Arlington

Ban status

Full year-round ban on gas-powered leaf blowers, fully in force as of 2026-03-15. Phased rollout: seasonal commercial restriction effective 2023-03-15; permanent commercial ban effective 2025-03-15; residents on own property prohibited as of 2026-03-15. Electric blowers permitted with time restrictions: M–F 7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sat/Sun/holidays 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Enforcement by Health Department; complaint-based.

Timeline

• 2026-03-15 Effective date reached — Phase 3: residents on own property prohibited
• 2025-03-15 Effective date reached — Phase: Phase 2: permanent commercial ban took effect
• 2023-03-15 Effective date reached — Phase: Phase 1: seasonal commercial restriction took effect
• 2022 Adopted — Town Meeting passed phased-approach bylaw
• 2012 Adopted — Earlier seasonal bylaw passed 95–85 (later reversed / softened)

Research & citations

• Arlington, MA Completes Full Gas Leaf Blower Ban — Final Phase Effective March 15, 2026 — gas leaf blowers, 2026-05-07T16:48:49.000Z
  Arlington, Massachusetts has completed its three-phase gas-powered leaf blower ban, with the final phase taking effect March 15, 2026. The full ban now covers all operators — commercial and residential alike — with electric blowers permitted during set hours. The phase-out process began in 2022.
• Town of Arlington (MA) officially bans gas-powered leaf blowers — gas leaf blowers, 2026-04-28
  Starting Sunday, only electric leaf blowers are allowed in Arlington, MA. Town officials banned the commercial use of gas-powered leaf blowers, marking the ordinance's effective date.
• Boston.com — No one can use a gas-powered leaf blower in these 2 Mass. towns — Boston.com, 2026-03-25
  Joint Lexington / Arlington 2026-03-15 universal-ban effective-date coverage. Documents Lexington wheeled-4-stroke >1-acre carve-out and Arlington electric-blower hours.
• Your Arlington — Gas Powered Leaf Blowers officially banned in town starting March 15 — Your Arlington, 2026-03-06
  Coverage of the 2026-03-15 universal residential ban effective date in Arlington, MA. Cites the Health Department reporting workflow.
• Quiet Healthy Arlington — gas leaf blower ban — Quiet Healthy Arlington, 2025-03-15
  2022 Town Meeting bylaw; seasonal ban from March 15 2023; commercial March 15 2025; residents March 15 2026.
• Arlington Article 16 (2022 Town Meeting) — gas leaf blower noise bylaw — Town of Arlington, MA, 2022-05-01
  Article 16 of the 2022 Annual Town Meeting; transition from May 31 2022, residents' permanent ban March 15, 2026.
• Arlington, MA — Official Municipal Website
• Title V Town Bylaws — Town of Arlington
• Commercial ban in effect — YourArlington
• Quiet Healthy Arlington
• Gas-powered leaf blower bans take effect for residents in 2 more Massachusetts towns — CBS News Boston, 2026-03-23
  As of March 15, 2026, Arlington and Lexington extended their gas leaf-blower prohibitions to residential properties. Lexington fines run $50–$200; Arlington uses a warning first, then $100–$200.