Linn County, IA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)

There is no countywide decibel ordinance for unincorporated Linn County. Iowa law gives counties limited authority to regulate nuisances under Chapter 335 (county zoning) and the general police-power nuisance abatement framework, but the operative state offense for one-off noise complaints is Iowa Code section 727.6 - disturbing the peace - a simple misdemeanor punishable by fine or up to 30 days in jail. The Linn County Sheriff's Office responds to noise calls in unincorporated areas and small contract-policed communities. Animal noise (continuous barking) is handled through the county's animal control framework rather than a noise ordinance. Inside the cities of Linn County the rules differ: Cedar Rapids Chapter 56 prohibits unreasonable noise and ties its maximum permissible sound levels to a 7 a.m.-10 p.m. day period (lower at night), and Cedar Rapids Code section 23.06 separately makes it unlawful to keep an animal whose barking or other noise disturbs the peace for more than 15 minutes in any one hour, documented by three or more episodes in a seven-day period. Marion, Hiawatha, Robins, Fairfax, Mount Vernon, Lisbon, Center Point, Walker, Springville, Coggon, Ely, Bertram, Palo, Alburnett, and Central City each have their own city-level noise rules that supersede county-level enforcement inside their corporate limits.