Noise Ordinances in Green Bay, WI

If you live in Green Bay or are thinking about moving there, noise ordinances are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Green Bay has 6 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of noise ordinances, and some of them might surprise you.

Construction Hours

Construction noise in Green Bay is presumed reasonable only during daytime hours, 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, under Municipal Code § 24-146(d)(2). Work outside that window loses the presumption and can be judged unreasonable under the same section's decibel and time-of-day tests, with forfeitures up to $200.

Key details: Presumed-reasonable window: 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Mon-Sat. Covers: Construction sites, public works, utilities. Outside window: Loses presumption, not automatically illegal. Off-hours permit: Apply to Police Dept. 30 days ahead. Waste collection presumption: Nighttime, Mon-Fri (opposite rule).

Construction noise found unreasonable under § 24-146(b), whether because it falls outside the presumed daytime hours or independently exceeds 80 dB(A) from a neighboring property, draws a forfeiture of not more than $200.00 under § 24-146(f). Each incident can be cited separately, and a special permit issued for off-hours work can be revoked immediately if its conditions are violated.

Barking Dogs

Green Bay treats persistent barking as a public nuisance under Municipal Code § 6-8(f): no dog owner may let a dog bark or bay so as to disturb a neighbor's peaceful repose. If the dog is left outdoors unattended, the law presumes the owner is permitting the noise, and officers weigh volume, time of day, duration, and location.

Key details: Governing rule: No barking that disturbs a neighbor's peaceful repose. Unattended dogs: Owner presumed to permit the noise. Factors considered: Volume, time of day, duration, location. Dog limit: Two dogs per unit without excess animal permit. Kennel setback: 100 feet from nearest residential lot line.

Section 6-8 sets no dedicated fine for barking, so a conviction falls under the City's default penalty in § 1-6: a forfeiture of $1.00 to $500.00 for a first offense and $10.00 to $500.00 for any repeat violation, plus court costs. The City can also seek a Circuit Court order against a problem owner under Wis. Stats. § 173.23(3).

Decibel Limits

Green Bay bars "unreasonably loud noise" citywide, and Municipal Code § 24-146(b)(1) lets a court find noise unreasonable on the strength of one number alone: exceeding 80 dB(A) measured from any property the noise-maker doesn't control. Time of day, land use and duration are the other factors a court weighs, and violations forfeit up to $200.

Key details: Decibel trigger: Exceeds 80 dB(A), A-weighted. Measured from: Property not under noise-maker's control. Daytime hours: 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.. Special permit lead time: 30 days before the event. Appeal window: 15 days to Protection and Policy Committee.

Violating the unreasonable-noise standard or a specific noise prohibition in subsections (b) or (c) draws a forfeiture of not more than $200.00 under § 24-146(f). A special permit issued under (e) can be revoked immediately by the Police Department if the permittee breaks any condition placed on it, exposing the holder to the same forfeiture for further violations.

Vehicle Noise

Green Bay requires every motor vehicle to run a working muffler and bans loud, out-of-repair, or modified exhausts on city streets, with fines up to $500 under Municipal Code § 40-72.

Key details: Muffler required: At all times, good working order. Max forfeiture: $500 per violation. Banned devices: Cutouts, bypasses, noise amplifiers. Motorcycle rule: EPA-labeled muffler post-1982.

An officer can cite a vehicle after witnessing the noise or receiving a sworn written complaint, unless the owner refuses a Police Department inspection; violators forfeit up to $500 per offense.

Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound

Green Bay treats outdoor amplified or live music as regulated noise: a court can call it unreasonably loud once it tops 80 dB(A) at a neighboring property, and event organizers can request a special permit from Police at least 30 days ahead.

Key details: Loud-noise threshold: 80 dB(A) at property line. Daytime hours: 7 a.m.–10 p.m.. Nighttime hours: 10 p.m.–7 a.m.. Special event permit: apply 30 days ahead. Max forfeiture: $200 per violation.

Producing unreasonably loud noise, including amplified outdoor music above 80 dB(A) without an approved special event permit, carries a forfeiture of up to $200 per violation under § 24-146(f).

Quiet Hours

Green Bay defines nighttime hours as 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. and weighs that timing as a factor in noise complaints, rather than imposing a flat after-hours quiet curfew.

Key details: Nighttime hours: 10 p.m.–7 a.m.. Daytime hours: 7 a.m.–10 p.m.. Standard type: Reasonableness factor, not curfew. Max penalty: $200 forfeiture.

Noise found unreasonably loud after factoring in nighttime timing is punishable by a forfeiture of up to $200 under § 24-146(f), enforced by Green Bay police on complaint.

If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find Green Bay gives residents more flexibility on quiet hours.

The Bottom Line

Green Bay's noise ordinances rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Green Bay is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Green Bay's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.