Ames has one of the shortest deadlines in Iowa: 10 daylight hours from the last snow accumulation. The walk must be cleared four feet wide, down to the concrete.
What the City of Ames says about sidewalks
- Property owners or tenants have 10 daylight hours from the last accumulation to clear sidewalks to a four-foot-wide surface down to the concrete.
- A reported walk is inspected and posted with a 24-hour notice. If it isn't cleared, a contractor clears it and the owner is charged the actual cost plus a $50 administrative fee.
- Report a snow-covered walk on the city's Snow Walks hotline, 515-239-5468, or the Ames On The Go app.
- The city notes that more salt is not always the answer: on very cold pavement, ice control materials can actually lead to more ice.
Street parking and plowing
- When the snow ordinance is in effect, don't park on designated snow routes until snow stops and the street is plowed curb to curb; vehicles may be ticketed or towed immediately.
- Vehicles on non-snow-route streets may be ticketed if not moved within 48 hours after a snowfall.
- Residential streets are plowed when 3 inches or more accumulates; the goal is to finish plowing within 16 hours after an average storm.
Hiring help in Ames
If you hire a company, make sure the agreement covers the public sidewalk (and, on a corner lot, the side walk and curb ramps), says how soon they'll come after the snow stops, and matches the city's deadline above. Ask what de-icer they use: Iowa State University Extension says rock salt works best above 15°F and that salt buildup can injure turfgrass, trees and shrubs. Our guide to choosing a snow removal company has a full checklist.
Iowa has no state license for snow removal. For lawn treatments, anyone in the business of applying pesticides (including weed and insect control) to other people's property needs an IDALS commercial applicator license; each listing below shows what we could verify.
Snow removal and lawn care companies in Ames
- Snow plowing
- Sidewalk & driveway clearing
- Salting / de-icing
- Homes
- Businesses
Snow and ice removal company for Story County homes and businesses; its site lists V-blade plowing of driveways, hand shoveling and snow blowing of walkways, patios, steps and porches, and sand and de-icer service.
Service area (their words): Service areas in Story County listed on its site include Ames, Gilbert and Nevada.
How we checked
No fertilizer, weed-control or other lawn-chemical service listed on the pages we checked, so no pesticide license status is shown. Snow removal is not part of Iowa's pesticide licensing.
Listing source: https://amessnowremoval.com/ (checked 2026-10-22).
2725 E. Lincoln Way, Ames, IA 50010
- Sidewalk & driveway clearing
- Salting / de-icing
- Mowing
- Seeding / overseeding
- Weed control
- Landscaping
- Homes
- Businesses
Ames lawn and landscaping company offering mowing, sod, seeding and hydroseeding, weed and pest control, and commercial snow clearing of lots and sidewalks with rock salt or liquid de-icer.
Service area (their words): Its site describes lawn and landscaping service in Ames.
Lawn chemicals: IDALS company license record found (07853-001, checked 2026-10-22)
How we checked
IDALS pesticide company lookup (https://agriculture-iowa.my.salesforce-sites.com/lookup), 'Search By Company/License', searched by company name on 2026-10-22. Searched 'JM Lawn': found active company license 07853-001, JM LAWN & LANDSCAPE LLC, Ames (Story County), expiration 2026-12-31.
Listing source: https://jmlawn.net/, https://jmlawn.net/commercial-snow-removal/ (checked 2026-10-22).
- Sidewalk & driveway clearing
- Mowing
- Weed control
- Aeration
- Seeding / overseeding
- Spring & fall cleanup
- Landscaping
- Homes
- Businesses
Ames lawn care company offering mowing with lawn treatments and weed control, spring and fall cleanups, aeration and seeding, landscaping, and snow removal for driveways, sidewalks and parking areas.
Service area (their words): Its site describes lawn care in the Ames community.
Lawn chemicals: IDALS license not confirmed by us (checked 2026-10-22)
How we checked
IDALS pesticide company lookup (https://agriculture-iowa.my.salesforce-sites.com/lookup), 'Search By Company/License', searched by company name on 2026-10-22. Searched 'Kingdom Keepers' (no record) and 'Kingdom': found an active record for Kingdom Ames LLC, Ames (11403-001, expiration 2026-12-31), but the website does not show that legal name, so we could not confirm it is the same company.
Listing source: https://www.kingdommowing.com/ (checked 2026-10-22).
802 SE Creekview Drive, Ankeny, IA 50021
- Snow plowing
- Sidewalk & driveway clearing
- Salting / de-icing
- Mowing
- Fertilizing
- Weed control
- Aeration
- Seeding / overseeding
- Spring & fall cleanup
- Landscaping
- Grub / insect control
- Homes
- Businesses
Lawn, irrigation and landscaping company; its residential snow removal page covers driveways, sidewalks, steps and entry paths, plus salting, de-icing and brining, and it also offers commercial snow removal.
Service area (their words): Service areas listed: Ankeny, Des Moines, Urbandale, West Des Moines, Johnston, Waukee, Ames, Altoona, Clive, Grimes, Pleasant Hill, Bondurant, Polk City, Windsor Heights, Adel, Huxley, Saylorville and Elkhart.
Lawn chemicals: IDALS company license record found (09733-000, checked 2026-10-22)
How we checked
IDALS pesticide company lookup (https://agriculture-iowa.my.salesforce-sites.com/lookup), 'Search By Company/License', searched by company name on 2026-10-22. Searched 'Nolte': found active company license 09733-000, NOLTE AND SONS LAWN AND IRRIGATION, Ankeny, expiration 2026-12-31.
Listing source: https://nolteandsons.com/services/snow-removal/ (checked 2026-10-22).
See all 90 listed companies by town →
Listings are informational, not endorsements or rankings, and no company paid to be listed. Details come from each company’s own website. For fertilizer or weed control, check the company’s Iowa pesticide license with IDALS. We don’t show a license status for snow removal. Companies can request a correction or removal.
Guides for Ames homeowners
- Hiring helpHow to Choose a Snow Removal Company in IowaPer-push vs. seasonal snow removal, what to get in writing, red flags from the Iowa Attorney General, and why snow removal needs no state license in Iowa.Read the guide →
- Lawn careHow to Protect Your Lawn From Salt Damage This WinterHow de-icing salt hurts Iowa lawns and shrubs, which ice melts do less damage, how much to use, and how to flush salt in spring, from ISU Extension.Read the guide →
- Lawn careHow to Winterize Your Lawn in IowaISU Extension's fall lawn calendar for Iowa: final mowing height, when to stop mowing, late-fall fertilizer, broadleaf weeds, leaves and snow mold.Read the guide →
Nearby towns we cover
Sources
- Snow Removal - City of Ames Public Works (checked 2026-10-22)
- Using Deicing Salts in the Home Landscape - Iowa State University Extension and Outreach (checked 2026-10-22)
- Applicator Licensing and Certification - Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (checked 2026-10-22)
We link to the original sources so you can read them yourself. Product names are not endorsements.