Lee County, FL Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in Lee 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
- Fixed construction curfew
- None; the county regulates by decibels
- Muffler required
- Yes, on power-driven construction equipment
- Daytime residential cap
- 66 dBA / 71 dBC
- Night residential cap
- 55 dBA / 60 dBC
- 24-hour equipment
- Shield from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Summary
Lee County sets no fixed construction curfew. Power-driven construction equipment needs a muffler unless it stays under the Table 1 limit for the receiving land, and 24-hour equipment near homes must be shielded from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
Construction equipment that must be operated near a residential use on a 24-hour-per-day basis (i.e., pumps, well tips, generators, etc.) will be shielded by a barrier to reduce the noise during the hours of 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. unless the unshielded noise level is less than fifty-five (55) dBA, as measured from at or within the real property line of any residential receiving land.
Full Breakdown
Section 19-151(1)c.2 says no one may operate power-driven construction equipment without a muffler or noise-reduction device at least as effective as the manufacturer's, unless the equipment sounds quieter than the Table 1 limit for the receiving land. For residential, public space or agricultural land, Table 1 allows 66 dBA and 71 dBC from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Equipment that must run around the clock near homes, such as pumps, well tips and generators, must be shielded by a barrier from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. unless its unshielded level stays under 55 dBA or 60 dBC at the residential property line.
Violations & Fines
The Sheriff's Office investigates under Sec. 19-154. A Code violation is prosecuted like a misdemeanor and carries a fine up to $500.00, up to 60 days in jail, or both, with each day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there fixed 'no construction' hours in Lee County?
Is a generator allowed on a job site overnight?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lee County
How Lee County compares: Cities with the Strictest Construction Hours·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Lee County to another location·View the Florida noise ordinances overview
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