Cedar Rapids, IA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Cedar Rapids, IA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Curfew window
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Covers
- Lawn mowers, trimmers, chain saws
- Also covers
- Solid waste collection/hauling equipment
- Trigger
- Must create a 'noise disturbance'
- Exempt
- Government fire/emergency equipment
Summary
Cedar Rapids bans noisy lawn mowers, chain saws, and solid-waste hauling equipment between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. if the noise crosses into a disturbance, under Municipal Code § 56.02(g)-(i).
(g)Lawnmowing Equipment. No person shall use or operate or permit the use or operation of a power lawn mower, power trimmer or other gasoline or electric powered device intended for mowing or trimming a lawn between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following morning if such use or operation creates a noise disturbance as defined in this chapter. No person shall use or operate or permit the use or operation of a gasoline powered lawn mower which does not have a muffler if such use or operation creates a noise disturbance as defined by this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 24).
Full Breakdown
Three subsections of § 56.02 impose a 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. curfew on specific noisy equipment: lawn mowers and trimmers under (g), power chain saws under (h), and solid waste collection or hauling equipment under (i). Each ban applies only if the equipment's use "creates a noise disturbance as defined in this chapter" - meaning it exceeds the § 56.01 Table 1 decibel ceiling for the receiving property. Subsection (g) separately bans any gas-powered mower lacking a muffler if it creates a disturbance, regardless of time. Government fire, police, and emergency equipment is exempt under (j).
Violations & Fines
Operating covered equipment during the 10 p.m.-7 a.m. curfew is a municipal infraction under § 1.12, enforced under Iowa Code § 364.22 upon a complaint or an officer's own observation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time can I mow my lawn in Cedar Rapids?
Is there a curfew on chain saws or trash pickup noise?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cedar Rapids
How Cedar Rapids compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Cedar Rapids to another location·View the Iowa noise ordinances overview
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