Marion, OH Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Marion, OH, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Residential, midnight to 6:00 a.m.
- 60 decibels under Table I
- Commercial, midnight to 6:00 a.m.
- 65 decibels
- Industrial limit
- 80 decibels in all three time blocks
- Measurement point
- At or beyond property line, at least 50 feet from source
- Pure tone or impulsive sound
- Table I limits reduced by 5 dBA
- Penalty
- Minor misdemeanor; fourth degree if offender persists after warning
Summary
In the City of Marion, Ohio, § 634.04 sets maximum decibel levels by zoning designation in three time blocks. Residential property is held to 70 in the first block, 65 from 9:00 p.m. until midnight except Friday and Saturday, and 60 from midnight until 6:00 a.m. Commercial steps down from 75 to 70 to 65, and industrial stays at 80.
(A) 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 in the zoning designations category in Table I. TABLE I SOUND LEVELS BY ZONING DESIGNATIONS Maximum number of decibels permitted from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., until 12:00 midnight on Friday and Saturday: Residential 70 Commercial 75 Industrial 80 Maximum number of decibels permitted from 9:00 p.m. until 12:00 midnight, except Friday & Saturday: Residential 65 Commercial 70 Industrial 80 Maximum number of decibels permitted from 12:00 midnight until 6:00 a.m.: Residential 60 Commercial 65 Industrial 80
Full Breakdown
Marion City Council puts its nighttime quiet standard in Chapter 634, Noise Control, and the numbers sit in Table I of § 634.04. The table has three blocks. From 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., running until 12:00 midnight on Friday and Saturday, the limits are 70 residential, 75 commercial and 80 industrial. From 9:00 p.m. until 12:00 midnight, except Friday and Saturday, they are 65, 70 and 80. From 12:00 midnight until 6:00 a.m. they are 60, 65 and 80. Section 634.04(A) reaches any source of sound on private property.
The limit is treated as exceeded in three ways under § 634.04(B): a reading 15 dBA over the zone limit at any one point in time, a reading 10 dBA over for a cumulative total of one minute or more out of any ten minute period, or a reading 3 dBA over continually for five minutes, or a total of five minutes out of any ten minute period. Under § 634.04(D), a source that emits a pure tone, cyclically varying sound or repetitive impulsive sound has the Table I limits reduced by five dBA.
Measurement rules sit in § 634.04(C): at or beyond the property line of the property holding the source, at least 50 feet from the source, at least four feet above the surrounding ground and at least ten feet from large reflecting surfaces. If the property where the noise is measured is zoned differently from the property holding the source, § 634.04(F) applies the more restrictive zoning designation. Refuse collection vehicles are carved out by § 634.04(G)(2). Separately, § 634.03 lists acts the code declares are not violations, several tied to the hours of 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m., and § 634.07 lets the Safety/Service Director grant a special variance to an applicant who shows unreasonable hardship.
Violations & Fines
A violation of any section of Chapter 634 is a minor misdemeanor under § 634.99. If the offender persists after reasonable warning or request to desist, it becomes a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. Under § 698.02, a minor misdemeanor carries a fine of not more than $150.00, and a fourth degree misdemeanor carries not more than 30 days in jail and a fine of not more than $250. A City law enforcement officer can issue a notice of violation under § 634.09 or an abatement order under § 634.08.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overnight residential noise limit in Marion, Ohio?
How does Marion measure whether a sound is too loud?
Do pure tones or thumping sounds get a lower limit?
Can the City of Marion grant an exception to the noise limits?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Marion
How Marion compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Marion to another location·View the Ohio noise ordinances overview
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