Madison County, IL Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)
Barking dog rules in Madison County, IL, 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
- § 53.05(D)
- Geographic scope
- Unincorporated Madison County only
- First offense fine
- $50 to $250
- Repeat offense fine
- $150 to $1,000
- Classification
- Misdemeanor
- Covenant override
- County code controls under § 53.07
Summary
In unincorporated Madison County, letting any animal cause frequent or long continued noise that disturbs the comfort or repose of an ordinary person is declared a nuisance and a violation under County Code Section 53.05(D). The rule sits inside the county's general noise chapter, so a first conviction draws a fine of $50 to $250 and any later offense draws $150 to $1,000, with community service possible on top.
The following shall be declared a nuisance and shall be unlawful: ... (D) For any person to keep any animal, which, by causing frequent or long continued noise, shall disturb the comfort or repose of any ordinary person;
Full Breakdown
05, alongside loud car stereos, nighttime deliveries and construction noise. Subsection (D) makes it unlawful for any person to keep an animal that, by causing frequent or long continued noise, disturbs the comfort or repose of an ordinary person, a standard the code applies without a decibel meter or a minimum duration, leaving the judgment to what an ordinary person would find disturbing. The chapter's own definitions section describes a NOISE DISTURBANCE broadly as sound that causes annoyance, has adverse psychological or physiological effects, or endangers health, safety or property, language that reinforces how subsection (D) is meant to be read.
05(D) governs only unincorporated Madison County; a barking dog inside any incorporated city limit falls under that city's own ordinance instead. 07 makes clear the chapter takes precedence over any neighborhood covenants, so a homeowners association rule cannot override or narrow the county standard. 99 treats each day a violation continues as a separate offense, so an ongoing barking problem can generate multiple counts rather than a single citation.
Violations & Fines
A first conviction under Section 53.99 carries a minimum fine of $50 and a maximum of $250. Any subsequent offense raises the range to a minimum of $150 and a maximum of $1,000. Courts may also order community service hours in addition to the fine, and any hours ordered must be completed within one year of sentencing. Each day the noise continues counts as a separate violation, so repeated barking complaints can stack multiple offenses and fines rather than being treated as one continuing incident.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the barking dog rule apply inside Edwardsville or Alton?
What is the penalty for a first barking-dog citation?
Does a homeowners association rule override the county ordinance?
Is there a minimum number of barking incidents required?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Madison County
Compare Madison County to another location·View the Illinois noise ordinances overview
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