Quiet hours in Adams County, CO — also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time — define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Adams County does not set its own decibel-based noise ordinance for unincorporated areas; instead, Colorado state law at C.R.S. 25-12-103 applies. In residential zones, the maximum permissible noise level is 55 dB(A) from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and 50 dB(A) from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., measured at or beyond the property line. The Adams County Sheriff's Office (303.288.1535) handles loud music, party, and disturbance complaints. Construction noise is permitted only between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. per Adams County code compliance policy.
Colorado's Noise Abatement Act (C.R.S. 25-12-101 through 108) governs noise in unincorporated Adams County because the county has not adopted a separate countywide noise ordinance with stricter limits. C.R.S. 25-12-103 sets maximum permissible noise levels by zone: residential 55 dB(A) day / 50 dB(A) night, commercial 60/55, light industrial 70/65, and industrial 80/75. The day period runs 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; the night period runs 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Sound measured at the property line of the source - or 25 feet beyond - that exceeds these levels constitutes prima facie evidence of a public nuisance. Daytime levels may be exceeded by up to 10 dB(A) for no more than 15 minutes in any one-hour period (e.g., for short-duration construction or yard work). Periodic, impulsive, or shrill noises are deemed a nuisance at 5 dB(A) below the standard. Adams County code compliance limits construction noise to between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Noise disturbance complaints (parties, amplified music, vehicle stereos) are handled by the Adams County Sheriff's Office Communications Center at 303.288.1535. Animal noise (barking dogs) is enforced separately by Animal Management under Ordinance No. 6.
Violation of C.R.S. 25-12-103 is a class 2 petty offense in Colorado, punishable by a fine. The Sheriff's Office may issue citations for disturbing-the-peace conduct, and repeat noise nuisances can be abated as public nuisances. Construction performed outside the 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. window can be cited by Adams County code compliance.
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