Noise Ordinances in Fort Collins, CO (2026)
8 verified noise ordinances for Fort Collins, Colorado, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Quiet Hours
Fort Collins caps outdoor sound at 50 dB(A) between 8:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. in residential zones under Municipal Code § 20-23, five decibels below the 55 dB(A) daytime ceiling. Downtown and commercial districts step up to 55/60 dB(A), employment areas to 65/70, and industrial zones to 75/80. Any noise above these levels is a declared disturbance and a misdemeanor.
Fort Collins Nighttime Noise Limits
Some RestrictionsFort Collins Municipal Code § 20-23
A noise measured or registered in the manner provided in § 20-24 from any source at a level which is in excess of the dB(A) established for the time period and zoning districts listed in this Section is hereby declared to be a noise disturbance and is unlawful. When a noise source can be identified and its noise measured in more than one (1) zoning district, the limits of the most restrictive z...
Construction Hours
Construction, drilling, earthmoving, excavating and demolition equipment is exempt from Fort Collins' general noise limits only between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., and only if the motorized equipment carries a functioning muffler. Outside that daily window, Municipal Code § 20-25(6) withdraws the exemption and construction noise falls back under the § 20-23 decibel caps.
Fort Collins Construction Noise Hours
Some RestrictionsFort Collins Municipal Code § 20-25(6)
The provisions of this Article shall not apply to: ... (6)Any tools or equipment used in construction, drilling, earthmoving, excavating, or demolition, provided that all motorized equipment used in such activity is equipped with functioning mufflers, and further provided that such work takes place between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.;
Barking Dogs
Fort Collins bans letting an animal make unreasonable noise or disturb the peace by barking, whining, howling or similar sounds under Municipal Code § 4-94, whether the animal is on or off its owner's property. Enforcement requires an actual citizen complaint, and a citation only issues if the complainant signs a sworn statement.
Fort Collins Barking Dog Nuisance Rule
Some RestrictionsFort Collins Municipal Code § 4-94(a), (c)
No owner or keeper of an animal shall permit such animal to make unreasonable noise or disturb the peace and quiet of any person by barking, whining, howling, yowling, squawking or making any other noise in an excessive, continuous or untimely fashion, whether the animal is on or off the owner's premises. ... No owner or keeper shall be deemed guilty of a violation of this Section unless the in...
Leaf Blower Rules
Fort Collins's noise ordinance exempts domestic power tools and lawn and garden equipment, including leaf blowers, from the citywide noise limits only when run between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. and kept under 85 dB(A) at the property line. Run one outside that window or over that level and it falls under the general unreasonable-noise and zoned decibel rules in Chapter 20.
Fort Collins Leaf Blower and Yard Tool Hours
Some RestrictionsFort Collins Municipal Code § 20-25(4)
The provisions of this Article shall not apply to: ... Noise from domestic power tools and lawn and garden equipment operated between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., provided that such tools or equipment generate less than eighty-five (85) dB(A) at or within any real property line of a residential property;
Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound
Fort Collins Municipal Code Section 17-129 bans making or knowingly permitting unreasonable noise, and directs Police Services to weigh whether amplification equipment was used when deciding if a sound crossed the line. It works alongside, not instead of, the numeric decibel limits in Chapter 20.
Fort Collins Unreasonable Noise and Amplifier Rule
Some RestrictionsFort Collins Municipal Code § 17-129(a)-(b)
(a)No person shall make, continue or cause to be made or continued any unreasonable noise; and no person shall knowingly permit such noise upon any premises owned or possessed by such person or under such person's control.(b)For purposes of this Section, unreasonable noise shall mean any sound of such level and duration as to be or tend to be injurious to human health or welfare, or which would...
Aircraft Noise
Fort Collins's local noise ordinance does not reach aircraft. Section 20-25(3) exempts 'the operation of aircraft or other activities which are subject to federal law with respect to noise control' from the citywide noise article, leaving airport and flight noise to FAA regulation rather than the City's zoned decibel limits.
Fort Collins Exempts Aircraft From Noise Code
Few RestrictionsFort Collins Municipal Code § 20-25(3)
The provisions of this Article shall not apply to: ... The operation of aircraft or other activities which are subject to federal law with respect to noise control, and the generation of sound in situations within the jurisdiction of the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration;
Decibel Limits
Fort Collins Municipal Code Section 20-23 sets maximum sound levels by zoning district and time of day, from 50 dB(A) at night in low-density residential zones up to 80 dB(A) daytime in industrial zones. Pure tones trigger an automatic five-decibel reduction in the applicable limit.
Fort Collins Sets Decibel Limits by Zone
Some RestrictionsFort Collins Municipal Code § 20-23(a)-(b)
(a)A noise measured or registered in the manner provided in § 20-24 from any source at a level which is in excess of the dB(A) established for the time period and zoning districts listed in this Section is hereby declared to be a noise disturbance and is unlawful. When a noise source can be identified and its noise measured in more than one (1) zoning district, the limits of the most restrictiv...
Vehicle Noise
Fort Collins bans unreasonable vehicle noise under Traffic Code Section 1418, covering loud stereos, revving engines, tire squeal and modified exhausts. Officers weigh time of day, nearby pedestrians and equipment condition to decide if noise is unreasonable. A separate Section 225 requires every vehicle to carry a working muffler and bars straight-pipe exhaust systems. Violating either section is a misdemeanor.
Fort Collins Vehicle Noise and Stereo Rules
Some RestrictionsFort Collins Traffic Code § 1418
No person shall make, continue or cause to be made or continued any unreasonable noise in, from, or upon any vehicle; and no person shall knowingly permit such unreasonable noise in, from, or upon any vehicle owned or possessed by such person; and no person shall operate a vehicle, regardless of ownership, in a manner or with equipment that makes or causes unreasonable noise. ... unreasonable n...
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