Salt Lake City, UT Noise from Specific Sources: HVAC & Mechanical Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential limit, night
- 50 dBA, 9pm-7am
- Residential limit, day
- 55 dBA, 7am-9pm
- Pure-tone/hum equipment
- Limit reduced 5 dBA
- Enforcing agency
- Salt Lake Valley Health Dept.
- Penalty
- Class B misdemeanor per day
Summary
Salt Lake City treats outdoor air conditioners, heat pumps and other HVAC condensers as stationary noise sources, capping their sound at 50 dBA overnight and 55 dBA daytime at a residential property line.
It is a violation of this chapter for any person to operate or permit to be operated any stationary source of sound in such a manner as to create a ninetieth percentile sound pressure level (L90) of any measurement period ... which exceeds the limits set forth for the following receiving land use districts, when measured at the boundary ... Residential 50 dBA [9:00 P.M.-7:00 A.M.] 55 dBA [7:00 A.M.-9:00 P.M.]
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Code current through: Ord. 40-26, passed June 16, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Salt Lake City Code chapter 9.28 defines any fixed equipment on private property as a 'stationary noise source,' a category that covers rooftop and pad-mounted HVAC condensers and heat pumps. Under section 9.28.060, that equipment cannot create a ninetieth-percentile sound pressure level (L90) above 50 dBA between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., or 55 dBA between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., measured at the residential property boundary. Equipment that emits a pure tone or cyclically varying hum (typical of compressors) must meet limits 5 dBA lower. Owners facing undue hardship can seek a conditional relief permit from the Salt Lake Valley Health Department under section 9.28.070.
Violations & Fines
Violations are a class B misdemeanor, with each day of continued excess noise a separate offense; the Health Department can also pursue injunctive nuisance abatement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Salt Lake City regulate noise from AC units and heat pumps?
What can I do about a neighbor's loud HVAC unit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salt Lake City
Compare Salt Lake City to another location·View the Utah noise from specific sources overview
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HVAC & Mechanical Noise in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Salt Lake County handle hvac & mechanical noise.