Des Moines, IA Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)
Barking dog rules in Des Moines, IA, 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
- Governing section
- Municipal Code § 42-262
- Standard
- Frequent/continued noise disturbance
- Enforcement
- Complaint-driven, § 42-263
- Penalty
- Simple misdemeanor or municipal infraction
Summary
Des Moines bans owning or keeping any animal or bird whose frequent, sustained sounds create a noise disturbance across a residential property line or in a noise-sensitive area.
No person shall own, possess or harbor any animal or bird which frequently or for continued duration emits sounds native to the species which are a noise disturbance across a residential real property boundary or within a noise sensitive area.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 38 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Des Moines Municipal Code § 42-262 makes it unlawful to own, possess or harbor an animal or bird that frequently, or for a continued duration, emits species-native sounds rising to a "noise disturbance" across a residential real property boundary or within a designated noise-sensitive area. A single bark doesn't violate the section: it targets ongoing or repeated disturbances, consistent with the noise disturbance standard defined earlier in Chapter 42, Article IV. The city's community development and police departments enforce the noise article on a complaint basis under § 42-263. This rule applies inside Des Moines city limits only; West Des Moines, Urbandale, Ankeny, Clive, Windsor Heights and Pleasant Hill each enforce their own separate noise codes.
Violations & Fines
Violations are enforced on a resident complaint filed with the city or by police direction, per § 42-263(b). Under § 42-268, violating the noise article is a simple misdemeanor or a municipal infraction, carrying a criminal or civil penalty as set by Municipal Code § 1-15.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does one bark violate the Des Moines ordinance?
How do I report a barking dog in Des Moines?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Des Moines
Compare Des Moines to another location·View the Iowa noise ordinances overview
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