules apply without a snow emergency?
Three cities restrict winter street parking whether or not an emergency has been declared:
- Fraser: no parking on any public street from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m., every night from November 15 to March 15.
- New Baltimore: no parking on residential streets outside downtown from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. whenever any snow or ice is on the ground, except Thanksgiving and December 24 to January 2 unless an emergency is declared. Up to $20.
- Roseville: no parking on residential streets from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, whenever snow or ice is on the ground, except December 24 to January 2. Up to $20.
Mount Clemens also posts its downtown meters for no parking from 2 a.m. to 7 a.m., and cars parked there during snowstorms in those hours may be towed.
What about the townships?
Michigan townships do not own their roads. The Macomb County Department of Roads plows them, and it plows subdivision streets once 4 inches or more has fallen; who plows which roads covers the rest. Macomb and Chesterfield townships have snow emergency ordinances anyway. Clinton, Shelby and Harrison townships have no published rule that we could find, but a car on a subdivision street still forces the plow around it.
How do you know when a snow emergency is declared?
Communities announce them on local TV and radio, their websites, cable channels and social media; Sterling Heights adds text alerts. Codes in Roseville, Eastpointe, New Baltimore and Macomb Township say missing the notice is no defense. So:
- Sign up for your community's alerts before the season starts.
- Search its website for "snow emergency" and read the actual rule.
- Check the code of ordinances, which most Macomb County communities publish through Municode, American Legal Publishing or eCode360.
- When in doubt, move the car before the snow starts.
Where should the car go instead?
The driveway or the garage, but a car in the driveway can block your snow company too. If a car is in the way when our crew arrives, the stop is marked skipped with the reason and gets a return visit. Do I need to move my car for snow removal explains how to plan around it.
Some communities allow for hardship. Eastpointe issues yearly on-street permits to homes without enough driveway or garage space, and Fraser issues hardship placards. Warren exempts vehicles with disabled plates or placards that park close to the curb. Center Line allows lawn parking, but only during an announced snow emergency.
Once the street is plowed, expect a ridge across the end of the driveway; see why the city plow blocks your driveway. Sidewalk rules are separate: who has to shovel the sidewalk.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check your community's current ordinance.
Sources
- City of Warren Code of Ordinances, Sec. 34-7: snow alerts — six hours to move vehicles; fines in Sec. 34-8
- City of Sterling Heights Code, Ch. 37, Art. V: snow emergencies — effective two hours after announcement; fines in Sec. 1-26
- City of St. Clair Shores Code, Ch. 12: emergency management — Sec. 12-19, snow emergencies
- City of Roseville Code, Sec. 340-22 (eCode360) — snow emergencies and weekday winter parking
- City of Eastpointe Code, Ch. 44: traffic and vehicles — Sec. 44-89, snow emergency parking
- Macomb Township Code, Ch. 18, Art. VI: snow emergencies
- City of Fraser Code, Sec. 28-11: no parking on streets at night during winter
- City of Mount Clemens Code: snow emergency alerts
- City of New Baltimore Code, Ch. 52, Art. II: winter parking regulations — Sec. 52-34
- City of Center Line: snow removal
- Charter Township of Chesterfield Code, Sec. 62-175 (eCode360) — snow emergencies
- Macomb County Department of Roads: frequently asked questions — subdivision roads plowed when four inches or more has fallen
- MCL 257.252d, Michigan Legislature — police removal of vehicles when snow makes it necessary for public safety
Written by the Macomb Lawn & Snow Solutions team in Macomb Township, Michigan. We plow and salt homes and businesses across all 26 Macomb County communities, November 15 to April 15. Published October 5, 2026. About us · How we research these guides · How our dispatch works