Municipalities Shut Down Haunted Houses as "Unsafe Structures"

If your Halloween festivities include building a haunted house, take care to comply with any local regulations that apply to the structures or your attraction could be shut down. Examples abound this time of year. Officials in Tonawanda, New York, have shut down one haunted house that had become a 15-year long tradition in its neighborhood. In an article on the structure, it is described as being “approximately 1200 square feet,” and “built with over 300 2x4s [and] 400 feet of plastic.”  In Simi Valley, California, the City shut down another 1,200 square foot “amusement building,” deeming it an “unsafe structure” due to fire hazards. Even if your haunted house is smaller than these structures, it may still trigger a permit requirement or other obligations under local codes. When in doubt, check with your local planning department for details, or you may have unexpected visitors this Halloween.