Madison, AL Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Madison, AL, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- General standard
- No loud, unnecessary noise, any hour
- Construction hours
- 7 a.m.–9 p.m. Mon–Sat
- Amplified test
- Audible past 25 feet
- First fine
- $100 minimum plus costs
- Ordinance
- Ch. 14 Art. XI / Ord. 2012-256
Summary
Madison bans any loud, excessive, unusual or unnecessary noise that unreasonably disturbs others, any hour. Most amplified and construction noise is limited to daytime windows; the general prohibition applies 24/7.
It shall be unlawful for any person within the corporate limits of the City to make, produce, cause, continue, allow or permit any loud, excessive, unusual or unnecessary noise which unreasonably interferes with the comfort, repose, health, peace, safety or welfare of others inside the corporate limits of the City.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
Madison's noise ordinance (Ch. 14, Art. XI, Ord. 2012-256; codified Municode Ch. 22, Art. II) has no blanket 'quiet hours' clock but bars unreasonable noise at all times under Sec. 14-172. Time windows apply to specific activities: construction 7 a.m.–9 p.m. (Sec. 14-175), commercial loading 7 a.m.–10 p.m. Mon–Sat / 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Sunday and holidays (Sec. 14-174), and domestic power equipment 7 a.m.–9 p.m. any day (Sec. 14-176). Amplified sound is judged by a 25-foot audibility test, not the clock.
Violations & Fines
First conviction: minimum $100 fine plus court costs; second $250; third and later $500 plus at least 24 hours jail. Each day is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a fixed nighttime cutoff in Madison?
Who enforces the noise ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Madison
How Madison compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Madison to another location·View the Alabama noise ordinances overview
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Quiet Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Madison County handle quiet hours.