Grand Rapids, MI Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)
Barking dog rules in Grand Rapids, MI, 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
- Section
- Sec. 9.63(12)
- Standard
- Habitual barking = prohibited noise
- Enforcement
- Municipal civil infraction
- Scope
- Citywide, no decibel test required
Summary
Grand Rapids bans owning a dog whose loud, frequent, or habitual barking, yelping, or howling annoys people in the neighborhood, treating it as a prohibited noise citywide.
Own any dog which by loud or frequent or habitual barking, yelping or howling, shall cause annoyance to the people in the neighborhood. (Ord. No. 2019-71, § 2, 11-19-19; Ord. No. 2023-48, § 1, 10-10-23; Ord. No. 2026-01, § 1, 1-13-26)
Sec. 9.63.1. - Per Se Violations. Unless otherwise exempted by this Article, making, causing to be made, or allowing to be made any of the sounds identified in Section 9.63 is deemed unreasonable and constitutes a prohibited noise.
(Ord. No. 2019-71, § 2, 11-19-19)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 70).
Full Breakdown
Section 9.63 of the city's Noise Control Ordinance (Chapter 151, Article 5, Title IX) lists prohibited noises, and subsection (12) specifically bars owning any dog whose loud, frequent, or habitual barking, yelping, or howling causes annoyance to neighbors. The rule applies citywide and does not require a decibel reading, just habitual disturbance. Enforcement runs through the Environmental Services Director and Grand Rapids Police, and violations are treated as municipal civil infractions under the ordinance's penalty section.
Violations & Fines
Municipal civil infraction under Chapter 170; fines apply per occurrence, and continuing violations can be cited separately for each day the barking persists.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Grand Rapids have a barking dog ordinance?
What's the penalty for a barking dog violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Grand Rapids
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Barking Dogs in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Kent County handle barking dogs.