Centennial, CO Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)
Barking dog rules in Centennial, CO, also called nuisance dog, dog noise, or excessive barking ordinances, define when a barking dog becomes a code violation and how complaints are handled.
Key Facts
- Daytime limit
- 10 minutes continuous barking
- Nighttime limit
- 5 minutes continuous barking
- Daily cap
- 90 cumulative minutes/24 hours
- Process
- Written warning before citation
- First fine
- $50
Summary
Centennial caps barking at ten minutes by day and five minutes at night before it becomes a code violation. Sec. 7-7-470 requires a written warning before any fine issues.
(a)It is unlawful to keep a dog which, individually or in combination with another dog or dogs kept on the same premises, makes noise by barking, howling, whining, yelping or other utterance which is plainly audible beyond the premises on which the animal is kept, for a consecutive period in excess of ten (10) minutes during the day (7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.) or for a consecutive period in excess of five (5) minutes during the night (9:01 p.m. to 6:59 a.m.) and/or a cumulative period in excess of ninety (90) minutes during any twenty-four-hour period.
Full Breakdown
Centennial Municipal Code § 7-7-470(a) bans keeping a dog whose barking, howling, whining, or yelping is audible beyond the owner's premises for more than ten consecutive minutes between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., more than five consecutive minutes between 9:01 p.m. and 6:59 a.m., or more than ninety cumulative minutes in any 24-hour period. Before any penalty assessment or summons issues, an animal control officer must serve a written warning tied to an identified complainant's statement; only a second violation within twelve months of that warning can then draw a citation. It is not a defense that the owner was unavailable or that the dog was provoked by ordinary use of nearby property.
Violations & Fines
First offense $50, second within two years $75, minimum $100 after that, each with mandatory court appearance, under Sec. 7-7-170(g).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I be cited the first time my dog barks too long?
What counts as a barking violation at night?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Centennial
Compare Centennial to another location·View the Colorado noise ordinances overview
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Barking Dogs in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Arapahoe County handle barking dogs.