Who Pays For Snowplows vs. Mailboxes in Upstate New York?

In the Capital Region, we count on our towns and cities to keep the roads clear all winter long. But when a snowplow clips your mailbox, it raises a pretty common question. Who pays for that?

Under New York State law, the answer is usually the homeowner.

The State Attorney General considers mailboxes to be private property, even though they sit near the road. They are placed in the public right-of-way for convenience, so mail carriers can reach them easily. Because of that, towns and cities are generally not required to repair or replace a mailbox that gets damaged during plowing.

So in most cases around Albany, Troy, Schenectady, or Saratoga County, if your mailbox ends up bent or knocked over after a storm, the cost is on you.

That said, some local governments try to be neighborly about it.

The Town of Halfmoon is one example. Town officials there say their crews do their best to avoid hitting mailboxes, but if one is damaged, they will inspect the situation. If it turns out that a town plow caused the damage, they will repair or replace it.

Read More: Albany's Biggest Snowstorms of All-Time

There are limits, though. Halfmoon replaces damaged boxes with a standard metal mailbox on a pressure-treated post. If the ground is frozen, they may install a temporary one first. Decorative or custom mailboxes are not replaced with matching versions.

The bottom line is this. Legally, you are responsible for your mailbox. But it is worth checking with your own town or city to see if they offer help after a rough winter storm.