How Minneapolis Handles Noise from Specific Sources: A Practical Guide
Minneapolis maintains 170 local ordinances across all categories, and 3 of those deal specifically with noise from specific sources. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Minneapolis falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.
Car Alarm Limits
Minneapolis exempts properly maintained car alarms from the citywide five-minute automatic shutoff rule that applies to burglar alarms, but the sounding still must stay within the amplified-sound noise ceiling set in the same chapter.
Key details: Citation: § 389.65(a)(7). Car alarm rule: Exempt from 5-minute alarm shutoff. Still limited by: 5 dB(A) above ambient noise cap. Enforced by: Minneapolis Police and Health Dept.. Penalty type: Criminal, civil, or administrative.
A car alarm that blares beyond the amplified-sound noise ceiling is enforceable under the chapter's general penalties: criminal citation, administrative fine, or civil abatement action.
If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find Minneapolis gives residents more flexibility on car alarm limits.
Low-Frequency Bass Limits
Minneapolis enforces a special one-third octave band test for low-frequency bass noise when a dB(C) meter can't isolate it: a 10 dB(C) rise above ambient in any one-third octave band counts as a violation.
Key details: Test method: One-third octave band analysis. Trigger: Bass audible but dB(C) inconclusive. Violation threshold: 10 dB(C) rise per band. Measurement point: Indoors, doors and windows closed. Enforced by: Health commissioner, police, or designees.
Violations are enforced criminally under § 1.30 or administratively under Chapter 2, plus injunction or abatement remedies; each is treated as a public nuisance under § 389.125.
Bar & Nightclub Noise
Minneapolis bars and nightclubs violate the noise code when sound exceeds ambient levels by 10 dB(C) daytime or 5 dB(C) nighttime inside a neighboring dwelling, enforced by the health department and police under Chapter 389.
Key details: Daytime limit: 10 dB(C) above ambient, indoors. Nighttime limit: 5 dB(C) above ambient, indoors. Outdoor amplified sound cap: 90 dB(A) at 50 feet. Enforcing agency: Health Dept. and Minneapolis Police. Governing chapter: Chapter 389, §§ 389.60 & 389.105.
Violations are misdemeanors under § 1.30, with each day of continued violation a separate offense; the city also pursues administrative citations under Chapter 2, injunctions, or adverse action against the venue's business or liquor license.
The Bottom Line
Minneapolis's noise from specific sources 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 Minneapolis is broadly strict or permissive.
Keep in mind that Minneapolis 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.