Madison County, IL Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Madison County, IL, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 53.05(G)
- Restricted hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. CST, nightly
- Covered tools
- Saws, sanders, drills, grinders, lawn/garden tools
- Exemptions
- None stated
- First offense fine
- $50 to $250
- Repeat offense fine
- $150 to $1,000
Summary
Running a mechanically powered saw, sander, drill, grinder or lawn and garden tool outdoors in a residential area of unincorporated Madison County between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Central Standard Time is a nuisance violation under County Code Section 53.05(G) if the noise crosses a residential property line. It is a separate curfew from the county's amplified-sound rule and its construction-noise rule, aimed specifically at yard and shop tools that homeowners run themselves.
The following shall be declared a nuisance and shall be unlawful: ... (G) For any person to operate or permit the operation of any mechanically powered saw, sander, drill, grinder, lawn or garden tool used outdoors in residential areas between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. CST so as to cause a noise disturbance across a residential real property boundary; and
Full Breakdown
05(G) is one of eight "special violations" listed in the county's Nuisances chapter and is written to reach the tools a resident, not a contractor, is most likely to run at night: saws, sanders, drills, grinders and lawn or garden equipment used outdoors in a residential area. m. CST, matches the overnight cutoff used for nighttime deliveries under subsection (E) and for construction equipment under subsection (F), but subsection (G) is not limited to Sundays and holidays the way construction noise is; it applies to every night of the year and it carries no stated exemption for emergencies or utilities.
05, the trigger is not simply running the tool after hours but running it "so as to cause a noise disturbance across a residential real property boundary," so a chainsaw used well inside a large lot that never reaches a neighbor's line does not violate the section. This nighttime tool curfew applies only in unincorporated Madison County; cities and villages such as Troy, Maryville, Glen Carbon and Bethalto set their own quiet-hours ordinances inside municipal limits. 07 makes the chapter take precedence over conflicting subdivision covenants.
Violations & Fines
A violation is a misdemeanor under the penalty schedule in Section 53.99. The minimum fine for a first offense is $50 and the maximum is $250; a subsequent offense within the chapter runs from $150 to $1,000. Courts may add community service to be completed within one year of sentencing, and each day the late-night tool use continues is charged as a separate offense rather than folded into a single citation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I mow my lawn or run a table saw at midnight in the county?
How is this different from the county's construction-hours rule?
Does the tool curfew apply citywide in Troy or Glen Carbon?
What is the penalty for running power tools after 10 p.m.?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Madison County
How Madison County compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Madison County to another location·View the Illinois noise ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.