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Kansas City, MO Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Residential outdoor, day: 60 dBA, 7 a.m.–10 p.m.
Residential outdoor, night: 55 dBA, 10 p.m.–7 a.m.
Commercial outdoor, 24 hrs: 80 dBA
Enforcing agency: Director of health / KCPD
First-violation fine: $100 administrative citation

Summary

Kansas City caps outdoor sound at 60 dBA (day) and 55 dBA (night) at residential property lines, 45/40 dBA indoors, and 80/52 dBA for commercial receiving properties, under Code of Ordinances § 46-4.

No person shall make, cause, suffer, continue, allow or permit the operation of any source of sound on any receiving property in such a manner as to create a sound level that equals or exceeds the sound level limits set forth in table I, when measured at the real property boundary or within the real property lines of any of the receiving properties listed in table I.

Source: KCMO Code Chapter 46 NoiseView official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 139 | Zoning and Development Code: Supplement 38).

Full Breakdown

Table I of Chapter 46 sets octave-band and A-weighted sound limits by receiving-property type and time of day: 60 dBA outdoor and 45 dBA indoor at residential property lines from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., dropping to 55 and 40 dBA overnight, versus 80 dBA outdoor and 52 dBA indoor for commercial receiving property around the clock. A reading only violates the code if it exceeds ambient noise by more than five decibels. The director of health administers the program, and Kansas City police may enforce it directly.

Violations & Fines

The director of health can issue an administrative citation instead of pursuing criminal penalties: $100 for a first violation, escalating to $300, $500, and up to $1,000 for repeat violations within 12 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the maximum noise level allowed in Kansas City?

City Code § 46-4 caps outdoor sound at a residential property line at 60 dBA from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 55 dBA from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., per Table I's octave-band limits.

Are commercial properties held to the same limit?

No. Table I sets separate, higher limits for commercial receiving property: 80 dBA outdoors and 52 dBA indoors around the clock, versus the tighter residential thresholds.

What happens if I violate the noise limit?

The director of health can issue an administrative citation: $100 for a first violation, up to $1,000 for a fourth or later violation within 12 months.

Sources & Official References

[1]Kansas City, MO Code of Ordinances § 46-4

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