Denver, CO Public Conduct: Loud Party Ordinance (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- DRMC § 38-89(a)
- Host liability
- Permitting disturbance on your premises
- Max penalty
- $999 fine and/or 300 days jail
- Enforcement
- Denver Police, criminal violation
Summary
Denver bans loud or unusual noises and offensive conduct that disturb others' peace, and it holds a house's owner or occupant liable for permitting the disturbance whenever they had the power to stop it.
It shall be unlawful for any person to disturb or tend to disturb the peace of another person or persons by violent, tumultuous, offensive or obstreperous conduct or by loud or unusual noises or by unseemly, profane, obscene or offensive language calculated to provoke a breach of the peace or for any person to permit any such conduct in any house or upon any premises owned or possessed by such person or under their management or control, when within such person's power to prevent, so that another person or persons in the vicinity are or may be disturbed thereby.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 147 Update 3).
Full Breakdown
Denver Revised Municipal Code § 38-89(a) makes it unlawful to disturb another person's peace with loud or unusual noises, violent or obstreperous conduct, or offensive language calculated to provoke a breach of the peace. Critically, it extends liability to whoever owns, possesses, or controls the premises where the disturbance happens: permitting the conduct on your property when you had the power to prevent it is itself a violation, so a party host answers for guests' noise even if they aren't personally making it.
Violations & Fines
Section 38-89(a) carries no set fine of its own, so the Code's general penalty at § 1-13(b) applies: up to $999 and/or up to 300 days in jail per offense, with each day of a continuing disturbance chargeable as a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a host be cited even if a guest is making the noise?
What conduct counts as disturbing the peace?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Denver
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