Quiet hours in Detroit, MI — also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time — define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Detroit Code Chapter 36 governs noise. Section 36-1-1(a) prohibits unreasonably disturbing the public peace by shouting, loud conduct, or any sound-producing device. Detroit does not set fixed clock-based quiet hours - the reasonableness standard applies 24 hours a day.
Detroit Code §36-1-1(a) is the city's primary noise rule and uses a reasonableness standard, not time-of-day decibel tables. Any device that amplifies, produces, or reproduces sound in a public or private place is unlawful when it unreasonably disturbs persons in the vicinity. Section 36-1-1(b) targets motor-vehicle audio plainly audible more than ten (10) feet from the vehicle. Section 36-1-5 exempts permitted parades and public gatherings under §40-1-25 or §50-9-16, alarm systems under Chapter 38 Article XV, safety signals, and official police and fire activity. Enforcement is by the Detroit Police Department.
Under §36-1-6(a), a Chapter 36 violation is a misdemeanor, with fines up to five hundred dollars ($500) and up to ninety (90) days in jail, in the court's discretion.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Wayne County.
See how other cities in Wayne County handle quiet hours.
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