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How to file a noise complaint in Lexington

Last updated: October 1, 2026

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

Official text: Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Code of Ordinances, Chapter 14 "Offenses and Miscellaneous Provisions," Secs. 14-70 through 14-80 (Ord. No. 115-82, § 1, 7-1-82; amended by Ord. No. 164-82, Ord. No. 23-83, Ord. No. 216-90, Ord. No. 5-91, Ord. No. 192-92, Ord. No. 293-2000 and Ord. No. 162-2012, §§ 1, 2, 12-6-12): 14-70 definitions, 14-71 noise disturbances generally, 14-72 specific acts, 14-73 right of entry, 14-74 special variances, 14-75 order of abatement, 14-76 citation, 14-77 effect on existing law, 14-78 exceptions, 14-79 other laws not affected, 14-80 penalty; with Sec. 14-96 "Lexington Area Party Plan" (Ord. No. 315-2001), Sec. 18-40 engine brakes (Ord. No. 57-2012) and Sec. 4-12 noisy animals. Text read on Municode (library.municode.com, the code host the Urban County Government's own website links to; republication codified through Ord. No. 048-2025) on 2026-10-01..

Where to file in Lexington

Per lexingtonky.gov, Lexington Police, "When and how to contact the police": "For non-emergencies, call (859) 258-3600"; the page lists "Dog barking" and "Loud music" among the non-emergencies for that line, says officers respond 24 hours a day, and reserves 911 for emergencies such as a crime in progress. The City's "Being a good neighbor" page links Secs. 14-71 (noise) and 14-72 (barking dogs) as "good neighbor ordinances," and the Department of Public Safety page links an online "Noise variance application" for the special variances the Mayor or a designee may grant under Sec. 14-74. Enforcement is by urban county law enforcement officers, who may issue a citation (14-76) or, in lieu of a citation, an order for immediate abatement (14-75), and who may enter premises to investigate with the occupant's permission or a search warrant (14-73). Fines are $50 to $500, $100 to $500 for a second offense within twelve months and $250 to $500 for a third (14-80).

From the city's official pages and code, verified 2026-10-01. Numbers and departments change; if a line does not answer, the city's main switchboard or 311 can redirect you.

Before you call

1. 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.
2. Measure it if you can. Lexington enforces mostly by audibility, so the log is the main evidence, but a reading shows how loud it really was. The free noise log runs in your browser, records nothing, and saves a dated report.
3. Check the rule. Quiet hours in Lexington are 11:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. for tools, loading and loudspeakers; music has no set hours. The Lexington noise ordinance page quotes the code verbatim, so you can cite the section.
4. 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 Lexington in general? The Lexington 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 Lexington?

Per lexingtonky.gov, Lexington Police, "When and how to contact the police": "For non-emergencies, call (859) 258-3600"; the page lists "Dog barking" and "Loud music" among the non-emergencies for that line, says officers respond 24 hours a day, and reserves 911 for emergencies such as a crime in progress.

What are the quiet hours in Lexington?

11:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. for tools, loading and loudspeakers; music has no set hours. The full rule, quoted from the code, is on the Lexington noise ordinance page.

Should I call 911 for noise in Lexington?

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 Lexington?

Lexington enforces mostly by whether the sound is plainly audible at a set distance, so a log of dates, times, durations and where you could hear it from matters more than a meter reading, though a reading still helps.

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.