Knox County, TN Noise Ordinances: Leaf Blower Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Protected hours
- 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
- Equipment covered
- Mowers, leaf blowers, trimmers, saws, drills
- Outside protected hours
- Subject to Section 1203/1204 noise standards
- Governing section
- Knox County Code § 10-92, Ch. 12, § 1205(6)
- Backstop penalty
- Up to $1,000.00 per day, § 1-4
Summary
Knox County's noise chapter exempts leaf blowers and other domestic power equipment from its noise rules only between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Running that equipment outside that window loses the exemption and can be treated as an unreasonably loud, unnecessary noise violation.
Section 1204. General Prohibitions. ... it shall be unlawful for any person within the county to make, produce, cause, suffer, continue or allow to be produced or continued by human voice, machine, animal, or device, or any combination of same, any unreasonably loud, unusual or unnecessary noise which disturbs the peace and quiet of any neighborhood... Section 1205. Exceptions. None of the terms or prohibitions contained in this chapter shall apply to or be enforced against: ... 6.Use of domestic power equipment (including but not limited to power lawn mowers, leaf blowers, trimmers, snowblowers, tillers, saws, sanders, drills or similar devices) between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 12 of Knox County's code, inserted into the 2018 International Property Maintenance Code by § 10-92, first declares in Section 1204 that it is unlawful to make any "unreasonably loud, unusual or unnecessary noise" that disturbs the peace of a neighborhood or interferes with a reasonable person's comfort and repose, considering the time of day, duration and proximity to residential sleeping areas. m. m. is simply outside the protected exception. Because Chapter 12 carries no dedicated penalty section of its own, an enforcement action for out-of-hours equipment noise falls back to the county's general penalty clause at § 1-4, the same backstop that applies to any code violation lacking its own fine schedule.
Violations & Fines
Using a leaf blower or similar domestic power equipment outside 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. can be cited as a noise violation under the general prohibition in Section 1204, enforced through the county's general penalty at § 1-4: a civil penalty of up to $1,000.00 for each violation, with each day treated as a separate offense at the general sessions court's discretion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time can I use a leaf blower in unincorporated Knox County?
Is there a decibel limit on leaf blowers at night?
Do I need a permit to use a leaf blower early or late in Knox County?
What's the penalty for a leaf blower noise complaint?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Knox County
How Knox County compares: Cities with the Strictest Leaf Blower Rules·Compare Knox County to another location·View the Tennessee noise ordinances overview
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