Sarasota County, FL Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in Sarasota County, FL, sometimes called construction noise rules or contractor work-hour ordinances, set when contractors can run power tools, hammers, and heavy equipment.
Key Facts
- Construction exemption hours
- 7a-8p, Monday through Saturday only
- Sunday
- No construction exemption at all
- Off-hours work
- 8:01p-6:59a must meet Table I limits
- Government projects
- Exempt at all times, no cutoff
- Refuse collection
- Separate exemption, 6a-8p daily
- First response
- Warning, about 15 minutes to comply
- Max penalty
- $500 fine, 60 days jail
Summary
Construction and demolition noise in unincorporated Sarasota County is exempt from Sec. 54-118's decibel limits only from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Work between 8:01 p.m. and 6:59 a.m. on those days, and any construction at all on Sunday, must meet the same numeric sound ceilings as every other source.
(9)Construction shall mean any site preparation, assembly, erection, demolition, substantial repair, alteration, or improvement of realty, whether publicly or privately owned, and whether above ground or below ground... Construction shall include work begun with either a valid permit or without one. ... (13)Sounds produced by the following shall be exempt from the provisions of this section between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.:a.Construction and demolition equipment and activities Monday through Saturday only. Construction activities that take place from 8:01 p.m. through 6:59 a.m. on Monday through Saturday, and all day Sunday, shall meet the decibel limitations of this Article. ... (15)Government capital project construction, equipment, and activities shall be exempt from the provisions of this section at all times.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 98).
Full Breakdown
Sec. , Monday through Saturday. on a weekday or Saturday, and all day every Sunday, construction noise has to meet the Table I limits like any other Generating Property: 65 dBA/70 dBC by day in a residential zone, dropping to 55 dBA/60 dBC at night, with commercial, governmental, and industrial parcels held to their own figures. schedule. 'Construction' is defined broadly in subsection (a)(9) to include site preparation, assembly, erection, demolition, substantial repair, alteration, or improvement of realty, whether public or private, above or below ground, and covers work begun with or without a valid permit.
every day of the week under (d)(14), and government capital-project construction, equipment, and activities are exempt at all times under (d)(15), with no Sunday or nighttime cutoff.
Violations & Fines
Running equipment outside the 7 a.m.-8 p.m., Monday-through-Saturday window, or on a Sunday, forfeits the exemption, so any reading above the zone's Table I limit is a violation. The County first warns, giving about 15 minutes to comply; failing that, or repeating within 90 days, brings Chapter 2, Article VIII enforcement or a criminal charge of up to $500.00, up to 60 days in jail, or both, per day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hours can construction crews make noise in unincorporated Sarasota County?
Is Sunday construction ever allowed under the noise ordinance?
Do government road or utility projects follow the same construction hours?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sarasota County
How Sarasota County compares: Cities with the Strictest Construction Hours·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Sarasota County to another location·View the Florida noise ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.