Lakewood, OH Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Lakewood, OH, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Code Section
- Sec. 515.05 & Table 1
- Residential night limit
- 50 dBA, 9 PM-8 AM
- Residential day limit
- 60 dBA, 8 AM-9 PM
- Commercial / Industrial
- 65 dBA / 70 dBA at all times
- A/C units (all districts)
- 70 dBA (Ord. 35-2021)
Summary
Lakewood Codified Ordinances Section 515.05 sets decibel limits by receiving land use: in residential districts (R1L, R1M, R1H, R2, ML, MHL) the maximum sound level measured at the property line is 60 dBA from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and drops to 50 dBA from 9:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.
515.05 MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE SOUND LEVELS BY RECEIVING LAND USE. No person shall operate, cause to be operated, or permit on private property any source of sound in such a manner as to create a sound level which exceeds the limits set forth for the receiving land use category in Table 1 when measured at or within the property boundary of the receiving land use. TABLE 1. SOUND LEVELS BY RECEIVING LAND USE -- Districts R1L, R1M, R1H, R2, ML, and MHL: 60 dBA (8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.), 50 dBA (9:00 p.m. - 8:00 a.m.); Districts C1, C2, and C3 (Commercial or business): 65 dBA at all times; District I (Industrial): 70 dBA at all times; All Districts (Air Conditioner Units): 70 dBA at all times.
Full Breakdown
Lakewood enforces quiet hours through measured sound levels rather than a flat curfew. 05 makes it unlawful to operate, cause to be operated, or permit on private property any source of sound that exceeds the limits in Table 1 when measured at or within the property boundary of the receiving land use. ). Commercial districts C1, C2 and C3 are capped at 65 dBA at all times and the Industrial (I) district at 70 dBA at all times. A 2021 amendment (Ord. 35-2021) added a uniform 70 dBA cap for air conditioner units in all districts so that side-yard A/C installations permitted by the zoning code would not conflict with the noise ordinance. C. 49 (municipal power to prevent noise and disturbance) and the unreasonable-noise prong of disorderly conduct.
Violations & Fines
Violations of Chapter 515 are punishable under Section 515.99; the city may also issue abatement orders (Sec. 515.13) and notices of violation (Sec. 515.14). Sound levels are measured at or within the receiving property boundary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the quiet hours in Lakewood, Ohio?
How is a noise violation measured?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lakewood
How Lakewood compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Lakewood to another location·View the Ohio noise ordinances overview
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Quiet Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cuyahoga County handle quiet hours.