Kane County, IL Noise from Specific Sources: Generator Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Daytime limit
- 65 dBA, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Nighttime limit
- 55 dBA, 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Generator exemption
- Must be kept in good repair
- Applies in
- Unincorporated residential zoning districts only
- Enforcement
- Kane County Sheriff's Office
- Maximum fine
- $500 per day, each day separate
Summary
Kane County caps noise reaching residential land at 65 dBA in daytime and 55 dBA at night, measured at the complainant's property line. Back-up generators are carved out of that cap: Code Sec. 15-2C5c exempts powered equipment, including generators, that is kept in good repair, so a properly maintained unit running during an outage is not a violation.
Powered Equipment: Powered equipment, such as air conditioners, back-up generators, lawn mowers, small lawn and garden tools, chainsaws, riding tractors and snow removal equipment which is necessary for the maintenance of property, is kept in good repair and maintenance, and which equipment, when new, would not comply with the standards set forth in this section, shall be exempted. The term "good repair," for the purpose of this exemption, shall mean when the equipment at issue is in a condition that meets factory specifications and is properly maintained to prevent any excessive or unusual noise. However, the use of radios or other sound/entertainment devices on such equipment shall not be exempted if listened to at a level otherwise violating the terms of this section.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-17: Code current through: Ord. 26-183, passed 4-14-2026).
Full Breakdown
Kane County's noise standard, Code Sec. 15-2C, applies only in unincorporated residential zoning districts. Under Sec. , with the reading taken at the complainant's property line; a violation is declared a public nuisance. Sec. 15-2C5 lists exemptions from that cap. Subsection 5a exempts emergency short-term operations, including generators used for emergency utility repair, so a temporary generator run during a power outage does not need to meet the decibel limits at all. Separately, subsection 5c exempts routinely used powered equipment, naming back-up generators alongside air conditioners, lawn mowers, chainsaws and snow removal equipment, provided the unit is 'kept in good repair and maintenance' and, when new, would not have complied with the standard anyway.
'Good repair' means the equipment meets factory specifications and does not produce excessive or unusual noise. That exemption has a limit: if someone runs a radio or other sound or entertainment device off the generator at a volume that itself violates the decibel standard, the exemption does not cover that noise. Enforcement runs through Sec. 15-2C6, which lets any duly sworn Kane County Sheriff's deputy cite a violation as an ordinance offense. Chapter-wide, Sec. 00, with each day of a continuing violation counted as a separate offense.
Violations & Fines
A generator that is poorly maintained, mechanically excessive, or paired with a loud radio or speaker loses the powered-equipment exemption and becomes an ordinance violation once it pushes noise on neighboring residential land past 65 dBA by day or 55 dBA by night. A Kane County Sheriff's deputy can cite the violation directly under Sec. 15-2C6, or the county can issue a notice of violation and, if unresolved, a formal complaint under Sec. 15-5. Fines run up to $500.00 per day under Sec. 15-6, with each day treated as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run a generator during a power outage in unincorporated Kane County?
What noise limit applies if a generator is not exempt?
Who enforces the generator noise rule and what is the penalty?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kane County
Compare Kane County to another location·View the Illinois noise from specific sources overview
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