Rochester, NY Noise from Specific Sources: Generator Noise (2026)

m. " Because the exemption sits alongside items covering lawn mowers, snowblowers and air conditioners, the Council has treated generator noise the same way it treats other routine mechanical equipment: unregulated by the general noise code, with no decibel ceiling or curfew attached specifically to generators. The carve-out is narrow on its face, it exempts "emergency" generators, not backup or portable units run for convenience, so a generator operated outside an actual power emergency could still be measured against the general § 75-4A standard. Chapter 75 is enforced by the Chief of Police and by Neighborhood Service Centers Administrators under § 75-20, and any violation of the chapter, including a disputed generator complaint that falls outside the exemption, is referred to the Municipal Code Violations Bureau and punished under the citywide schedule in § 13A-11: $25 for a first offense ($50 if defaulted), $35 for a second ($70 defaulted), and $65 for a third or subsequent offense ($130 defaulted).

Residents may also file a sworn deposition with a police officer under § 75-21 describing the noise, its date, and the alleged violator, triggering a police investigation. No permit or registration is required to run an emergency generator in Rochester.