Carrollton, TX Noise from Specific Sources: Generator Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Barred hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Coverage
- Engine-generators, no distance qualifier
- Outage defense
- Section 130.18(B)(4) exempts real power outages
- Max fine
- $500 per offense, Section 10.99(A)(1)(l)
Summary
Engine-generators cannot run between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. under Carrollton's noise ordinance, but the code carves out an exception when a generator is running during a power outage to keep utility service going.
(13) The operation of engine-generators between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. ... (B) Affirmative defenses. It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this section that: ... (4) Noise is caused by engine-generators during a power outage for the purposes of maintaining residential, commercial, institutional, or industrial utility services.
Full Breakdown
18 it carries no distance qualifier tied to a residential buffer, so the overnight ban applies wherever a generator is running in the city. 18(B)(4): it is a defense to prosecution that noise is caused by engine-generators during a power outage for the purposes of maintaining residential, commercial, institutional, or industrial utility services. That means a homeowner or business running a backup generator because the power is actually out has a defense at trial, but running a generator overnight for convenience, construction power, or a portable job-site need, with utility power still on, is not excused.
18(C) removes any requirement to prove a culpable mental state for the underlying offense; the affirmative defense in (B)(4) is something the defendant must raise and support, not something the city must disprove up front. 99(A)(1)(l), a fine of up to $500 per offense, with each night of continued overnight generator noise supporting a separate citation.
Violations & Fines
Operating an engine-generator between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. without an active power outage is a Class C misdemeanor under Chapter 130, fined up to $500 per occurrence under Section 10.99(A)(1)(l). The Section 130.18(B)(4) outage defense only covers generators genuinely maintaining utility service during an outage; a defendant must show the outage to use it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run a generator overnight in Carrollton during a power outage?
Is there a distance buffer for generator noise in Carrollton like there is for lawn equipment?
What happens if I run a job-site generator overnight without an outage?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Carrollton
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Carrollton to another location·View the Texas noise from specific sources overview
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Generator Noise in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dallas County handle generator noise.