Saint Paul, MN Noise from Specific Sources: Generator Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Citation
- Saint Paul Legislative Code § 293.05
- Covers
- "Stationary internal combustion engine"
- Requirement
- Muffler or equivalent device required
- Time window
- None set: applies at all hours
- Penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine or 90 days jail
Summary
Saint Paul Legislative Code § 293.05 requires every stationary internal combustion engine, the category that covers portable and standby generators, to discharge exhaust through "a muffler or other device that effectively prevents loud or explosive noises," on top of any applicable state requirements. It's a Chapter 293 misdemeanor enforced by Saint Paul police.
No person shall discharge or permit the discharge of any steam engine, stationary internal combustion engine, motorboat, motor vehicle or snowmobile except through a muffler or other device that effectively prevents loud or explosive noises therefrom and complies with any applicable state laws and regulations.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 133 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
" "Stationary internal combustion engine" is the operative phrase for a generator, whether it's a portable unit run during a power outage, a standby generator serving an apartment building, or a job-site generator on a construction project, and the rule requires the exhaust to run "through a muffler or other device that effectively prevents loud or explosive noises," and separately to "comply with any applicable state laws and regulations," which pulls in state equipment standards on top of the city's own muffler requirement. 05 sets no time window or distance test of its own for generators, the muffler requirement applies at all hours.
07's Table 1 if it's a fixed installation subject to that section's land-use classifications. 02(f), applies citywide to "any section of this chapter," so a defective or unmuffled generator exhaust is enforced the same way as any other Chapter 293 violation.
Violations & Fines
A § 293.05 violation is a misdemeanor under the Chapter 293 penalty at § 293.02(f): up to a $1,000 fine, up to 90 days in jail, or both, with each day the unmuffled generator runs chargeable as a separate offense. Saint Paul police and the department of safety and inspections both have enforcement authority.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Saint Paul limit what hours I can run a generator?
What exactly does "stationary internal combustion engine" mean for a home generator?
Is a generator required to meet any state standards on top of the city's muffler rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Saint Paul
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