Garland, TX Noise from Specific Sources: Generator Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Curfew
- 10:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m., outdoor use banned
- Limit, 5 hp or less
- 74 dBA at 50 feet
- Limit, over 5 hp
- 82 dBA at 50 feet
- Enforcement
- City Health Department, § 22.77
- Penalty
- Up to $2,000 per day, § 10.05
- Variance available
- Director may grant permit, § 22.76
Summary
Garland bans running outdoor power equipment, generators included, in residential zones between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. no matter how quiet the unit is. Outside that curfew, equipment rated 5 horsepower or less must stay at or under 74 dBA measured 50 feet away, and larger equipment must stay at or under 82 dBA.
Power equipment. Operating or permitting to be operated any power equipment in residential zones outdoors between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following day. Power equipment rated five (5) horsepower or less shall not exceed a sound level of seventy-four (74) dbA at a distance of fifty (50) feet; power equipment rated more than five (5) horsepower shall not exceed a sound level of eighty-two (82) dbA at a distance of fifty (50) feet. Operating or permitting to be operated, any power equipment in residential zones outdoors which unreasonably disturbs or interferes with the peace, comfort, and repose of neighboring persons of ordinary sensibilities.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4862189; v40 updated 2026-05-19).
Full Breakdown
70(A)(5) of the Code of Ordinances, part of Article V, Noise Control, in Chapter 22 (Health), makes "power equipment" one of the specific noise violations the City defines, and the plain language, "any power equipment," reaches gasoline or engine-driven generators along with mowers, blowers, and pressure washers. Two backstops apply at once. the following day regardless of decibel level. Second, a decibel ceiling for the remaining hours, measured at a distance of 50 feet from the source: 74 dBA for equipment rated 5 horsepower or less, 82 dBA for anything rated higher.
Even equipment that clears both the curfew and the decibel limit still violates the section if it "unreasonably disturbs or interferes with the peace, comfort, and repose of neighboring persons of ordinary sensibilities," a subjective backstop the ordinance carries alongside the numeric limits. 78 lets its authorized representatives inspect property (with the owner's permission) and issue a notice of violation, an abatement order, or a class C misdemeanor citation. 76, which sets its own compliance schedule and conditions.
Violations & Fines
A violation is a class C misdemeanor prosecuted under the Code's general penalty, Section 10.05, which fines public-health violations up to $2,000 and other Code violations up to $500, with each day the equipment runs in violation counted as a separate offense. Health Department inspectors document the dBA reading at 50 feet before citing; running equipment outside these limits without a Section 22.76 variance is not otherwise permitted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run a portable generator overnight in my Garland backyard?
What decibel limit applies to a whole-house standby generator during the day?
Who enforces Garland's generator noise limits?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Garland
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Garland to another location·View the Texas noise from specific sources overview
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