Sandy, UT Noise from Specific Sources: Generator Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Generator (>5 hp) limit
- 82 dB(A) at 50 feet
- Domestic equipment (≤5 hp) limit
- 74 dB(A) at 50 feet
- Restricted hours
- 9:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m.
- Pure-tone/cyclical penalty
- Minus 5 dB(A) allowance, § 13-2-5(c)
- Enforcing agency
- Salt Lake City-County Health Dept.
Summary
Sandy City limits power equipment rated over five horsepower, including generators, to 82 dB(A) at 50 feet, and bars running it outdoors in residential or commercial zones between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Domestic-size equipment of five horsepower or less is capped lower, at 74 dB(A).
Commercial Power Equipment. Operating or permitting to be operated, any power equipment, except construction equipment used for construction activities, rated more than five horsepower, including, but not limited to, chainsaws, pavement breakers, log chippers, powered hand tools: In residential or commercial land use districts between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following day; In any land use district if such equipment emits a sound pressure level in excess of 82 dB(A) measured at a distance of 50 feet (15 meters).
Full Breakdown
Sandy City Code section 13-2-4 splits power equipment into two tiers. , and may not exceed 74 dB(A) measured at 50 feet. "Commercial Power Equipment," rated more than five horsepower, including chainsaws, pavement breakers, log chippers and powered hand tools, is barred in residential or commercial districts during the same overnight hours, and may not exceed 82 dB(A) at 50 feet in any land use district. A portable or standby generator above five horsepower falls under the commercial tier and must meet the 82 dB(A) ceiling regardless of zone.
Section 13-2-5 separately caps any stationary source of sound, which includes a permanently sited backup generator, at an L90 level of 50 dB(A) at night or 55 dB(A) by day at a residential boundary, 55/60 dB(A) commercial-agricultural, and 75/80 dB(A) industrial, with an added five dB(A) penalty under Section 13-2-5(c) if the source emits a pure tone or cyclically varying sound, a category that can include engine-driven generators. The Salt Lake City-County Health Department measures compliance under Section 13-2-6 using ANSI-standard A-weighted meters.
Violations & Fines
A violation of Section 13-2-4 or 13-2-5 is an infraction under Section 13-2-11, with each day of continuing violation a separate offense, and is additionally declared a nuisance subject to court-ordered summary abatement under Section 13-2-12.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can a backup generator be in Sandy?
Can I run a generator at 2 a.m. during a power outage in Sandy?
What is the noise limit for a small home generator under 5 hp?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sandy
Compare Sandy to another location·View the Utah noise from specific sources overview
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Generator Noise in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Salt Lake County handle generator noise.