Noise Ordinances in St. Joseph County, IN (2026)
4 rules for unincorporated St. Joseph County, Indiana.
Verified from official government sources
Construction Hours
Erecting, demolishing, altering or repairing any building in unincorporated St. Joseph County outside 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. is a noise violation unless the building commissioner has issued an emergency permit. Section 130.02(9) treats after-hours construction noise the same as any other prohibited loud noise under chapter 130.
St. Joseph County Construction Noise Hours
Some RestrictionsSt. Joseph County, Ind., Code of Ordinances § 130.02(9)
(9)The erection (including excavating), demolition, alteration or repair of any building, other than between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., except in case of urgent necessity in the interest of public health and safety, and then only with a permit from the building commissioner. The permit may be granted for a period of time not to exceed three days or less while the emergency continues ...
Barking Dogs
Keeping a dog, cat or other animal that causes frequent, long-continued noise disturbing a neighbor's comfort or repose is a county noise violation under § 130.02(5). Sheriff's deputies and county police can cite the owner, and fines run through the same general noise penalty that covers every other prohibited noise in chapter 130.
St. Joseph County Barking Dog Noise Rule
Some RestrictionsSt. Joseph County, Ind., Code of Ordinances § 130.02(5)
No person shall make, continue or cause to be made or continued any loud, raucous, improper, unreasonable, offensive or unusual noise which disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of others within the county. ... The following acts, among others, are declared to be loud, raucous or disturbing noises in violation of this section, but this enumeration shall not...
Decibel Limits
Unincorporated St. Joseph County caps industrial-zone noise at 64 dBA at any point on a complaining neighbor's property line, or by the octave-band table set out at Code Section 130.03, which runs stricter along residential district boundaries than along business or commercial district boundaries. The county sheriff's office enforces the broader noise chapter and issues citations payable at the traffic violations bureau.
St. Joseph County Noise Decibel Limits
Some RestrictionsSt. Joseph County, Ind., Code of Ordinances § 130.03
Sound levels within an industrial zone shall be measured by sound pressure level not to exceed the limits listed below at any point on the boundary of the property of the complainant. The sound pressure level of a sound is measured through an A-weighting filter network. The level read is designated dB(A) or dBA. Sixty-four dBA at all times; or the octave-band breakdown of the dBA limits shall b...
Vehicle Noise
Blasting a horn without a real danger, running a car without a working muffler, or driving a vehicle so out of repair it exceeds state decibel standards are each separate noise violations under § 130.02 in unincorporated St. Joseph County. All three fall under the same chapter 130 enforcement and fine structure.
St. Joseph County Vehicle Noise Rules
Some RestrictionsSt. Joseph County, Ind., Code of Ordinances § 130.02(1), (6), (7)
(1)The sounding of any horn or signaling device on any automobile, motorcycle or other vehicle on any street or public place except as a danger warning; ... the use of any signaling device except one operated by hand or electricity; the use of any horn, whistle or other device operated by engine exhaust; and the use of any such signaling device when traffic is for any reason held up; ... (6)The...
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