Champaign, IL Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in Champaign, IL, sometimes called construction noise rules or contractor work-hour ordinances, set when contractors can run power tools, hammers, and heavy equipment.
Key Facts
- Construction noise curfew
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. barred, Sec. 21-14(1)
- Power tool hours
- 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m., Sec. 21-14(2)
- Waiver authority
- City Manager, government projects only, Sec. 21-17
- Waiver precondition
- Written finding + Council notice before start
Summary
Champaign bans audible construction noise between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. under Sec. 21-14(1), and power tools face the same 7:00 a.m.-to-10:00 p.m. window, though the City Manager can waive the limit for a city or other government construction project.
In addition to the prohibition contained in section 21-13, no person shall conduct any of the following activities if any such activity produces clearly audible sound beyond the boundary line of the property or residential unit on which or in which the activity is conducted: (1)Construction between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.;(2)The operation of power tools or power equipment, except that such tools or equipment may be used between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. for reasonable lengths of time;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 21-14 lists specific prohibitions applying to any activity that produces clearly audible sound beyond the boundary line of the property where it occurs. m. for reasonable lengths of time, covering the equipment most construction activity relies on. 'Construction' is defined broadly in Sec. 21-11 to include on-site erection, fabrication, installation, alteration, repair, remodeling, demolition or removal of any structure or facility, plus related activity such as clearing land, earth-moving, excavation, drilling, blasting and landscaping, so the nighttime ban reaches the full range of jobsite work, not just active building.
Sec. 21-17 gives the City Manager narrow authority to waive or alter the Sec. 21-14 time limits, but only for a City or other governmental construction project, and only after making a written finding that the public interest is served by extended hours, that the impact on residential units is slight compared to the benefit of finishing the project quickly, and forwarding that determination to the City Council before work begins outside normal hours; the Director of Public Works must then notify affected residents before construction starts.
Violations & Fines
Construction noise outside the permitted 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. window is enforceable under the Code's general penalty at Sec. 1-21: a fine of $1.00 to $750.00 per offense, with each day of continuing violation charged separately, or a sentence of 1 to 100 hours of public service work in place of a fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time can construction start and stop in Champaign?
Can a contractor ever get permission to work past 10:00 p.m.?
What counts as 'construction' under the noise curfew?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Champaign
How Champaign compares: Cities with the Strictest Construction Hours·Compare Champaign to another location·View the Illinois noise ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.