Minneapolis, MN Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in Minneapolis, MN, sometimes called construction noise rules or contractor work-hour ordinances, set when contractors can run power tools, hammers, and heavy equipment.
Key Facts
- Default hours
- Weekdays 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- After-hours work
- Requires Health Department permit
- Notice required
- At least 36 hours ahead
- Owner-occupant exemption
- Weekdays to 8 p.m.; weekends 9–6
- Noise-limit status
- Exempt from citywide decibel caps
Summary
Minneapolis limits construction equipment to weekdays 7 a.m.–6 p.m.; work outside those hours needs an after-hours permit from the Health Department, arranged at least 36 hours in advance.
(a) Operation of construction equipment without a permit is allowed only on Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., not including federal holidays. Operation of construction equipment outside of these hours and days without a permit from the Minneapolis Health Department and/or their designee is prohibited.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 72).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 59.30 requires an after-hours work permit from the Minneapolis Health Department to operate construction equipment outside 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays. Owner-occupants doing work on their own residential property get a wider window, weekdays 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., weekends and holidays 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., without a permit. Permits must be requested at least 36 hours ahead, with 24-hour notice to neighbors and the building owner. Separately, § 389.60(c)(4) of the noise chapter exempts pile drivers, jackhammers, cranes, backhoes, bulldozers and other construction equipment from the citywide decibel limits, so daytime construction noise is regulated by hours, not sound level.
Violations & Fines
Operating construction equipment without a permit outside permitted hours is an ordinance violation under § 59.90, enforceable as a criminal or administrative offense with penalties under §§ 1.30 and Chapter 2; each day of noncompliance is a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run a jackhammer at night in Minneapolis?
Does the noise ordinance cap how loud construction equipment can be?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Minneapolis
How Minneapolis compares: Cities with the Strictest Construction Hours·Compare Minneapolis to another location·View the Minnesota noise ordinances overview
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