The Denver noise ordinance, set out in Chapter 36 of the Denver Revised Municipal Code, limits residential noise to 55 dB(A) between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. and 50 dB(A) overnight, with separate hour-based rules for construction, waste collection, landscaping, and alarms. The Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE) runs the Noise Program and enforces violations through fines that start at $100 and can reach $999 for a first offense, or $5,000 per day for ongoing or event-related violations.1City and County of Denver. Noise Program A February 2025 update tightened construction rules, shifted the waste collection window, banned engine compression brakes, and made time-stamped video admissible as evidence.2City and County of Denver. Legislation Details – File 25-0044
Decibel Limits by Zone
Section 36-6, Table A of the code sets maximum sound levels in A-weighted decibels based on the zoning of the property receiving the sound, not the property producing it. Daytime runs 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.; nighttime runs 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.3Municode Library. Denver Code of Ordinances Chapter 36 – Noise Control
- Residential: 55 dB(A) day, 50 dB(A) night.
- Commercial: 65 dB(A) day, 60 dB(A) night.
- Industrial: 80 dB(A) day, 75 dB(A) night.
- Public: 75 dB(A) day, 70 dB(A) night.
Because the limit is measured at the receiving property, a bar in a commercial zone playing music at 70 dB(A) is fine on its own block but crosses the line the moment that sound hits a neighboring residential lot above 55 dB(A) during the day or 50 dB(A) at night.
Restricted Hours for Specific Activities
Section 36-7 bans certain activities during set hours regardless of how loud they measure. The 2025 update raised the standard for construction: it can’t be plainly audible at any residential property during restricted times, not just below a decibel figure.
Construction
Construction audible at a residential property is allowed only Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and on weekends from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Deliveries and pick-ups at the job site are part of the construction schedule, not the general delivery exemption. Equipment has to be properly maintained and used for its intended purpose.
Waste Collection
Trash, recycling, and composting pickup near residential properties is prohibited between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. That’s an hour earlier start than the previous rule allowed, so trucks running routes before 6:00 a.m. are a legitimate complaint.
Landscaping and Power Equipment
Tree work, landscaping, and lawn equipment are prohibited between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on any property. Domestic power equipment under five horsepower gets a slightly wider window, banned only between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Commercial power equipment over five horsepower has to stop by 9:00 p.m. A leaf blower at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday is a violation; the same blower at 7:15 a.m. is not.
Alarms and Vehicle Horns
Car alarms and building alarms that sound for more than 15 minutes are an unlawful nuisance, as are alarms triggered three or more times in seven days without a real emergency. Alarms must be registered under Section 42-106. Vehicle horns are only lawful as an accident warning. Fire alarm testing is confined to weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and weekends from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Compression Brakes
Engine compression brakes, often called Jake Brakes, are now banned outright inside city limits. If you live near a truck route and hear that distinctive rumbling deceleration, the driver is breaking the law.
Sounds That Don’t Count
Section 36-6(b) exempts a long list of sounds from the Table A limits. Knowing what’s exempt saves a complaint that won’t go anywhere.
- Sirens, whistles, and bells on emergency vehicles responding to an emergency.
- Aircraft in flight, which fall under federal law, and helicopters using a licensed helipad within the terms of the license.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 U.S. Code 44715 – Controlling Aircraft Noise and Sonic Boom
- Church bells and mechanical chimes between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Amplified bell sounds played through loudspeakers are not exempt.
- Construction and landscaping equipment during their permitted hours, provided the equipment is in good order.
- Deliveries between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., except construction site deliveries.
- Snow removal between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., and at any hour during active snowfall or a declared snow emergency.
- School marching bands at sporting events; practice on school grounds is allowed 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., capped at 75 dB(A) at the nearest residential property line.
Motor vehicles on public roads are governed by federal standards and Section 36-8, not the Table A limits.
Barking Dogs Are Handled Separately
Individual animal noises are specifically excluded from Table A enforcement under Section 36-6(b)(18). A barking dog will not be measured against the decibel limits, and DDPHE isn’t the agency that responds. Section 36-10(a) routes persistent barking to Denver’s animal control provisions in Chapter 8, which treat habitual barking, howling, or yelping as a nuisance. Call 311, but expect Denver Animal Protection to handle the case. Commercial kennels and businesses with established dog yards are the exception: they remain subject to Table A on top of the animal rules.
Amplified Music and Events
Amplified sound at a residential property has to stay within the standard Table A limits at the neighboring residential property line. There’s no party exemption. Public events on public property can go up to 85 dB(A) at the nearest residential property between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. with proper permits. Private property events can also reach 85 dB(A), but only for eight days per calendar year, no more than four consecutive days, and with a 30-day gap after any event lasting two or more consecutive days. Event organizers using amplified sound must complete a Noise Ordinance Requirements Worksheet through the Office of Special Events and contact DDPHE at least 60 days ahead.5City and County of Denver. Denver Special Events Noise Fact Sheet Event violations can hit $5,000 per day.
How to File a Complaint
Denver takes noise complaints through 311. Call 3-1-1 or 720-913-1311, or use the city’s Report an Issue portal online.6City and County of Denver. Noise Complaints Give the investigator something to work with:
- The exact street address where the noise originates.
- The dates and times it happens.
- How often it occurs and how long each episode lasts.
- What the noise is.
Since the 2025 update, DDPHE accepts time-stamped video recordings. If a trash truck is running at 5:30 a.m. or construction is clearly audible at 10:00 p.m., record it on your phone and submit the file. Objective evidence can now stand on its own; the complainant no longer has to testify about personal impact.
What Enforcement Looks Like
DDPHE’s first step on a valid complaint is usually a formal warning letter to the property owner or business. Many complaints resolve at that stage. If the noise continues, an investigator can schedule a site visit and take readings with a calibrated sound level meter. A reading over the Table A limit for the zone and time of day is a documented violation.
A documented violation supports an administrative citation. First-offense fines run from $100 to $999. Continued non-compliance produces more citations at escalating amounts and can be referred to Denver County Court. Event and commercial violations can reach $5,000 per day.
Enforcement takes time. Warning letters, follow-up visits, and measurement don’t happen overnight, so a written log of dates, times, and descriptions makes a real difference on a chronic problem.
Mediation as an Alternative
Denver contracts with community mediation organizations that handle quality-of-life disputes, including noise, at no cost to participants. Mediation is confidential and voluntary, and it doesn’t block a later formal complaint. It tends to work when both sides will talk and the noise source is something adjustable, like a barking dog, a late-night hobby, or amplified music volume. It’s less useful when the other party won’t engage or when the source is a commercial operation. For bars, restaurants, and venues, the DDPHE complaint route is usually the more effective option.
Tenant Rights When Noise Won’t Stop
Colorado law recognizes the covenant of quiet enjoyment, which guarantees tenants the right to use their rented home without substantial interference. Persistent, unaddressed noise from another unit or a neighboring business can breach that covenant if the landlord knows and fails to act. The threshold is substantial: an occasional dinner party doesn’t qualify, but ongoing construction vibration, nightly amplified bass, or hours-long daily barking might. Remedies can include rent reduction or, in severe cases, early lease termination without penalty. Document dates, times, written complaints to the landlord, and any responses before going down that road.