Aurora, CO Noise from Specific Sources: Generator Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential daytime limit
- 55 dBA, 7am-9pm
- Residential nighttime limit
- 45 dBA, 9pm-7am
- Measured at
- neighboring property boundary
- Oil/gas emergency generators
- excluded from power mandate
- UDO currency
- through Ord. 2026-03, Feb 2026
Summary
Aurora has no generator-specific noise rule. Generator and other equipment noise is measured against the UDO's citywide decibel limits: 55 dBA daytime and 45 dBA nighttime at a neighboring residential property line.
E. Noise. All activities shall comply with the maximum noise standards in this Subsection E unless another provision of this UDO or another City regulation applies a different standard. All sound measurements shall be made on a sound level meter that meets American National Standards Institute (ANSI) specifications S1.4-1974... a. Generating sound levels that exceed the limits established in the neighboring land zone category specified in Table 4.11-1 when measured at or within the property boundary of the neighboring land zone.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-30, passed June 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under the Aurora Unified Development Ordinance (current through Ordinance 2026-03, February 23, 2026), Section 146-4.11.2.E sets citywide maximum sound levels by adjacent land use and time of day, and any activity, including a generator, that exceeds the limit measured at the neighboring property boundary is a violation. Residential boundaries cap at 55 dBA (7 a.m.-9 p.m.) and 45 dBA (9 p.m.-7 a.m.); commercial/mixed-use is 60/55 dBA; industrial districts run higher. Two specific local rules layer on top: mobile food trucks may not run a generator that violates these UDO noise standards near single-family homes (§ 146-3.3.6.K), and oil and gas operators must use electric line power for permanent production equipment, though City Code Ch. 135 expressly excludes fuel-powered generators used solely for emergency purposes from that mandate.
Violations & Fines
Aurora's Neighborhood Services Department enforces UDO noise violations; each day a generator exceeds the property-line decibel limit is a separate offense, punishable under City Code § 1-9 by a fine up to $2,650, up to 364 days in jail, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Aurora, Colorado have a rule specifically for generator noise?
Are backup generators exempt from Aurora's noise rules?
What's the nighttime generator noise limit near homes in Aurora?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Aurora
Compare Aurora to another location·View the Colorado noise from specific sources overview
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