Milton, WI Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Milton, WI, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Quiet hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Trigger for violation
- Audible at the property line
- Legal effect
- Prima facie evidence of violation
- General rule
- No loud/unnecessary noise at any hour
- Citation
- Milton Code § 70-4(a), (b)(3)
Summary
Milton's general noise ban in Code § 70-4(a) prohibits any loud and unnecessary noise at any hour, and subsection (b)(3) adds a specific nighttime rule: playing a radio, phonograph or similar device loudly enough to be heard at the property line between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. is prima facie evidence of a violation.
(a)Loud and unnecessary noise prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person to make, continue or cause to be made or continued any loud and unnecessary noise. ... (3)Radios, phonographs, similar devices. The using, operating or permitting to be played, used or operated any radio receiving set; musical instrument, phonograph or other machine or device for the producing or reproducing of sound in a loud and unnecessary manner. The operation of any set, instrument, phonograph, machine or device between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. in a manner as to be plainly audible at the property line of the building or structure in which it is located shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this section.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 21 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Section 70-4(a) sets Milton's baseline rule: 'It shall be unlawful for any person to make, continue or cause to be made or continued any loud and unnecessary noise,' including amplifying or intensifying the human voice or any sound in a way that disturbs the peace and good order of a neighborhood, or disturbs or annoys people who own, use or occupy property nearby. ' That means the city does not have to separately prove the sound was unreasonable once it shows the device was plainly audible at the property line during those hours; the burden shifts to the person responsible to rebut it. radio and phonograph rule is the ordinance's clearest late-night curfew. Enforcement and the general forfeiture run through section 70-5, together with costs of prosecution.
Violations & Fines
Playing a radio, phonograph or similar device loudly enough to be heard at your property line between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. is prima facie evidence of a violation of section 70-4, and the general loud-and-unnecessary-noise ban in subsection (a) can apply at any hour. Section 70-5 sets the forfeiture and adds the costs of prosecution for a conviction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a noise curfew at night in the City of Milton?
Can I be cited for noise during the day in Milton?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Milton
How Milton compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Milton to another location·View the Wisconsin noise ordinances overview
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