Denver, CO Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in Denver, CO, sometimes called construction noise rules or contractor work-hour ordinances, set when contractors can run power tools, hammers, and heavy equipment.
Key Facts
- Weekday hours
- 7 a.m.-9 p.m.
- Weekend hours
- 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Standard
- plainly audible on residential premises
- Enforcement
- Dept. of Public Health & Environment
- Max penalty
- $999 fine or 300 days jail
Summary
Denver bars construction equipment and activities that are plainly audible on nearby homes outside set hours: 7 a.m.-9 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekends, enforced under the city's noise code.
No person shall operate, or cause to be operated, any construction equipment nor conduct any construction activities, including, without limitation, preparation activities, job site deliveries, and job site pick-ups in a manner that is plainly audible on any residential receptor premises, except during the following hours: (I) On Monday through Friday between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. (II) On Saturday and Sunday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 147 Update 3).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 36 exempts construction equipment and activities from Table A's decibel limits, but only during permitted hours: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Outside those hours, any construction noise plainly audible on a residential receptor premises -- including preparation work, deliveries and pick-ups -- is prohibited outright. Contractors facing hardship can apply to the executive director for a non-conforming activity order, with mandatory notice to neighborhood organizations and city council, or appeal a denial to the board for a variance.
Violations & Fines
Violating the hours triggers Denver's general penalty: up to a $999 fine, 300 days in jail, or both, per section 1-13, with each day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a contractor work outside Denver's construction noise hours?
Do job-site deliveries count as construction activity under the noise rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Denver
How Denver compares: Cities with the Strictest Construction Hours·Compare Denver to another location·View the Colorado noise ordinances overview
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