Gilbert, AZ Noise from Specific Sources: Generator Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Exempt uses
- Emergency generators, alarms, storm sirens, testing
- Non-emergency generators
- Must meet community noise standards
- Residential nighttime cap
- 45 dB(A), 10 p.m.–5 a.m.
- Residential daytime cap
- 55 dB(A), 5 a.m.–10 p.m.
- First-offense fine
- $100–$500 civil sanction
- Habitual offender
- Up to $2,500 and 6 months jail
Summary
Gilbert exempts emergency generators, storm sirens and alarm devices, plus their authorized testing, from the town's noise-level limits, but a portable or standby generator run for routine, non-emergency power must meet the same community noise standards as any other sound source: 45 dB(A) overnight in residential areas.
(c)Exemptions. The following uses and activities shall be exempt from noise level regulations in this section...(4)Noises of safety signals, warning and alarm devices, emergency generators, storm warning sirens, emergency pressure relief valves or horns and the authorized testing of such equipment... (e)(1)It is unlawful for any person to create any noise which would cause the noise level measured from the inside, with the windows and doors closed, of a complainant's residential dwelling...to exceed the following community noise standards for more than 15 minutes in commercial areas and industrial areas and for more than five minutes in residential areas: Residential area 10:00 p.m.—5:00 a.m. 45; 5:00 a.m.—10:00 p.m. 55.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 102).
Full Breakdown
' The exemption covers a generator running because of an actual power outage or emergency, and the periodic testing utilities and property managers run to confirm a backup unit works, not a generator run for convenience, a job site, or an event. in a residential area, rising to 55/65 dB(A) in a commercial area and 60/70 dB(A) in an industrial area, averaged over five minutes in residential areas and 15 minutes elsewhere. A contractor running a job-site generator also has to clear the construction-noise limits in Section 42-63, no more than five dB(A) over the applicable community standard at the property line, and the start/stop hours that section sets for construction work.
Violations & Fines
A generator that isn't covered by the Section 42-61(c)(4) emergency exemption and exceeds the community noise standard is a civil violation under Section 42-65: a civil sanction of not less than $100 nor more than $500 per violation, imposed by the town's civil hearing officer. A habitual offender, three or more civil violations of the noise division within 24 months, faces a criminal misdemeanor complaint in Gilbert municipal court, punishable by up to six months in jail or a fine up to $2,500, with a mandatory minimum fine of $500 per count.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are backup generators exempt from Gilbert's noise ordinance?
How loud can a portable generator be in a Gilbert neighborhood at night?
Can I run a generator at a construction site overnight in Gilbert?
What's the fine for a noisy generator complaint in Gilbert?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Gilbert
Compare Gilbert to another location·View the Arizona noise from specific sources overview
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