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
St. Joseph County sets hard decibel caps on industrial property, measured at the industrial boundary closest to a complainant. The limit depends on the neighboring zoning district, from 60/70 dB daytime next to residential land to 79/89 dB next to other industrial land, in A-weighted and C-weighted Leq over 15 minutes. Fines reach $1,000 per day, enforced by the Infrastructure, Planning, and Growth department.
St. Joseph County Industrial Noise Decibel Limits
Some RestrictionsSt. Joseph County, Ind., Code of Ordinances § 130.03
Sound levels within an industrial zone shall be measured and enforced as follows: (A) With an ANSI/ASA S1.4 compliant Type 1 or Type 2 sound level meter capable of measuring both the A-weighting filter network and C-weighting filter network. ... (C) Measurements shall be taken at least once at the point on the industrial property boundary line closest to the complainant's property, to achieve a...
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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