Dearborn, MI Noise from Specific Sources: Generator Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Decibel limit
- 80 dB maximum
- Measured at
- 15 feet from generator
- Applies to
- Street vendors and food trucks
- Checked at
- Pre-license fire inspection
Summary
Dearborn caps generator noise from street vendors at 80 decibels, measured 15 feet from the machine, under the city's street vendor ordinance.
Generator noise. All generators must operate at a level of 80 decibels or lower, exclusive of any other noise, when measured from a distance of 15 feet.
(i) Motor vehicles. Vending from a motor vehicle is restricted to public ways. No vendor vending from a motor vehicle shall:
(1) Stop, stand or park the vehicle within 200 feet of any intersection, within any other prohibited area, or during prohibited hours.
(2) Conduct business in such a way as would increase traffic congestion or delay, constitute a hazard to life or property, interfere with an abutting property owner, or obstruct access to emergency vehicles. (Ord. No. 90-497, § 10, 12-18-90; Ord. No. 25-1840, 4-22-25)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-07: Code: Updated through: July 22, 2026 | Zoning: Updated through: July 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Dearborn's street vendor ordinance sets a hard numeric ceiling on generator noise: under Code of Ordinances § 12-240(h), all generators used by vendors must run at 80 decibels or lower, exclusive of any other noise, when measured from a distance of 15 feet. The limit sits alongside a broader noise restriction in the same section barring vendors from sounding loud or raucous devices, loudspeakers, or amplified sound to draw attention. The city's food truck article, § 12-255(a)(5), repeats the identical 80-decibel/15-foot standard for food truck generators and folds compliance into the mandatory pre-license fire department inspection.
Violations & Fines
Running a generator above 80 decibels at 15 feet violates § 12-240(h) and can be grounds for citation or license suspension under the vendor and food truck ordinances.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can a Dearborn street vendor's generator be?
Does the 80-decibel generator limit apply to food trucks too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dearborn
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