Noise from Specific Sources in Billings, MT (2026)
4 verified noise from specific sources rules for Billings, Montana, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
HVAC & Mechanical Noise
Air conditioners, heat pumps and other mechanical equipment count as a non-exempt noise source in Billings and must stay under the zone's dB(A) ceiling around the clock.
Billings HVAC Equipment Noise Limits
Some RestrictionsSec. 17-103
(a)The permissible noise exposure limits from non-exempt noise sources in residential, commercial and industrial districts are as provided in Table 1 below. ... Residential 65 dB(A) [day] / 55 dB(A) [night] ... (b)At boundaries between zones, the lower of the dB(A) level shall be applicable.
Bar & Nightclub Noise
Billings enforces numeric decibel limits on commercial noise sources, including bars and nightclubs, under its citywide noise chapter rather than a bar-specific ordinance.
Billings Bar and Nightclub Noise Limits
Some RestrictionsSec. 17-103
The permissible noise exposure limits from non-exempt noise sources in residential, commercial and industrial districts are as provided in Table 1 below.(b)At boundaries between zones, the lower of the dB(A) level shall be applicable. Table 1—Limitations Maximum Permissible Noise Limits Zone Day 7:00 a.m.—8:00 p.m. Night 8:00 p.m.—7:00 a.m. Residential 65 dB(A) 55 dB(A) Commercial 80 d...
Generator Noise
Billings has no generator exemption in its noise code: portable and standby generators must stay within the same dB(A) limits as any other non-exempt noise source under Chapter 17.
Billings Generator Noise Limits
Some RestrictionsSec. 17-102; Sec. 17-103(a)
It is unlawful for any person willfully to make or continue to make, or cause to be made or continued, any loud, unnecessary, or unusual noise which disturbs the peace or quiet of any neighborhood or which causes discomfort or annoyance to any reasonable person of normal sensitivity residing in the area. The standards which shall be considered in determining whether a violation of the provision...
Low-Frequency Bass Limits
Billings prohibits vehicle sound systems that produce bass reverberation or music plainly audible fifty feet away, treating it as unreasonable noise under the city's vehicle noise ordinance.
Billings Bans Plainly Audible Vehicle Bass
Significant RestrictionsSec. 24-354; Sec. 24-355
Plainly audible means any sound that can be clearly heard, including bass reverberation, by a person of ordinary hearing without the use of a sound-level meter. Unreasonable noise means any sound produced by a motor vehicle that is plainly audible at a distance of fifty (50) feet or more from the vehicle, including but not limited to amplified music, exhaust noise, engine revving, or tire sq...
Looking for Yellowstone County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Billings city rules.
Noise from Specific Sources in Yellowstone County →