Will County, IL Noise from Specific Sources: Generator Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Exempt use
- generators run during electrical storms
- Otherwise curfew
- 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Fine
- $150 to $500 under § 133.99(D)
- Not exempt
- non-storm generator noise
- Coverage
- unincorporated Will County only
Summary
Unincorporated Will County's residential noise ordinance, Code § 133.04, exempts "emergency related sound" from its 75-foot amplified-sound rule and its 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew. That defined category specifically includes emergency generators used during electrical storms, along with snow removal, flood-water removal, storm-debris removal, alarms and other emergency warning sounds.
EMERGENCY RELATED SOUND. Any type of sound rendered on an intermittent, emergency basis, including but not limited to sounds associated with snow removal, flood water removal, and/or storm debris removal, emergency generators that are used during electrical storms, as well as alarms and other emergency warning sounds. ... (C) In all residential districts, and all business districts immediately adjacent to residential districts, within unincorporated Will County, no noise as defined may be emitted from a property between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. (D) Exceptions. The provisions of this section shall not apply to: ... (2) Emergency related sounds are defined herein.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-25: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ordinance No. 24-100, passed 4-18-2024 and Res. 23-387, passed 11-16-2023; and State legislation approved through 2024 Pamphlet #2).
Full Breakdown
m. Division (D)(2) excepts "Emergency related sounds" from both bars. " The exemption is narrow: it covers generators run during electrical storms, not routine or discretionary generator use. curfew if it is audible 75 feet beyond the property line. 04(D) exceptions cover construction trades, county-approved athletic events, interior worship-service sound, and farm equipment under the Illinois Vehicle Code. The section stems from Ordinance 11-287, passed August 18, 2011, and governs only unincorporated Will County; incorporated cities such as Joliet and Bolingbrook set their own noise codes.
Violations & Fines
Violating § 133.04 carries the penalty set in § 133.99(D): a fine of not less than $150 and not more than $500 per offense. A generator run during an electrical storm is exempt outright, so no fine attaches to that use. A generator run outside a storm event that is audible 75 feet beyond the property line between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. is treated as ordinary mechanical-equipment noise and can draw the same $150 to $500 fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are backup generators exempt from Will County's noise ordinance?
Can I run a generator overnight after losing power on a clear night?
What is the penalty for a generator noise violation in Will County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Will County
Compare Will County to another location·View the Illinois noise from specific sources overview
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