Jessamine County, KY Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)

The code has no single curfew clause. The hours come from several divisions of § 92.36, each running 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. the following day. Loading, unloading, opening, closing or other handling of boxes, crates, containers, building materials or garbage cans in that window is a violation under § 92.36(D) when it causes a noise disturbance exceeding a sound duration level of L50 for a 15-minute time span that can be heard within 10 feet of the walls of an adjacent residential dwelling. Repairing, rebuilding, modifying or testing a motorcycle, motor vehicle, motorboat or aircraft gets the same test under § 92.36(E)(1), and § 92.36(J) applies it to motorcycles, off-road vehicles, dirt bikes and 4-wheelers. Under § 92.36(G)(1), firing explosives or firearms in the window without a variance is a violation when it creates a noise disturbance across a real property line, or within a noise sensitive zone, public space or public right-of-way, but licensed game-hunting where authorized needs no variance. Under § 92.36(G)(2), private fireworks are barred in the window except on national holidays and public sponsored displays.

Outside those hours, § 92.35 still applies. It makes it unlawful to make, continue or cause any unreasonably loud noise substantially incompatible with the time and location where created, and it exempts emergency purposes. Section 92.37 lists the factors an officer weighs: time of day, proximity of residential structures, whether the noise is recurrent, intermittent or constant, the volume, the character and zoning of the area, whether the noise relates to the normal operation of a business or other labor activity, and whether it can be controlled without unreasonable effort or expense. A noise sensitive zone, defined in § 92.04 as the area within 100 yards of a nursing home, daycare or senior citizen facility, public libraries and schools, carries its own protection under § 92.36(K).

Relief is available. Section 92.16 allows a hardship permit from the administrative officer of the enforcement agency, and § 92.17 allows variances that cannot run longer than 365 days. Section 92.20 exempts agricultural noise from the chapter.