South Bend, IN Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in South Bend, IN, sometimes called construction noise rules or contractor work-hour ordinances, set when contractors can run power tools, hammers, and heavy equipment.
Key Facts
- Allowed construction hours
- 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. weekdays
- Off-hours permit
- Building Commissioner, urgent necessity
- Permit length
- Up to 3 days, renewable
- First offense fine
- $100
- Third+ offense fine
- $500
- Fine destination
- Police Dept. Training Fund #220
Summary
South Bend bars construction noise, defined as erecting, demolishing, altering, or repairing any building, outside 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays under Section 13-57(c)(10). Work outside those hours needs an urgent-necessity permit from the Building Commissioner, capped at 3-day increments. A first violation of the unreasonable-noise section costs $100, rising to $500 for a third offense.
(10)The erection (including excavating), demolition, alteration or repair of any building, other than between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on weekdays, except in case of urgent necessity in the interest of public health and safety, and then only with a permit from the Building Commissioner. The permit may be granted for a period not to exceed three (3) days or less while the emergency continues and may be renewed for periods of three (3) days or less while the emergency continues. ... (a)Any person violating any provisions of section 13-57 addressing unreasonable noise regulations shall be subject to the following fines:(1)One hundred dollars ($100.00) for a first offense;(2)Two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) for a second;(3)Five hundred dollars ($500.00) for a third offense and every subsequent.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 65).
Full Breakdown
' Emergency permits run for up to three days at a time and can be renewed in additional three-day increments while the emergency continues. on a case-by-case basis, on application at permit issuance or during the project, if the Commissioner finds public health and safety won't be impaired and that denying the request would cause loss or inconvenience to a party in interest. Construction noise is judged against the same general unreasonableness factors as the rest of Section 13-57: proximity to sleeping areas, the zoning and land use of the area, time of day, duration, and whether the sound is constant or intermittent.
05 sets the penalty schedule and payment process: citations go to whoever has present possession of the property, or the assessed owner if no one is on site, and payment routes through the Ordinance Violations Bureau.
Violations & Fines
A first violation of Section 13-57, including out-of-hours construction noise, draws a $100 fine; a second offense is $250; a third and every later offense is $500. Payment goes through the Ordinance Violations Bureau within 30 days or a $50 late fee attaches. Fine revenue is deposited into the Police Department Training Fund (Fund #220) rather than the General Fund.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hours can construction crews work in South Bend?
Can a contractor ever get approval for night work in South Bend?
What's the fine for construction noise violations in South Bend?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in South Bend
How South Bend compares: Cities with the Strictest Construction Hours·Compare South Bend to another location·View the Indiana noise ordinances overview
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