Washington County, WI Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)

Washington County Code § 172-7B(5) folds construction noise into the County's general loud-and-unnecessary-noise ordinance: the erection, including excavation, demolition, alteration or repair of any building, and the operation of any pile driver, excavating equipment, pneumatic hammer, derrick, steam or electric hoist, or other similar equipment attended by loud or unusual noise, is declared a violation when it happens outside the hours of 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The same clause reaches lawn and garden equipment at § 172-7B(7): lawn mowers, chain saws, powered garden and lawn equipment and other nonconstruction maintenance equipment may run only between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. as well, giving both construction and yard work the same sixteen-hour daytime window.

Section 172-7C carves out exemptions that reach some construction activity: excavation or repair of streets or other public construction performed by or on behalf of the County, state, city, village or town at night is exempt when public welfare and convenience make daytime work impossible, and County, state, city, village or town vehicles and machinery on necessary public business are exempt outright. Outside those exemptions, running equipment covered by Subsection B(5) before 6:00 a.m. or after 10:00 p.m. is enforced under § 172-23's reference to the Chapter 1 General Penalty: a forfeiture of not less than $10 nor more than $2,000, plus court costs, with up to 90 days in the County Jail if the forfeiture and costs go unpaid.