How to file a noise complaint in Knoxville

Last updated: October 30, 2026

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

Knoxville noise complaint at a glance
Quiet hours	Midnight to 7 a.m. (lower dB(C) limits); residential construction 6 p.m. to 7 a.m.
How it is enforced	Decibel limits for some sources, audibility for others
Emergencies	911
Ordinance	Knoxville Code of Ordinances Chapter 18 "Noise"

Official text: Knoxville Code of Ordinances Chapter 18 "Noise", Secs. 18-1 to 18-10: 18-1 Preamble, 18-2 Definitions, 18-3 Standards, 18-4 Loud, unusual or unnecessary noises prohibited; criteria; other prohibited noises, 18-5 Noise from motor vehicle audio equipment, 18-6 Continuing violations, 18-7 No warning required, 18-8 Exceptions, 18-9 Special noise permits, 18-10 Severability; application of other ordinances. History: Ord. No. O-507-98, § 1, 10-6-98 (all sections); 18-2 amended by Ord. No. O-26-2015, § 1, 2-3-15; 18-3 by Ord. No. O-26-2015, § 2, 2-3-15, and Ord. No. O-116-2018, § 1, 8-28-18; 18-4 by Ord. No. O-116-2018, § 1, 8-28-18; 18-9 by Ord. No. O-26-2015, § 3, 2-3-15. Text read on Municode, the City's code host, Supplement 81, online content updated September 9, 2026, on 2026-10-30..

Where to file in Knoxville

Call the Knoxville Police Department's non-emergency line, 865-215-4010. KPD's Report Suspicious Activity page lists the KPD non-emergency phone number as 865.215.4010 and, in its list of when to call the non-emergency line instead of 9-1-1, includes non-emergency order maintenance or quality of life issues, with a noise complaint as the example. KPD's home page lists the same non-emergency number, the KPD main number 865-215-7000, and 911 (call or text) for emergencies. Under the code, nothing in Chapter 18 requires a warning before enforcement (18-7), each violation is a separate offense, and a violation that continues more than half an hour, or recurs within half an hour, is a separate offense for each half hour (18-6); special noise permits for limited exceptions come from the city office of special events (18-9(a)). Chapter 18 itself states no fine or other penalty. Sources: https://knoxvilletnpolice.gov/report-suspicious-activity/ and https://knoxvilletnpolice.gov/.

From the city's official pages and code, verified 2026-10-30. 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. Knoxville 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 Knoxville: Midnight to 7 a.m. (lower dB(C) limits); residential construction 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. The Knoxville 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 Knoxville in general? The Knoxville 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 Knoxville?

Call the Knoxville Police Department's non-emergency line, 865-215-4010.

What are the quiet hours in Knoxville?

Midnight to 7 a.m. (lower dB(C) limits); residential construction 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. The full rule, quoted from the code, is on the Knoxville noise ordinance page.

Should I call 911 for noise in Knoxville?

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

What evidence helps a noise complaint in Knoxville?

Knoxville 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.