Douglas County, CO Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Daytime limit
- 55 dB(A), 7am-7pm
- Nighttime limit
- 50 dB(A), 7pm-7am
- Zones covered
- A-1, LRR, RR, ER, SR, MF, MH
- Short-spike allowance
- +10 dB(A) for up to 15 min/hour
- Impulsive noise cap
- 5 dB(A) below table limits
- Measured at
- 25 feet or more from the lot line
Summary
Douglas County caps outdoor noise at 55 dB(A) by day and 50 dB(A) at night across its A-1, LRR, RR, ER, SR, MF and MH zone districts, measured at the property line. Short, occasional spikes get some room: the daytime limit can jump 10 dB(A) for up to 15 minutes an hour, but sharp or shrill noises must stay 5 dB(A) below the table.
§ 1-1703A. Maximum Permissible Noise Levels. The following are the maximum permissible noise levels that may be emitted from lots or parcels within the following zone districts: Zone District* 7:00 a.m. to next 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. to next 7:00 a.m. A-1/LRR/RR/ER/SR/MF/MH 55 dB(A) 50 dB(A) * Maximum permissible noise levels within Planned Developments shall be determined by the zone district to which a planning area and the uses established therein most closely conform. 1. In the hours between 7:00 a.m. and the next 7:00 p.m. the noise levels permitted may be increased by 10 dB(A) for a period of not to exceed 15 minutes in any one-hour period. [§ 25-12-103(2), C.R.S.] 2. Periodic, impulsive, or shrill noises are limited to a sound level of five dB(A) less than those listed in the above table. [§ 25-12-103(3), C.R.S.]
Full Breakdown
m. Planned Developments are held to whichever of those zone districts their planning area and uses most closely resemble. The code builds in two calibrated exceptions rather than a blanket cap: under subsection 1, daytime noise may spike 10 dB(A) above the table for no more than 15 minutes in any given hour, covering ordinary bursts like a passing truck or a mower starting up; under subsection 2, periodic, impulsive, or shrill noises are held to a stricter standard, five dB(A) below the table figures, because that kind of sound is more disruptive at the same volume.
Measurement itself is standardized under § 1-1705A: sound is read on the A-weighted scale required by the American National Standards Institute, at least 25 feet from the lot line where the noise originates, only when wind is 5 mph or less (10 mph with a windscreen), with the ambient noise level from all sources factored in. m.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the zone's noise ceiling violates Douglas County Zoning Resolution § 1-1703A and is enforced as a zoning violation under § 1-113. Under § 1-114, the county can issue a $100 civil infraction per violation, pursue a civil penalty of $500 to $1,000 with a continuing fine of up to $100 per day, or seek an injunction or abatement order; each day the noise violation continues is treated as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the actual decibel limit where I live in unincorporated Douglas County?
Can noise ever legally exceed the table limits?
How does the county measure noise to enforce this?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Douglas County
Compare Douglas County to another location·View the Colorado noise ordinances overview
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