Flint, MI Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Flint, MI, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Nighttime hours
- 9:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.
- Governing sections
- §§ 31-70, 31-72(b)
- Power tools
- banned outdoors at night if disruptive
- Emergency exception
- yes, for power tools
Summary
Flint's noise ordinance defines nighttime as 9:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. and applies tighter limits during those hours, including a ban on outdoor power tools in residential areas that create a noise disturbance.
NIGHTTIME. Unless otherwise specifically noticed, means the hours between 9:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m....(10) Domestic power tools. Operating or permitting the operation of any mechanically powered saw, drill, sander, grinder, lawn or garden tool, snowblower, or similar device used outdoors in residential areas during the nighttime so as to cause a noise disturbance across a residential real property boundary, except in an emergency.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2016 Code: Local legislation current through Ordinance 3821, passed 3-1-2012).
Full Breakdown
Flint City Code Chapter 31, Article II is a disturbance-based noise ordinance rather than a blanket curfew: § 31-70 fixes NIGHTTIME as 9:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., and several prohibited acts in § 31-72(b) apply only, or more strictly, during that window. Among them, § 31-72(b)(10) bars operating mechanically powered saws, drills, sanders, grinders, lawn or garden tools, or snowblowers outdoors in residential areas during nighttime if doing so causes a noise disturbance across a residential property boundary, except in an emergency. Loudspeakers and loading/unloading are also restricted at night under other subsections.
Violations & Fines
Violating the nighttime restrictions in § 31-72(b) is a noise disturbance offense under Article II; the general Flint Code penalty of up to a $500 fine and/or 90 days applies where no specific penalty is stated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Flint have a citywide noise curfew?
Can I mow my lawn at night in Flint?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Flint
How Flint compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Flint to another location·View the Michigan noise ordinances overview
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