Wichita, KS Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Wichita, KS, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Nighttime hours
- 10:00 p.m.–8:00 a.m.
- Residential nighttime limit
- 50 db(A)
- Residential daytime limit
- 55 db(A)
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine or 6 months jail
- Measurement point
- 25 feet from source
Summary
Wichita caps residential sound at 50 decibels between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m., a stricter nighttime limit than the 55-decibel daytime cap the noise ordinance sets for the same zone.
A noise measured or registered as provided herein from any source not exempted by this Chapter at a level which is equal to or in excess of the db(A) established for the time period and zones listed below or that exceeds the background level by five db(A), whichever is greater, is declared to be excessive, unusual, loud and unnecessary, for the purposes of 5.63.010: Zone 8:00 a.m. to next 10:00 p.m. 10:00 p.m. to next 8:00 a.m.
Residential 55 db(A) 50 db(A) Commercial 60 db(A) 55 db(A) Light Industrial 70 db(A) 65 db(A) Industrial 80 db(A) 75 db(A) Parks 60 db(A) 55 db(A) Old Town District as set forth in subsection (b)
Background noise means noise from all sources other than that under specific consideration, including traffic operating on public thoroughfares, and is established by measuring the noise level over a 15-minute period of time.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 35).
Full Breakdown
Wichita Municipal Code Sec. 5.63.030 sets zone-and-time-based decibel ceilings for noise, measured 25 feet from the source: residential properties are capped at 55 db(A) from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 50 db(A) overnight from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. Exceeding the limit (or the ambient background level by 5 db(A), whichever is greater) is presumptively an unlawful loud or unnecessary noise under Sec. 5.63.010. Construction noise is separately restricted to 7 a.m.-10 p.m. under Sec. 5.63.010(b)(6).
Violations & Fines
A first violation is a misdemeanor: fine up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both, under Sec. 5.63.090. Each day a violation continues is charged as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wichita
How Wichita compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Wichita to another location·View the Kansas noise ordinances overview
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