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Fort Myers, FL Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Barking dog rules in Fort Myers, FL, 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
§ 54-196(5), Code of Ordinances
Standard
Frequent or long-continued noise disturbing neighbors
Minimum fine
$135, up to $500 or 60 days
Applies to
City of Fort Myers only, not Lee County

Summary

Fort Myers makes it unlawful to keep any animal or bird whose frequent or long-continued noise disturbs the comfort or repose of neighbors, folding barking dogs into the city's broader noise-nuisance ordinance.

(5)Animals and birds. The keeping of any animal or bird, which, by causing frequent or long continued noise, shall disturb the comfort or repose of any person in the vicinity.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 60).

Full Breakdown

Section 54-196(5) of the Fort Myers Code of Ordinances, part of the noise-nuisance article in Chapter 54, lists 'Animals and birds' among the acts declared to be loud, disturbing, and unnecessary noises: keeping any animal or bird that, by causing frequent or long continued noise, disturbs the comfort or repose of any person in the vicinity. Unlike the amplified-sound and stereo-volume provisions elsewhere in the same article, this clause carries no decibel meter reading or fixed curfew window, a barking-dog complaint turns on whether the noise is frequent or long-continued and whether it disturbs someone nearby. It applies citywide within Fort Myers, in Lee County, Florida, not in unincorporated Lee County or neighboring Fort Myers Beach.

Violations & Fines

Violating Sec. 54-196 carries the Code's general penalty: a minimum $135 fine, up to $500 and 60 days in jail, plus a mandatory $25 crime-prevention fund contribution, per Sec. 1-14.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a decibel limit for barking dogs in Fort Myers?
No. Sec. 54-196(5) uses a comfort-and-repose standard, frequent or long-continued animal or bird noise that disturbs a person in the vicinity, not a measured decibel threshold like the city's separate stereo-volume rule.
What happens if my dog is cited for excessive barking?
Sec. 54-196 sets no specific penalty, so the Code's general penalty in Sec. 1-14 applies: a minimum $135 fine, up to $500 or 60 days in jail, plus a mandatory $25 crime-prevention fund payment.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Fort Myers

Quiet HoursSome RestrictionsConstruction HoursSome RestrictionsLandscaping Rules: Water RestrictionsSome RestrictionsAmplified Music & Outdoor SoundSome RestrictionsAircraft NoiseSignificant RestrictionsDecibel LimitsSome RestrictionsVehicle NoiseSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Towing & Impound RightsSignificant RestrictionsZoning Overlays & Bonuses: Downtown Design GuideSome RestrictionsZoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus LawSome RestrictionsLocal Taxes & Fees: Business Tax ClassificationSome RestrictionsHistoric Preservation: Historic-Cultural MonumentsSignificant Restrictions

All Fort Myers rules

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