Fort Collins, CO Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in Fort Collins, CO, sometimes called construction noise rules or contractor work-hour ordinances, set when contractors can run power tools, hammers, and heavy equipment.
Key Facts
- Permitted construction hours
- 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Equipment requirement
- Functioning mufflers required
- After-hours noise
- Reverts to § 20-23 limits
- Governing section
- Fort Collins Muni. Code § 20-25(6)
- Max misdemeanor fine
- $2,650 under § 1-15
Summary
Construction, drilling, earthmoving, excavating and demolition equipment is exempt from Fort Collins' general noise limits only between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., and only if the motorized equipment carries a functioning muffler. Outside that daily window, Municipal Code § 20-25(6) withdraws the exemption and construction noise falls back under the § 20-23 decibel caps.
The provisions of this Article shall not apply to: ... (6)Any tools or equipment used in construction, drilling, earthmoving, excavating, or demolition, provided that all motorized equipment used in such activity is equipped with functioning mufflers, and further provided that such work takes place between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 155 | Transitional Land Use Code (for project before May 17, 2024): Supplement 61 | Traffic Code: Supplement 27).
Full Breakdown
Section 20-25 lists activities excused from the maximum-noise table in § 20-23. m. , or that runs unmuffled machinery at any hour, loses the exemption and its noise is measured against the ordinary § 20-23 zoning-district limits, which are as low as 50 dB(A) overnight in residential zones. if they stay under 85 dB(A) at the property line, and exempts snow blowers, snow throwers and snow plows equipped with a muffler at any hour. m. Enforcement runs through § 20-29: a Code Compliance officer or police officer measures the noise under the § 20-24 protocol (sound level meter, 25-foot setback from a right-of-way source or property-line measurement for private-property sources, no reading in winds over 15 mph) and issues a summons for any noise outside the permitted hours or exceeding the applicable dB(A) ceiling.
Violations & Fines
A contractor running equipment outside the 7:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. window, or without functioning mufflers, forfeits the construction exemption and is subject to § 20-29's penalty: an unclassified misdemeanor under § 1-15, fined up to $2,650, jailed up to 180 days, or both, with continuing violations charged per day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hours can construction noise legally occur in Fort Collins?
Is early-morning or nighttime construction noise allowed?
Does the exemption cover equipment without a muffler?
What happens if a contractor violates the construction noise hours?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fort Collins
How Fort Collins compares: Cities with the Strictest Construction Hours·Compare Fort Collins to another location·View the Colorado noise ordinances overview
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Construction Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Larimer County handle construction hours.