Dothan, AL Noise Ordinances: Leaf Blower Rules (2026)

Dothan's noise code, City Code ch. 62, art. III, lists prohibited noises 'at all times and at all places within the city and police jurisdiction thereof.' Item (16) of Sec. 62-102 singles out 'blowers,' covering any noise-creating blower or power fan and any internal combustion engine whose operation causes noise from exploding gases or fluids. The rule does not set a curfew for leaf blower use as some cities do; instead it conditions lawful operation on the equipment being muffled, requiring a muffler device sufficient to deaden the noise.

The Dothan Police Department enforces this alongside the rest of Article III, including the general ban in Sec. 62-101 on any 'unreasonable, loud, disturbing or unnecessary noise' detrimental to the comfort or repose of residents. The city manager may waive Article III's requirements in an emergency or for special occasions the board of commissioners approves, per Sec. 62-104, but that waiver authority is not specific to blowers. Because there is no listed time-of-day exemption for lawn crews, a landscaper running an unmuffled backpack blower at any hour in a Dothan neighborhood is exposed to the same enforcement as any other noise violator under this article.