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Noise Ordinances in Alabama (2026)

77 rules on the books across Alabama, 13 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.

Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions

Quiet Hours

Nighttime and early morning noise restrictions. Most cities set specific hours when loud activities like lawn mowing, parties, and power tools are not allowed.

Construction Hours

When construction, demolition, and heavy equipment may run in residential areas. Most cities regulate this by hours and days rather than volume; violations can bring stop-work orders and fines.

Auburn

Some Restrictions

Auburn bars noisy construction work before 7 a.m. near single-family neighborhoods (6 a.m. elsewhere) and after 7 p.m…

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Birmingham

Some Restrictions

Birmingham City Code section 11-8-23(15) prohibits construction, demolition, grading and related work between 10:00…

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Dothan

Some Restrictions

In the City of Dothan, noisy construction work cannot start before 7:00 a.m. in or next to single-family neighborhoods…

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Hoover

Some Restrictions

Hoover stamps a legend on every city permit for grading, construction or demolition: exterior work is allowed only from…

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Huntsville

Some Restrictions

Huntsville exempts construction equipment from its noise decibel limits entirely between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., but after…

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Madison

Some Restrictions

Construction noise crossing the property line is allowed only 7 a.m.–9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m.–7 p.m…

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Madison County

Some Restrictions

Construction activity and construction equipment are exempt from Madison County's Noise Ordinance only between 7:00…

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Mobile

Some Restrictions

Mobile, Alabama exempts construction activity and equipment from the city's residential noise limits only between 6:00…

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Montgomery

Some Restrictions

Montgomery's noise ordinance protects construction activity and construction equipment operated between 7:00 a.m. and…

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Vestavia Hills

Some Restrictions

Code § 11-66(11) bars construction, drilling or demolition tools and equipment from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. on…

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Tuscaloosa

Few Restrictions

Tuscaloosa exempts construction activity and equipment from its noise limits when operated between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00…

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Barking Dogs

Rules about excessive or continuous dog barking, including how complaints are filed, time-of-day limits, and penalties for owners.

Alabama: statewide

StatewideSome Restrictions

Alabama state law treats persistent barking dogs as a private nuisance actionable under Alabama Code Section 6-5-120…

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Auburn

Some Restrictions

Auburn bars owners from letting a dog 'habitually bark or yelp in such a loud and frequent manner as to annoy and…

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Bessemer

Some Restrictions

Bessemer makes it unlawful to confine, harbor or keep a dog that habitually, continuously or intermittently makes noise…

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Birmingham

Some Restrictions

Birmingham City Code section 11-8-23(2) makes it a noise violation to keep any animal that creates excessive noise…

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Dothan

Some Restrictions

In the City of Dothan a dog owner may not let the dog habitually bark or yelp in a loud and frequent manner that annoys…

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Hoover

Some Restrictions

Hoover makes it unlawful to keep any animal, including a dog, that habitually or intermittently makes noise loud enough…

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Huntsville

Some Restrictions

Huntsville bans keeping any animal that habitually makes noise loud enough to disturb neighbors' peace and quiet…

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Madison

Some Restrictions

Madison's noise ordinance has no dog-specific section, but its general prohibition on loud, unnecessary noise that…

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Madison County

Some Restrictions

Madison County treats a dog that barks, bays, yelps, howls, cries or squawks for 10 straight minutes, or on and off for…

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Mobile

Some Restrictions

Mobile treats habitually barking, crowing, or yelping animals that cause unreasonable annoyance to neighbors as a…

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Montgomery

Some Restrictions

Montgomery, Alabama treats a habitually barking or yelping dog as a public nuisance animal under City Code Sec. 4-3…

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Tuscaloosa

Some Restrictions

Tuscaloosa sets a precise threshold for illegal barking: if a dog barks, yelps, howls or growls for the majority of any…

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Vestavia Hills

Some Restrictions

Vestavia Hills bans keeping a dog that habitually barks or makes noise loud enough to interfere with a neighborhood's…

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Decatur

Light Restrictions

Section 16-15 of the Decatur City Code makes it unlawful to keep any domestic or farm animal or fowl, including cats…

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Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound

Rules for loudspeakers, live bands, DJ equipment, and outdoor music at homes, venues, and events, decibel limits, permitted hours, and when an amplified-sound permit is required.

Birmingham

Heavy Restrictions

Birmingham City Code section 11-8-23(8) makes amplified sound, stereos, TVs and musical instruments a nuisance when…

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Decatur

Significant Restrictions

In the City of Decatur, Alabama, § 16-9 makes it unlawful to speak through any horn, megaphone, sound box or amplifier…

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Bessemer

Some Restrictions

Bessemer measures amplified-noise violations by distance, not decibels. Code of Ordinances § 78-98 makes it unlawful to…

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Dothan

Some Restrictions

In the City of Dothan, playing a radio or phonograph loud enough to be heard 5 feet from a car or 10 feet from a…

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Hoover

Some Restrictions

Outdoor special events with live entertainment in Hoover must end by 10 p.m., and any amplified music must stop by 9…

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Huntsville

Some Restrictions

Huntsville bans electronically amplified sound audible at a residential property line between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., with…

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Madison

Some Restrictions

It is unlawful to operate any radio, stereo, loudspeaker, instrument or similar sound device so that the noise is…

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Madison County

Some Restrictions

Madison County's Noise Ordinance bars playing any radio, television, drum, musical instrument or other sound-amplifying…

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Mobile

Some Restrictions

Mobile, Alabama (Mobile County) bars playing radios or other sound-reproducing devices on public streets, sidewalks…

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Montgomery

Some Restrictions

Montgomery declares it a nuisance to play a radio, stereo, or musical device from a motor vehicle or as a pedestrian…

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Tuscaloosa

Some Restrictions

Outdoor music in Tuscaloosa is limited by the same residential decibel caps (75 dB(A) day / 65 dB(A) night near homes)…

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Vestavia Hills

Some Restrictions

Code § 11-66(2)(a) bars playing a radio, TV, phonograph or musical instrument from a business, residence or other…

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Auburn

Light Restrictions

Auburn's Zoning Ordinance bars amplified microphones, bullhorns, and music as part of any mobile food unit operation…

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Vehicle Noise

Rules about loud vehicle exhaust, modified mufflers, racing engines, and stereos audible at distance. Covers what officers measure and typical fines.

Decatur

Significant Restrictions

In the City of Decatur, Alabama, it is unlawful for a driver to use an engine compression brake on any public roadway…

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Bessemer

Some Restrictions

Bessemer bans using a diesel engine compression release (Jake) brake on any public roadway unless the vehicle carries a…

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Birmingham

Some Restrictions

Birmingham City Code section 11-8-23 bars sounding a vehicle horn or signal device for more than 30 seconds except as a…

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Dothan

Some Restrictions

The City of Dothan bans car stereos audible more than five feet from a vehicle and requires every motor vehicle to run…

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Hoover

Some Restrictions

Hoover bans discharging vehicle or engine exhaust except through a proper muffler, and treats any machine or vehicle…

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Huntsville

Some Restrictions

Huntsville bans motor vehicles that are out of repair, altered or driven so as to create unreasonably loud noise…

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Madison

Some Restrictions

Playing a radio or stereo in a vehicle so it is audible more than 25 feet away is a violation, on public or private…

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Madison County

Some Restrictions

Madison County bans blasting a car radio or CD player loud enough to disturb others on public streets, parking lots or…

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Mobile

Some Restrictions

Mobile, Alabama (Mobile County) makes it unlawful to play a car radio or stereo on a street or highway loud enough to…

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Montgomery

Some Restrictions

Playing a car stereo, radio or musical device loud enough to be heard 25 feet away is a declared nuisance and a citable…

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Tuscaloosa

Some Restrictions

Tuscaloosa bars car audio that exceeds 75 db(A) on any public street or right-of-way in the city limits or police…

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Vestavia Hills

Some Restrictions

The Noise Control Ordinance bars vehicle stereos plainly audible 30 feet away, unnecessary or unreasonable horn…

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