Arlington Heights, IL Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)

Section 16-107, titled "Noisy Animals," states: "It shall be unlawful to harbor or keep any animal which habitually or continually disturbs the peace and quiet of any family, individual or neighborhood by loud noises at any time of the day or night." The Village reinforces this in Chapter 16's nuisance article: Section 16-401(e) separately makes it unlawful "to allow excessive or untimely noise, causing annoyance and discomfort to surrounding neighbors so as to disturb the reasonable use and enjoyment of their property." Under Section 16-402(b), once an animal "causes excessive noise ... in violation of this Code, the owner or person having control of the animal shall immediately cause the nuisance to be abated," meaning the owner cannot wait for a citation before addressing the barking.

Enforcement runs through the Chapter 16 penalty section, 16-501(a), which sets a fine of not less than $25.00 for each offense and treats every day the noise continues as a separate violation. Tickets can be settled by paying before the hearing date; if unresolved, the case proceeds under the Administrative Adjudication process in Article VIII of Chapter 18, with a further $25.00 late-payment penalty attaching 21 days after the hearing date if the owner still has not responded. Because the rule sits inside the "Noisy Animals" and nuisance provisions rather than a decibel-based code, complaints turn on whether the barking is habitual or continual and disruptive, not on a measured sound level.