Minneapolis, MN Noise Ordinances: Leaf Blower Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Operating hours
- 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. only
- Muffler requirement
- Required on every leaf blower
- Snow blower exception
- Any hour during snow emergencies
- Governing section
- Minneapolis Code § 389.80
- Enforcement agency
- Health commissioner and police department
Summary
Minneapolis limits power lawn equipment, including leaf blowers, to the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., and requires every leaf blower to run with a muffler, enforced under the noise chapter.
Any outdoor implement such as a power lawn mower, snow blower, power hedge clipper, power saw, leaf blower, or trimmer shall be operated only between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. No leaf blowers shall be operated by any person without a muffler. A snow blower may be operated at any time during the pendency of an official snow emergency and at any time within twenty-four (24) hours following a snowfall of one (1) inch or greater. (Code 1960, As Amend., § 948.050; 97-Or-063, § 9, 7-11-97; 2008-Or-094, § 9, 12-12-08)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 72).
Full Breakdown
Section 389.80 of the noise chapter caps outdoor power equipment, including leaf blowers, power lawn mowers, hedge clippers, power saws and trimmers, to the hours between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. citywide. Leaf blowers carry an added requirement: the code bans operating one without a muffler, with no exception carved out for the daytime window. Snow blowers get a separate carve-out, allowed at any hour during an official snow emergency or within 24 hours of a one-inch-plus snowfall. The commissioner of health and police enforce the noise chapter, and violations are prosecuted under section 389.120's criminal and administrative penalties.
Violations & Fines
Running a leaf blower before 7 a.m., after 10 p.m., or without a muffler violates section 389.80; enforcement runs through section 389.120, covering criminal citations, administrative fines, and injunctive relief.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a leaf blower before 7 a.m. in Minneapolis?
Does Minneapolis require a muffler on leaf blowers?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Minneapolis
How Minneapolis compares: Cities with the Strictest Leaf Blower Rules·Compare Minneapolis to another location·View the Minnesota noise ordinances overview
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