Lexington, KY Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Lexington, KY, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Sec. 14-72(3)
- Weeknight/nightly hours
- 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Weekend morning limit
- Before 9:00 a.m. Sat/Sun
- Exempt
- Powered snow removal equipment
- First-offense fine
- $50.00-$500.00
Summary
Lexington-Fayette bans loud saws, drills, lawnmowers and similar power tools between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. every night, and before 9 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, if the noise carries onto a neighbor's property.
Operating or permitting the operation of any mechanically powered saw, drill, sander, grinder, lawn or garden tool, lawnmower or other similar device used outdoors that creates a noise disturbance across a dwelling unit boundary other than powered snow removal equipment, between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., prevailing local time, or on Saturday or Sunday before the hour of 9:00 a.m., prevailing local time.
Full Breakdown
Sec. " Powered snow removal equipment is explicitly carved out of the restricted-hours list, so residents can clear snow at any hour, but every other yard or power tool is barred overnight and on weekend mornings if the sound crosses a dwelling unit boundary, defined by Sec. 14-70 as the wall, ceiling, floor or property line separating one home from another. window recurs through the rest of Sec. the code's general nighttime quiet-hours baseline across ordinary residential noise sources, layered under the catch-all general prohibition on any noise disturbance in Sec. 14-71.
Violations & Fines
A first violation under Sec. 14-80 carries a fine of $50.00 to $500.00; a second offense within twelve months carries $100.00 to $500.00; a third offense within twelve months carries $250.00 to $500.00. Officers may issue an abatement order under Sec. 14-75 instead of a citation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time can I mow my lawn in Lexington-Fayette?
Is snow removal exempt from Lexington's quiet hours?
What is Lexington's general nighttime noise curfew?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lexington
How Lexington compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Lexington to another location·View the Kentucky noise ordinances overview
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