Milwaukee, WI Noise from Specific Sources: HVAC & Mechanical Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 80-68, Ch. 80 Noise Control
- Measured where
- 3 ft inside bedroom window
- Nighttime limit
- 37-66 dB across octave bands
- Penalty class
- Class E: $50-$500 per day
- Enforced by
- Health department commissioner
Summary
Milwaukee bars residential air conditioners from exceeding set decibel limits in a neighbor's sleeping room, with separate nighttime and daytime sound-pressure tables enforced by the health commissioner under the noise control ordinance.
No person shall install, operate or
use any residential air conditioner, or combination
of residential air conditioners, which creates a
noise level in a sleeping room in any dwelling unit
located on any adjacent premises in excess of
the sound pressure levels listed in sub. 3.
2. PROCEDURE
OF
INVESTIGATION. Upon receiving a complaint,
the commissioner shall conduct a noise survey
through use of a sound level meter and associate
octave band analyzer. The sound pressure levels
shall be measured within a sleeping room in the
complainant's premises with the sound level
measuring microphone placed 3 feet from an
open window nearest to the source of the noise
and not less than 3 feet above the floor of the
room in which the measurement is made. Results
of this survey shall be compared to the maximum
permissible levels as set forth in sub. 3. If the
levels found in the survey exceed the level in the
table in any octave band, the noise shall be
deemed as excessive and in violation of this
section.
3. CRITERIA TO DETERMINE
EXCESSIVE NOISE EMANATING FROM
RESIDENTIAL AIR CONDITIONERS.
a. Maximum Permissible Noise.
Preferred
Sound Pressure
Frequencies
Level Decibels
of Octave Bands
Re: 0.0002
(cycles per second) Microbars
63 125 250 500 1,000 2,000 4,000 8,000
Nighttime Levels 66 59 52 46 42 40 38 37
Daytime Levels 76 69 62 56 52 50 48 47
Full Breakdown
Milwaukee Code § 80-68 bars any residential air conditioner, or combination of them, from creating noise in a neighbor's sleeping room above the sound-pressure levels set in the ordinance's octave-band table: as strict as 37 decibels at night in upper frequencies, up to 76 decibels at midday lows. On complaint, the health commissioner surveys the noise with a sound level meter three feet inside the complainant's open bedroom window. If ambient background noise already nears the table's limits, the unit is only in violation if it adds more than 5 decibels above that ambient level in any band.
Violations & Fines
Each day an AC unit exceeds the § 80-68 noise table is a separate Class E offense: $50-$500 fine per day, or 3-30 days jail on default of payment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this cover commercial HVAC units too?
What can I do if a neighbor's AC unit is too loud?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Milwaukee
Compare Milwaukee to another location·View the Wisconsin noise from specific sources overview
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HVAC & Mechanical Noise in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Milwaukee County handle hvac & mechanical noise.