Rutherford County, TN Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in Rutherford County, TN, sometimes called construction noise rules or contractor work-hour ordinances, set when contractors can run power tools, hammers, and heavy equipment.
Key Facts
- Daytime construction
- Exempt from decibel limits, § 1106 B.2.d
- Nighttime construction
- Must meet § 1106 B.2.c table limits
- Residential nighttime cap
- 55 dBA, 7 p.m.-7 a.m.
- Industrial cap
- 75 dBA, 24 hours
- Enforcement
- Director of Building Codes, § 1410
Summary
Rutherford County's Zoning Ordinance doesn't set a fixed construction-hours window for the unincorporated area; instead Section 1106 B.2.d exempts construction equipment from the county's decibel limits only during daylight hours. Once daylight ends, construction noise falls back under the Section 1106 B.2.c table and must stay under 55 to 75 dBA depending on the neighboring zoning.
d. Exemptions
The standards set forth in this section shall not apply to emergency warning devices, lawn care equipment used during daylight hours and equipment used in construction during daylight hours.
Full Breakdown
m. d then carves an exemption from that whole table for three categories of noise: emergency warning devices, daytime lawn care equipment, and daytime construction equipment. or Monday through Saturday; it exempts construction noise only for the hours that count as daylight. Once daylight ends, the exemption lapses and construction equipment noise measured at the property line must comply with the same nighttime limits that apply to every other source: 55 dBA next to residential lots, 60 dBA next to all-other-use lots, or 75 dBA next to industrial lots.
Builders and contractors working after dark in unincorporated Rutherford County therefore need to keep equipment noise under those thresholds or stop work. The Director of Building Codes administers Section 1106 the same way as the rest of the zoning ordinance's performance standards, investigating complaints under Section 1410 A.
Violations & Fines
Nighttime construction noise that exceeds the applicable residential, industrial, or all-other-uses limit is a violation of Section 1106, enforced the same as any other zoning violation: complaints go to the Director of Building Codes under Section 1410 A, and a confirmed violation is punishable as provided by law under Section 1410 B, with each day of continued violation treated as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hours can construction crews run noisy equipment in unincorporated Rutherford County?
What decibel limit applies to construction at night?
Who do I call about a construction noise complaint after dark?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rutherford County
How Rutherford County compares: Cities with the Strictest Construction Hours·Compare Rutherford County to another location·View the Tennessee noise ordinances overview
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