Cape Coral, FL Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)

Section 12-22(g)(5) of the Cape Coral Noise Control Ordinance exempts "construction activities between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, except New Year's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, for which building permits have been issued, or for construction activities not requiring permits due to the scope of work or ownership of the project by a governmental agency." That exemption is conditional, not automatic: it applies only when all equipment is operated according to manufacturer's specifications and with standard equipment, factory mufflers, and noise-reducing equipment in use and in good operating condition.

Construction noise on a Sunday, before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. on a weekday, or on any of the seven named holidays falls outside the exemption and is instead measured against the general noise standards in § 12-22(e): prima facie evidence of an unreasonably loud and raucous violation exists if sound meets or exceeds 73 dBA/75 dBC during the day or 65 dBA/67 dBC at night, or is plainly audible 100 feet from the source between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. Other exemptions in the same subsection run on different clocks, for comparison: routine lawn and garden equipment is exempt 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and city-approved refuse collection is exempt 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. from October through April and 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. from May through September.