Decatur, GA Noise Ordinances: Leaf Blower Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Weekday hours
- 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
- Weekend hours
- 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Covered equipment
- leaf blowers, mowers, trimmers, chainsaws
- Governing section
- Code of Ordinances § 42-59(14)d
- Penalty
- general penalty, § 1-12, via municipal court
Summary
Decatur, Georgia's noise ordinance restricts landscape maintenance equipment, including leaf blowers, lawn mowers, weed trimmers and chainsaws, to daytime hours: 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on weekdays and 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekends, under Code of Ordinances § 42-59(14)d.
d.Landscape maintenance equipment. The use of landscape maintenance equipment, commercial and/or industrial power tools used for landscaping and yard maintenance before the hour of 7:00 a.m. and after the hour of 9:00 p.m. on weekdays and before the hour of 9:00 a.m. and after the hour of 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The term "landscape maintenance equipment" includes, but is not limited to, leaf blowers, lawn mowers, weed trimmers or chainsaws.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 28).
Full Breakdown
Section 42-59(14) of Decatur's Chapter 42 noise article sets maximum permissible sound levels citywide, and subsection d singles out yard equipment for its own hour restriction rather than a decibel limit. on Saturday and Sunday. The code defines "landscape maintenance equipment" broadly, listing leaf blowers, lawn mowers, weed trimmers and chainsaws as examples, so the restriction covers homeowners running their own equipment as well as commercial lawn crews working in the city. or on a Sunday evening is a violation on its own terms. The rule reaches only equipment operated inside the roughly four-square-mile City of Decatur; a crew working at a house with a Decatur mailing address in unincorporated DeKalb County is governed by the county's ordinance instead.
Violations & Fines
A landscape-equipment noise violation is enforced under the article's general penalty, Code § 1-12 (referenced at section 42-56), through Decatur Municipal Court. City code enforcement or police officers can act on a citizen complaint or their own observation of blower, mower or trimmer use outside the permitted weekday and weekend windows; there is no separate fine schedule specific to yard equipment in the article.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time can I use a leaf blower in Decatur, Georgia?
Does the leaf blower rule apply to lawn care companies?
Is there a decibel limit for leaf blowers separate from the hours?
Is my property covered if my address says Decatur, Georgia?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Decatur
How Decatur compares: Cities with the Strictest Leaf Blower Rules·Compare Decatur to another location·View the Georgia noise ordinances overview
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