Quiet hours in Ann Arbor, MI — also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time — define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Ann Arbor prohibits unreasonable noise in residential areas with quiet hours from 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM weekdays and 10:00 PM to 9:00 AM weekends. Chapter 79 of the city code uses both a "plainly audible" standard at 50 feet and decibel limits, with stricter rules near the University of Michigan campus where student housing is concentrated.
Ann Arbor City Code Chapter 79 (Noise) makes it unlawful to create unreasonable noise that disturbs the peace, quiet, comfort, or repose of others. The ordinance combines a subjective "plainly audible" standard with objective decibel limits. Sound from amplified music, parties, or vehicles that is plainly audible at a distance of 50 feet from the source between 10:00 PM and 7:00 AM (extended to 9:00 AM on weekends) is a per se violation.
Decibel limits under §79:3 are zone-based: residential districts permit roughly 61 dBA during the day and 55 dBA at night, measured at the property line of the receiving property. Stricter rules apply in the campus-adjacent neighborhoods (Burns Park, Old West Side, Kerrytown) where student rentals are concentrated. The Nuisance Party Ordinance (Chapter 108) imposes additional liability on hosts when noise complaints are confirmed at large gatherings.
Civil infractions starting at $100 for a first offense, $200 second, and $500 third within a 12-month period. Nuisance Party Ordinance violations can reach $500 plus court costs and may be charged to the host and tenant. Report noise complaints to Ann Arbor Police non-emergency line at (734) 994-2911.
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See how Ann Arbor's quiet hours rules stack up against other locations.
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