Salt Lake County, UT Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)
Barking dog rules in Salt Lake County, UT, 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
- Nighttime trigger
- repeated noise 10 p.m.-7 a.m. (§8.06.010(B)(5))
- Anytime trigger
- nonstop barking 30+ minutes
- 'Natural behavior' defense
- explicitly rejected (§8.06.010(C))
- Penalty
- civil notice of violation or Class B misdemeanor
- Each incident
- counted as a separate offense
- Repeat offenders
- risk license debarment after 2+ citations in 5 years
Summary
A dog that howls, barks or whines nonstop for thirty minutes or more, or repeatedly between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., is legally a 'public nuisance animal' in unincorporated Salt Lake County under Code §8.06.010(B)(5), and the owner faces a civil notice of violation or a Class B misdemeanor citation.
8.06.010 - Nuisance. A.An owner or person having charge, care, custody, or control of an animal or animals creating a nuisance as provided in this section shall be guilty of allowing a nuisance in violation of this title and subject to the penalties provided in this title.B.An animal is considered a "public nuisance animal" if it: ...5.Makes disturbing noises, including, but not limited to, continued and repeated howling, barking, whining, or other noise which causes unreasonable annoyance, disturbance, or discomfort to neighbors or others, that occurs between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., or occurs non-stop for thirty minutes or more, regardless of time of day; ...C.The fact, or evidence of the fact, that the circumstances alleged to have caused the animal to be a nuisance are the inherent or natural behavior of the animal, or that the action of the owner or animal are otherwise legal, shall not negate or excuse a charge of nuisance.D.A person guilty of allowing a nuisance animal in violation of this section shall be subject to a civil notice of violation or a Class B misdemeanor citation. Each violation of this section shall be a separate offense.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 49).
Full Breakdown
010(A) makes an owner or anyone with charge, care, custody or control of an animal guilty of allowing a nuisance whenever the animal meets one of twelve triggers listed in subsection (B), which also include being repeatedly found at large, damaging another's property, chasing vehicles or intimidating passersby. , or the noise running non-stop for thirty minutes or more regardless of the time of day. Either one is enough on its own to make the animal a public nuisance under the ordinance. Subsection (C) closes off the most obvious defense: the fact that the barking is the animal's inherent or natural behavior, or that the owner's or animal's conduct is otherwise legal, does not negate or excuse a nuisance charge.
Subsection (D) sets the consequence: a person guilty of allowing a nuisance animal is subject to a civil notice of violation or a Class B misdemeanor citation, and each violation is treated as a separate offense, meaning repeated nights of barking can stack multiple citations. 020, which lets an animal control officer choose between issuing a criminal citation or a notice of violation carrying a compliance deadline and escalating fees; there is no appeal from a notice-of-violation stipulation once signed. 04 for up to five years, appealable through the administrative hearing procedures in Title 1, Chapter 16.
Violations & Fines
Each barking episode that crosses the 10 p.m.-to-7 a.m. window, or runs nonstop for thirty minutes or more at any hour, supports its own civil notice of violation or Class B misdemeanor citation under §8.06.010(D), and claiming the barking is just the dog's nature is not a defense under (C). An owner racking up more than two citations in five years risks losing the ability to license any animal under §8.09.050.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a neighbor's dog have to bark before it violates Salt Lake County code?
Is it a defense that barking is just normal dog behavior?
What penalty does a dog owner face for a barking complaint in unincorporated Salt Lake County?
Can repeated barking complaints affect an owner's ability to license their dog?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salt Lake County
Compare Salt Lake County to another location·View the Utah noise ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.