Madison, WI Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in Madison, WI, sometimes called construction noise rules or contractor work-hour ordinances, set when contractors can run power tools, hammers, and heavy equipment.
Key Facts
- Governing section
- MGO § 24.08(3)(f)
- Mon–Sat hours
- 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- Sunday hours
- 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- After-hours option
- Common Council approval after Board of Public Works hearing
- Enforcing agency
- Building Inspection Division
Summary
Madison restricts noisy construction equipment to 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on Sunday under MGO § 24.08(3)(f). Running equipment outside those windows in a way that unreasonably disturbs neighbors is prohibited unless the Common Council grants an after-hours exception following a Board of Public Works hearing.
(f)Limited Exemptions for Construction Noise.1.Monday through Saturday. No person shall operate or permit the operation of any equipment used in construction work between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., from Monday through Saturday, in such a manner as to unreasonably interfere with the peace, comfort and quality of life of neighboring persons of ordinary sensibilities, except as otherwise provided in this subsection (f).2.Sunday. On Sunday, no person shall operate or permit the operation of any equipment used in construction work before 10:00 a.m. and after 7 p.m. in such a manner as to unreasonably interfere with the peace, comfort and quality of life of neighboring persons of ordinary sensibilities, except as otherwise provided in this subsection (f).
Full Breakdown
08(3)(f), Limited Exemptions for Construction Noise, sets Madison's operating window for construction equipment. m. m. m. Sunday, outside those hours, equipment must meet the same numeric sound limits as any other stationary noise source, up to 65 dBA at a residential property line. A contractor who needs to work outside the permitted hours isn't automatically shut out: subsection 4 lets the Common Council approve after-hours construction following a hearing before the Board of Public Works, with notice mailed at least ten days ahead to property owners of record and posted at the site.
Because the daytime standard itself is a 'reasonable interference' test rather than a flat ban, even permitted-hours construction can still draw a citation if it unreasonably disturbs neighbors, and after-hours work without Council approval is a straightforward hours violation.
Violations & Fines
Operating construction equipment outside the 7 a.m.-7 p.m. weekday/Saturday or 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday windows, or in a way that unreasonably interferes with neighbors even within those hours, is enforced under Chapter 24's default forfeiture of $25 to $500 per offense (§ 24.20), with the Building Inspection Division as the primary enforcing agency for § 24.08 and each day of continued violation chargeable separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time can construction start in Madison?
Can a contractor get permission to work past 7 p.m.?
Who enforces construction noise complaints in Madison?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Madison
How Madison compares: Cities with the Strictest Construction Hours·Compare Madison to another location·View the Wisconsin noise ordinances overview
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Construction Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dane County handle construction hours.