Denver, CO Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Denver, CO, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Residential night limit
- 50 dB(A), 10 p.m.–7 a.m.
- Residential day limit
- 55 dB(A), 7 a.m.–10 p.m.
- Commercial night limit
- 60 dB(A), 10 p.m.–7 a.m.
- Enforcing agency
- Dept. of Public Health & Environment
- Governing provision
- DRMC § 36-6, Table A
Summary
Denver's noise code sets lower allowable sound levels overnight: noise crossing onto a residential property is capped at 50 dB(A) from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., versus 55 dB(A) during the day, under DRMC § 36-6, Table A.
It shall be unlawful for any person to emit or cause to be emitted any noise that leaves the premises on which it originates, crosses a property line, and enters onto any other premises in excess of the sound pressure levels permitted during the time periods specified in Table A.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 147 Update 3).
Full Breakdown
Denver's noise ordinance sets maximum sound pressure levels for noise crossing a property line, with stricter limits overnight than during the day. Table A of DRMC § 36-6 fixes residential-receptor limits at 55 dB(A) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 50 dB(A) from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.; commercial, industrial and public receptors get correspondingly higher day and night ceilings. The Department of Public Health and Environment and police measure noise at the receptor property line to check compliance, and separate hour-based curfews under § 36-7 add specific overnight bans on domestic power equipment, tree maintenance and construction noise.
Violations & Fines
Violations are criminal offenses under the Code's general penalty, DRMC § 1-13: up to a $999 fine and/or 300 days in jail per offense, with each day of a continuing violation a separate offense. The Department of Public Health and Environment and Denver Police investigate and can seek a county court inspection warrant.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Denver's official quiet hours?
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What's the penalty for a noise violation in Denver?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Denver
How Denver compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Denver to another location·View the Colorado noise ordinances overview
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