Provo, UT Noise Ordinances: Aircraft Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- City dBA limit on aircraft
- None; preempted by federal law
- Adopted authorities
- FAA, Utah State Aeronautics Commission, Airport Director
- Minimum flight altitude
- 1,000 feet AGL over the City (13.02.060)
- Acrobatic flying
- Prohibited over developed areas without Director approval (13.02.070)
- Code Section
- Provo City Code 13.02.010, 13.02.160
Summary
No Provo ordinance sets dBA limits for aircraft in flight. Provo's airport chapter adopts FAA and Utah State Aeronautics Commission regulations by reference, and aircraft noise standards are preempted by federal law.
13.02.010 Aeronautic Regulations - Compliance Required. It shall be unlawful for any aviator, or other person, to fail to comply with any of the rules and regulations adopted and promulgated by the Federal Aviation Administration, the Utah State Aeronautics Commission, and the Airport Director. All said rules and regulations so adopted and promulgated are hereby adopted by reference and made a part hereof as fully as if the same and each of them were completely set forth herein. 13.02.060 Height of Flight. It shall be unlawful for any airman, or other person, to fly or otherwise navigate any aircraft over the City at a lower altitude than one thousand (1,000) feet above ground level, except in landing or taking off from the duly established and authorized airport located within the City, on the established landing pattern.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-17, passed June 9, 2026).
Full Breakdown
050. Instead, flight operations at the city-owned Provo Municipal Airport are governed by Title 13. 010 makes it unlawful for any aviator or other person to fail to comply with the rules and regulations adopted by the Federal Aviation Administration, the Utah State Aeronautics Commission, and the Airport Director, and adopts all such rules by reference. 070 bars acrobatic flying over business, industrial, or residential areas without the Airport Director's approval. 160(1) confirms that Federal Aviation Regulations, together with State and City regulations, are the guiding rules for all flying at the airport.
Aircraft noise standards are preempted by federal law (the Federal Aviation Act and Noise Control Act, administered by the FAA), so Provo cannot independently set in-flight aircraft noise limits.
Violations & Fines
Provo does not enforce dBA limits against aircraft in flight; aircraft noise concerns are addressed through the FAA. City airport rule violations (such as low or acrobatic flying under Secs. 13.02.060 and 13.02.070, or failure to comply with adopted FAA/State rules under Sec. 13.02.010) are enforced by the Airport Director and may be reported to that office (Sec. 13.02.160(18)).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Provo cite an aircraft for noise?
Are there any flight restrictions over Provo?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Provo
Compare Provo to another location·View the Utah noise ordinances overview
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Aircraft Noise in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Utah County handle aircraft noise.