Noise Ordinances in Loveland, CO

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

Vehicle Noise

Loveland Municipal Code § 9.28.015 bars running a car stereo, PA system, or other vehicle-mounted sound equipment loud enough to be plainly audible 25 feet or more away, unless the city manager has issued a temporary permit for the specific sound source, hours, and days involved.

Key details: Audibility threshold: 25 feet from the vehicle. Permit issuer: city manager, under § 7.32.070. Government/emergency sound: exempt under § 9.28.015(C). Default penalty basis: general penalty, § 1.12.010. Court surcharge: $15.00 per violation.

Operating amplified vehicle sound audible at 25 feet or more without a § 7.32.070 permit is unlawful under § 9.28.015(A); because Chapter 9.28 sets no specific fine for this section, it is punishable under the Code's general penalty in LMC § 1.12.010, a fine not exceeding what state law allows or imprisonment up to 364 days, plus a $15.00 court surcharge, with each day of a continuing violation a separate offense.

Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound

Loveland bars anyone from running a loudspeaker, PA system, radio, or other sound-amplifying equipment in or on a motor vehicle so it is plainly audible 25 feet away, unless the city manager has issued a permit under Loveland Municipal Code § 9.28.015 and the operator follows that permit's terms.

Key details: Audibility threshold: Plainly audible at 25 feet or more. Permit required from: Loveland city manager, § 7.32.070. Covers: Loudspeakers, PA systems, radios, disc players. Exempt: City, state, and federal sponsored sound. Governing section: Loveland Municipal Code § 9.28.015.

Running amplified vehicle sound audible at 25 feet without a § 7.32.070 permit is a misdemeanor under the general penalty at § 1.12.010: a fine consistent with C.R.S. § 13-10-113 or up to 364 days in jail, plus a $15.00 surcharge per violation, and a separate offense accrues for each day the unpermitted amplified sound continues.

This is one of the stricter rules in Loveland's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Decibel Limits

Loveland caps noise by zone and time of day under Loveland Municipal Code § 7.32.040: residential areas max out at 55 db(A) from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and 50 db(A) overnight, with higher ceilings for commercial and industrial zones, measured 25 feet from the property line.

Key details: Residential limit, day: 55 db(A), 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.. Residential limit, night: 50 db(A), 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.. Commercial limit: 60 db(A) day, 55 db(A) night. Industrial limit: 75 db(A) day, 70 db(A) night. Measured from: 25 feet or more from property line.

Exceeding the applicable zone and time-of-day decibel limit is a misdemeanor under the general penalty, § 1.12.010: a fine consistent with C.R.S. § 13-10-113 or up to 364 days in jail, plus a $15.00 surcharge, with each day of continued exceedance treated as a new offense. The city manager may also issue a temporary permit under § 7.32.070 to authorize a specific, time-limited exception.

Construction Hours

Loveland does not set a fixed construction clock-hours rule; instead, § 7.32.060.F of the Loveland Municipal Code holds construction projects to the industrial-zone noise ceiling in § 7.32.040 for the whole life of the project, and only if the city has issued the required construction permit.

Key details: Construction noise ceiling: 75 db(A) day, 70 db(A) night. Condition: Requires a valid city construction permit. Fixed work-hours curfew: None set in Chapter 7.32. Governing section: Loveland Municipal Code § 7.32.060.F. Without a permit: Ordinary zone limit applies instead.

Construction noise exceeding the industrial ceiling, or work proceeding without the required city construction permit, is punishable under the general penalty at § 1.12.010: a fine consistent with C.R.S. § 13-10-113 or up to 364 days in jail, plus a $15.00 surcharge, with each day of the violation a separate offense, and the city may also abate the condition as a public nuisance.

Aircraft Noise

Loveland's noise chapter does not reach aircraft: § 7.32.060.B of the Loveland Municipal Code excludes 'all sound emanating from any aircraft' from every provision of Chapter 7.32, alongside church bells, authorized government warning and emergency signals, and Veterans Day observances.

Key details: Aircraft noise status: Fully exempt from Chapter 7.32. Governing section: Loveland Municipal Code § 7.32.060.B. Also exempted: Church bells, government warning/emergency signals. Municipal enforcement available: None for aircraft sound.

None: because § 7.32.060.B removes aircraft sound from Chapter 7.32 entirely, there is no municipal noise violation, fine, or citation available under this ordinance for aircraft noise, and § 1.12.010's general penalty for Code violations has nothing to attach to for this specific source.

If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find Loveland gives residents more flexibility on aircraft noise.

Barking Dogs

In Loveland, Colorado it is unlawful for a dog's owner or keeper to let it disturb the peace and quiet of another person through loud, persistent barking, howling, yipping or whining, whether the dog is on or off the owner's own premises. Larimer County animal control or Loveland police enforce Municipal Code § 6.20.020, but a written warning must come first.

Key details: Governing section: Loveland Municipal Code § 6.20.020. Warning required: Written warning within preceding 12 months. Defense: Provocation of the animal, § 6.20.020(B). Enforcement: Police and animal control officers. Penalty: Fine up to statutory cap, 364 days jail, $15 surcharge.

A violation of § 6.20.020 is punished under the Code's general penalty, § 1.12.010: a fine not to exceed that allowed by law under C.R.S. § 13-10-113, up to 364 days imprisonment, or both, plus a mandatory $15.00 surcharge on each ordinance violation. Each day the disturbance continues after a warning may be treated as a separate offense, and the condition can also be abated as a public nuisance.

The Bottom Line

Loveland'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 Loveland is broadly strict or permissive.

Keep in mind that Loveland can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.