10 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Hamilton County, Indiana.
Verified from official government sources
Hamilton County has no countywide quiet-hours ordinance; each city regulates noise. In Carmel, residential districts allow up to 55 dB(A) from 8 AM to 10 PM and 50 dB(A from 10 PM to 8 AM, measured 50 feet from the source.
Carmel City Code Sec. 6-158(a)(1)
No person shall play, within the City's corporate limits, use or operate any machine, motor vehicle, device, or thing that produces or reproduces sound if the sound therefrom generated made, caused or otherwise emitted is: Audible 50 feet or more from its source.
Hamilton County sets no county construction-hours rule; cities do. Carmel allows building construction only between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Fishers limits construction equipment and power tools to 7 a.m.-10 p.m. (May 15-Sept 15) or 7 a.m.-9 p.m. (Sept 16-May 14).
Carmel City Code Sec. 6-158(b)(15)
Sounds associated with building construction between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. only, as well as, and to the extent that, such construction is necessitated at other times due to a bona fide "emergency", as that term is defined in I. C., 36-1-2-4.5.
Carmel's noise ordinance directly addresses animals: no one may keep an animal whose frequent or long-continuing noise is audible 50 feet or more outside the property line and disturbs another person's comfort or repose.
Carmel City Code Sec. 6-158(c)
No person shall keep any animal which, by causing frequent or long-continuing noise that is audible 50 feet or more from its source when the animal is on public property or 50 feet or more outside of a private property line when the animal is on private property, does disturb the comfort or repose of any other person.
Neither Hamilton County nor its cities ban leaf blowers, but hours are limited. Carmel allows lawn mowers, weed blowers and power tools only between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Fishers allows them 7 a.m.-10 p.m. (summer) or 7 a.m.-9 p.m. (winter).
Carmel City Code Sec. 6-158(b)(2)
Lawn mowers, weed blowers, garden tractors, construction and repair equipment, go-carts and power tools, when properly muffled, between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. only.
Cities, not Hamilton County, regulate amplified sound. Fishers caps any device (radio, stereo, speakers) at 90 decibels measured at least ten feet from the property line, or audible from 40 feet. Carmel limits amplified sound to residential district decibel levels.
Fishers Code Sec. 98.02(B)(3)
At all other days and times, 90 decibels as measured at least ten feet from the property line of where the device is located or any sound from a device that is audible from a distance of at least 40 feet from the property line of where the device is located.
Both Carmel and Fishers exempt aircraft from their noise ordinances, and aircraft operations are governed by the federal FAA. Hamilton County has no aircraft-noise ordinance. Complaints about plane or helicopter noise go to the FAA or the operating airport.
Carmel City Code Sec. 6-158(b)(13)
Sounds associated with the operation of aircraft or snow removal equipment.
City zoning noise limits govern industry. Carmel caps industrial and agricultural districts (I-1, M-1, M-3, AG-1) at 70 dB(A) at all times, measured 50 feet from the source. Fishers applies its 115-decibel hard cap and 90-decibel device limit.
Carmel City Code Sec. 6-158(g)
Stationary noise source. Any sound amplifying equipment and any other object, motor vehicle, facility, and/or source, whether fixed or movable, that is capable of emitting audible sound.
Indiana sets no statewide residential decibel limit, so cities do. Carmel caps sound at 70 dB(A) at 50 feet at all times, with 50-60 dB(A) in residential and business zones. Fishers bars sound over 115 dB for more than two minutes per hour.
Carmel City Code Sec. 6-158(a)(3)
At a level of more than 70 decibels for any period of time, when measured on a dB(A) scale from a distance of not less than 50 feet from its source.
City noise codes govern outdoor music. Fishers allows amplified devices up to 90 decibels during set weekend and holiday windows (Friday 5-11 PM, Saturday 1-11 PM). Carmel exempts city-sanctioned concerts and festivals but otherwise applies its decibel chart.
Fishers Code Sec. 98.02(B)(1)
During the hours of 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Friday and 1:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, 90 decibels as measured at least ten feet from the property line of where the device is located.
Fishers bans any device in a motor vehicle from being plainly audible more than 30 feet away. Statewide Indiana Code 9-19-8-3 also requires every vehicle to have a working muffler to prevent excessive noise. Both apply throughout Hamilton County.
Fishers Code Sec. 98.02(D)
It shall be unlawful within the municipal limits of the city, for any device within or attached to any motor vehicle to be utilized in or at such a level so as to be plainly audible at a distance greater than 30 feet from said device.
1 cities in Hamilton County have their own noise ordinances rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
See every category we cover for Hamilton County — parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
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