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Seminole County, FL Noise Ordinances: Leaf Blower Rules (2026)

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

Key Facts

Curfew hours
11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
Buffer distance
500 feet of a residential property
Named equipment, Sec. 165.24
Mowers, edgers, trimmers, hedge shears
Power-tool exception
None if not audible off the lot
Max penalty
60 days jail or $500 fine
Exempt use
Permitted construction activity equipment

Summary

Unincorporated Seminole County bars lawn mowers, edgers, trimmers, and power hedge shears within 500 feet of a home between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. under Code Sec. 165.24. Leaf blowers and other power hand tools fall under the broader Sec. 165.25 curfew, which exempts equipment too quiet to be heard beyond the operator's own lot.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Seminole County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Sec. 165.24. - Lawn maintenance equipment. The operation of lawn mowers, edgers, trimmers, and power-driven hedge shears inside or within five hundred (500) feet of a Residential Use Property is prohibited between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. ... Sec. 165.25. - Power tools. No Person may operate inside or within five hundred (500) feet of a Residential Use Property, any power equipment, excluding construction equipment used for Construction Activities, such as but not limited to, chain saws, pavement breakers, log chippers, riding tractors, power hand tools, between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. This Section does not apply if the Sound produced by such power equipment is not Audible outside that Person's own parcel of real estate.

View 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 23 Update 1 | Land Development Code: Supplement 2).

Full Breakdown

, full stop, with no audibility exception written into the section. 25, which bars any 'power equipment' within that same 500-foot residential buffer during the same overnight window, listing chain saws, pavement breakers, log chippers, riding tractors, and 'power hand tools' as examples. m. 25 entirely. 21, and both feed into the criminal and civil remedies at the end of the chapter. 52 for a temporary exemption rather than risk a citation.

Violations & Fines

A violation of Section 165.24 or 165.25 is punished the same as any other Chapter 165 offense: up to 60 days in jail or a $500 fine, or both, under Section 165.61, with each day of continued equipment noise treated as a new offense. The county can also pursue Code Enforcement Board fines and liens under Chapter 53 or a civil injunction under Section 165.62.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are leaf blowers banned at night in Seminole County?
Not by name, but they're covered. Section 165.25's ban on 'power equipment,' including 'power hand tools,' within 500 feet of a residential property between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. reaches gas and electric blowers. The one out: if the blower can't be heard past your own property line, the section doesn't apply.
Can I mow my lawn early in the morning?
Not before 7:00 a.m. Section 165.24 prohibits lawn mowers, edgers, trimmers, and power hedge shears within 500 feet of a residential property from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., with no exception for quiet equipment, so wait until 7:00 a.m. even with an electric mower.
Does the curfew apply to landscaping companies too?
Yes. Sections 165.24 and 165.25 apply to any 'Person,' which the code doesn't limit to homeowners, so commercial crews are bound by the same 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. curfew and 500-foot residential buffer, unless they're doing permitted construction work or hold a Section 165.52 exemption.
What's the penalty for running a blower at midnight?
Up to 60 days in jail or a $500 fine under Section 165.61, and each additional day the violation continues counts as a separate offense, so repeat calls to code enforcement compound quickly. The county can also route the case through the Code Enforcement Board for civil fines.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Seminole County

All Seminole County rules

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