Dubuque, IA Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)

Subsection M of the Dubuque noise ordinance, City Code Section 6-5-1(M), prohibits making or continuing outdoor music or amplified noise during set overnight windows: 10:00 P.M. to 9:00 A.M. between Sunday and Thursday nights, and midnight to 9:00 A.M. on the Friday-into-Saturday and Saturday-into-Sunday nights, but only when the person making or causing the music or noise knows or reasonably should know it would disturb the peace of a reasonable person. The same subsection exempts sport team and intramural practices held on the grounds of a Dubuque public or parochial school or college campus.

A separate exemption in Section 6-5-3(G) covers sanctioned sporting events and marching-band performances or practices on school and college campuses during daytime and evening hours, up to midnight on Friday and Saturday, and it protects a public-address announcer at those events. Outside the overnight window, amplified sound is still reachable under the chapter's general prohibition in Section 6-5-1 on any loud and excessive noise causing annoyance or discomfort to a reasonable person, so a daytime block party or outdoor concert can still draw a complaint if it is unreasonably loud even though it falls outside the fixed M curfew.

The City Manager's designee enforces Chapter 5 under Section 6-5-6 and may issue a temporary variance permit under Section 6-5-7 for special events such as festivals, provided precautions keep the noise at the lowest practical level.