How to file a noise complaint in Denver

Last updated: August 11, 2026

Documenting this? A dated log of when the noise started, when it stopped and how loud it got is what Denver acts on. Log noise levels for a complaint — free, runs in your browser, records no audio.

Denver noise complaint at a glance
Quiet hours	10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.
How it is enforced	Decibel limits for some sources, audibility for others
Emergencies	911
Ordinance	Denver Revised Municipal Code (D.R.M.C.)

Official text: Denver Revised Municipal Code (D.R.M.C.), Title II, Chapter 36 — Noise Control, §§ 36-1 through 36-10 (entire chapter readopted by Ord. No. 44-25, § 1, effective 2-24-25). § 36-1 purpose; § 36-2 definitions (including "ambient sound" as L90 at (2), "plainly audible" at (20), "property line" at (23), "sound level meter" — ANSI S1.4-1971 Type 2 or better — at (28), "residential premises" at (26), "industrial premises" at (15)); § 36-3 measurement instrumentation (A-weighting required; procedure for measuring ambient where the source interferes); § 36-4 enforcement, inspection and warrants; § 36-5 misrepresentation to avoid compliance; § 36-6 the operative limits — Table A allowable sound pressure levels in dB(A) by receiving-premises category and time of day, plus 18 exemptions at § 36-6(b); § 36-7 prohibited noise activities — vehicle horns, alarms, waste stream, compression brakes, tree maintenance, power equipment, construction hours — plus the non-conforming-construction permission at (b) and variance route at (c); § 36-8 motor vehicle noise and mufflers; § 36-9 city contracts, licenses and permits must require chapter compliance; § 36-10 cross-references routing animal noise to Chapter 8, unamplified human voices to Chapter 38 Article IV, off-road recreational vehicles to Chapters 39 and 54, and permitted alarms to Chapter 42..

Where to file in Denver

Call Denver 311 (dial 3-1-1 inside the city, or 720-913-1311 from outside) or file online through the city's Report an Issue portal at denvergov.org/Online-Services-Hub/Report-an-Issue. Noise complaints are investigated by the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE), Public Health Investigations division, which states it will respond to a complaint within 72 business hours; an inspector investigates, a legitimate complaint first draws a verbal or written warning to bring the noise down to legal levels, and failure to comply then brings an administrative citation or a summons to court. For a noise problem happening right now that needs immediate attention — a late-night party, for example — call the Denver Police non-emergency line at 720-913-2000 instead. DDPHE states a fine of up to $5,000 can be levied by the court on a guilty finding.

From the city's official pages and code, verified 2026-08-11. Numbers and departments change; if a line does not answer, the city's main switchboard or 311 can redirect you.

Before you call

Log it. Date, start and end time, what the noise was and where you heard it from. Three dated entries carry more weight than one angry call.
Measure it if you can. Denver sets measured limits, so a reading near the limit is direct evidence. The free noise log runs in your browser, records nothing, and saves a dated report.
Check the rule. Quiet hours in Denver are 10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.. The Denver noise ordinance page quotes the code verbatim, so you can cite the section.
Try the source once. A neighbour, landlord or venue manager often fixes it faster than the city does, and telling them first strengthens a later complaint.

What happens after you file

Non-emergency noise reports are queued, not dispatched, so a first call rarely ends the noise that night. What it does is start a record against the address. Repeated reports, a dated log and a reading are what move a case from a warning to a citation. Where the city needs an officer to witness the noise, as most audibility rules require, file while it is happening rather than the next morning.

How loud is Denver in general? The Denver noise map shows the federal transportation-noise data for every neighbourhood, and the apartment quiet hours page compares every city's night rule.

Who do I call for a noise complaint in Denver?

Call Denver 311 (dial 3-1-1 inside the city, or 720-913-1311 from outside) or file online through the city's Report an Issue portal at denvergov.org/Online-Services-Hub/Report-an-Issue.

What are the quiet hours in Denver?

10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.. The full rule, quoted from the code, is on the Denver noise ordinance page.

Should I call 911 for noise in Denver?

Only if there is danger, a threat or a crime in progress. For ongoing noise use 311 or the non-emergency police line; repeated calls build an official record tied to the address, which is what code enforcement acts on.

What evidence helps a noise complaint in Denver?

Denver uses both decibel limits and audibility rules, so keep a dated log and take readings when you can; which rule applies depends on the source of the noise.

This page is a plain-language guide to the reporting route, not legal advice. Ordinances and contact numbers get amended; check the linked official sources before relying on a specific provision.