Arvada, CO Noise from Specific Sources: Generator Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential daytime limit
- 55 dB(A) (7 a.m.-9 p.m.)
- Residential nighttime limit
- 50 dB(A) (9 p.m.-7 a.m.)
- Measurement period
- 10+ minutes, 90% of the time
- Relief permit
- Apply to city manager, §38-35
- Emergency exemption
- Genuine emergency/safety work, §38-63
- Max penalty
- $2,650 fine and/or 364 days jail
Summary
A generator running in your yard counts as a stationary source of noise under Arvada's noise ordinance, which caps sound at the property line at 55 dB(A) by day and 50 dB(A) at night in residential districts under Code of Ordinances Section 38-91, Table I. Louder generator noise, or noise that creates a disturbance under Section 38-61, is unlawful unless a City permit or emergency exemption applies.
Sec. 38-61. Prohibitions. It shall be unlawful for any person to make, continue, or cause to be made or continued any excessive or unusually loud noise, or to create a noise disturbance within the limits of the city....Sec. 38-91. Maximum permissible continuous sound pressure levels. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or cause or permit to be operated any stationary source of noise which creates a sound pressure level that exceeds the limits set forth in Table I for more than 90 percent of any measurement period. This measurement shall not be less than ten minutes when measured at the property boundary or at any point within the property affected by the noise. TABLE I. SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL LIMIT dB(A): Residential and mixed-use, Day 55/Night 50. Commercial, Day 60/Night 55. Light industrial, Day 70/Night 65. Heavy industrial, Day 75/Night 75.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: City Council Policy Manual: Supplement 1 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 67).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 38, Article II governs noise citywide. Section 38-61 makes it unlawful to make, continue, or cause any excessive or unusually loud noise or to create a 'noise disturbance,' defined at Section 38-34 as any sound that annoys, disturbs, or injures the comfort, repose, health, or peace of a reasonable person. A generator is a 'stationary noise source,' defined in the same section as any equipment or facility, fixed or movable, capable of emitting sound beyond the property boundary. ) in residential and mixed-use districts, rising to 60/55 dB(A) in commercial districts and 70/65 dB(A) in light industrial districts.
Section 38-94 adds a duration correction: a fluctuating or intermittent generator that creates a tenth-percentile noise level more than 15 dB(A) above the ambient level is separately unlawful, and in no case may that tenth-percentile level exceed 70 dB(A) in a residential district. A property owner running a generator that cannot meet these limits, such as during an extended outage, can apply to the city manager for a permit for relief under Section 38-35, which weighs the time of day, duration, loudness relative to the limit, and the technical and economic feasibility of compliance.
Section 38-63 separately exempts noise made in the performance of genuine emergency work necessary for immediate safety, health, or welfare, and Section 38-65 exempts a property owner's own safety-related maintenance noise as long as it stays within the Section 38-91 limits.
Violations & Fines
Running a generator above the Table I decibel limits, or loud enough to create a noise disturbance under Section 38-61, is a misdemeanor. Section 38-33 sets the penalty at a fine up to the Section 1-5 cap, currently $2,650, and/or up to 364 days in jail, with each day the violation continues counted as a separate offense; Arvada Police enforce noise complaints directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a decibel limit for a generator running in my backyard?
Can I run a generator during a power outage without violating the noise limit?
What happens if a neighbor's generator is too loud at night?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Arvada
Compare Arvada to another location·View the Colorado noise from specific sources overview
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