Noise ordinances › Grand Rapids, MI

Grand Rapids noise ordinance: quiet hours, limits and complaints

Last updated: October 30, 2026

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Quiet hours in Grand Rapids

Most clock rules in 9.63 run from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.: no radio, television, electronic audio equipment, drum, musical instrument or device creating amplified sound may be heard across a property line of property devoted to residential uses (2); no one may allow property under their possession or control to be used for a residential disturbance, a gathering of one or more persons at a residential property at which sound is frequent, repetitive or continuous and audible to a person of normal hearing 25 feet or more from the property line (3; 9.62(21)); pile drivers, shovels, hammers, derricks, hoists, tractors, rollers or any other mechanical apparatus in building or construction operations may not be used within 600 feet of a residence or hospital, except for work on essential services (6); motorized lawnmowers, other lawn, landscaping or yard maintenance equipment and domestic power tools may not be used (9; also 9.66(1)); and no one may yell, cry, call, shout, whistle or sing on a public way, or near enough to be distinctly and loudly audible on it (10). A vehicle sound system may not be clearly audible 25 feet from the vehicle from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., or 50 feet from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (9.70), and each octave-band limit in 9.65 is 7 dB lower from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Entertainment and commercial businesses have their own nighttime hours (9.64(2)(a)): from 10:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday to 7:00 a.m. the next day, and from 1:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, so on Friday and Saturday nights the business rule starts at 1:00 a.m. Nothing in 9.64 exempts a business from 9.63, whose rules (such as the 10:00 p.m. rule for amplified sound heard across a residential property line) apply to any person, which the Article defines to include partnerships, associations and corporations (9.62(17)). Organized sporting events are exempt from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (9.66(4)), and the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority Amphitheater from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., or later for performance delays caused by unforeseeable, exigent circumstances with the City Manager's prior written approval (9.66(6), (7)). With no time band: any noise disturbance (9.63(1)), amplified sound on public property or a public right-of-way louder than average conversational level at 100 feet or more (9.63(4)), amplified sound within 100 feet of a health care hospital or clinic (9.63(5)), horns except as a warning (9.63(7)), heavy vehicles idling (9.63(8)) and barking dogs (9.63(12)). Noncommercial sound trucks may broadcast on public streets or alleys only from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., never on Sundays, with extra windows in industrial zones and separate hours in parks (9.76(2)); commercial sound trucks follow the same limits (9.81). Consumer fireworks are allowed only after 11:00 a.m. on set days: December 31 until 1:00 a.m. on January 1; the Saturday and Sunday before Memorial Day and before Labor Day, and June 29 to July 4, each until 11:45 p.m.; and July 5, if it is a Friday or Saturday, until 11:45 p.m. (9.907(2)).

Decibel limits

Yes, for operations and property uses, measured at zone and lot boundaries (9.65). The standard is a table of octave-band limits for daytime steady noise. Residential: 72, 71, 65, 57, 51, 45, 39, 34 and 32 dB at center frequencies of 31.5, 63, 125, 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000 and 8000 Hz; Commercial: 79, 78, 72, 64, 58, 52, 46, 41 and 39 dB. Repetitive impulse noise (more than five impulses per hour, 9.62(19)) must be 10 dB lower, and from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. each octave-band limit is 7 dB lower. For monitoring, A-scale levels (slow response) of 55 dB(A) residential and 62 dB(A) commercial may be used: any level above them is a violation, and where levels below them are measured the octave-band test decides; the code states no separate nighttime A-scale figure. These limits apply at the boundary of a Residential or Commercial Zone District to any operation or plant in a non-Special Land Use SD-IT Industrial-Transportation District (9.65(1)); every property use in a Residential Zone District must meet the residential standards at the boundaries of its own lot, and activities in Commercial Zone Districts must meet the standards at their lot boundaries (9.65(3), (4)). Special Land Uses within SD-IT districts have higher limits, applied at the Residential or Commercial boundary or 125 feet from the nearest property line of the plant, whichever is greater: residential 75, 74, 69, 64, 58, 52, 47, 43 and 40 dB, commercial 80, 79, 74, 69, 63, 57, 52, 48 and 45 dB, with monitoring levels of 61 and 66 dB(A) (9.65(2)). The lot-boundary limits do not apply to construction sites (9.65(5)). Measurement uses equipment meeting ANSI/ASA S1.1, S1.4, S1.11 and S1.15 and SAE J-184, or later revisions (9.65, 9.66.1); sound level means a weighted level using A-weighting (9.62(25)). Sound trucks: amplified sound may not exceed 80 decibels measured at not less than 50 feet from the vehicle center line, with the meter on fast response and the A-weighted scale (9.76(7)). Rules with no meter: any noise disturbance, meaning sound that unreasonably disturbs a person of normal sensitivities or unreasonably interferes with the peaceful enjoyment of another's premises because it can be heard due to its volume or intensity and can be heard distinctly and discretely above the ambient sound (9.62(14), 9.63(1)); sound heard across a residential property line at night (9.63(2)); a residential disturbance audible 25 feet from the property line (9.62(21), 9.63(3)); amplified sound on public property louder than average conversational level at 100 feet or more, measured vertically or horizontally (9.63(4)); amplified sound within 100 feet of a hospital or clinic (9.63(5)); business sound clearly audible 100 feet or more from the property line during nighttime hours (9.64(3)); vehicle sound systems clearly audible at 50 or 25 feet (9.70); and a dog whose loud or frequent or habitual barking, yelping or howling annoys people in the neighborhood (9.63(12)).

What the ordinance actually says

§ 9.63(2): "No person shall:" / "Between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., operate or play any radio, television, electronic audio equipment, drum, musical instrument, or device creating amplified sound such that the sound emanating therefrom can be heard across a property line of property devoted to residential uses."

§ 9.62(21): "Residential disturbance means a gathering of one or more persons at a residential property, between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., at which sound emanating from the gathering is frequent, repetitive, or continuous, and is audible to a person of normal hearing located 25 feet or more from the property line."

§ 9.62(14): "Noise Disturbance shall mean any sound that unreasonably disturbs a person of normal sensitivities or unreasonably interferes with the peaceful enjoyment of the premises of another because the sound:" / "Can be heard due to the volume or intensity of the sound; and" / "Can be heard distinctly and discretely above the ambient sound of the surrounding area."

§ 9.63(5): "Operate any device creating amplified sound within one hundred (100) feet of a health care hospital or clinic. The distance is measured from the property line of the property upon which the health care hospital or clinic is located."

§ 9.64(3): "No entertainment or commercial business shall emit or permit the emission of sound that is frequent, repetitive, or continuous from the premises of the establishment, including any outdoor area which is part of or under the control of the establishment, and is clearly audible to a person of normal hearing located one hundred (100) feet or more from the property line during nighttime hours."

§ 9.65(1): "For monitoring purposes, the A scale levels (slow response) of 55 dB(A) and 62 dB(A), respectively, for Residential or Commercial Zone Districts may be used. Any noise level exceeding these values constitute a violation of this subsection of the Article."

§ 9.70: "No person operating or in control of a stopped or moving motor vehicle shall operate or permit the operation of a sound system in the vehicle so as to produce sound that is clearly audible fifty (50) feet from the vehicle between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., or clearly audible twenty-five (25) feet from the vehicle between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.;"

§ 9.70.1(5): "Notwithstanding the foregoing, a violation of Section 9.64 or 9.65 of this Article by any person is deemed a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to five hundred dollars ($500.00) and a maximum of ninety (90) days in jail, or both, if that person violated Section 9.64 or 9.65 of this Article at any time within the prior six (6) months."

Quoted verbatim from the official codified text (Code of the City of Grand Rapids, Title IX (Police Regulations), Chapter 151 (Nuisances), Article 5 (Noise Control), known as the "Noise Control Ordinance" (9.61), enacted new by Ord. No. 2019-71, §§ 1, 2, 11-19-19, which repealed the former Article 5 (editor's note): 9.61 Title and Purpose, 9.62 Definitions, 9.63 Prohibited Noise (Ord. No. 2019-71, § 2, 11-19-19; Ord. No. 2023-48, § 1, 10-10-23; Ord. No. 2026-01, § 1, 1-13-26), 9.63.1 Per Se Violations, 9.64 Prohibited Entertainment or Commercial Sound, 9.65 Sound Pressure Limitations, 9.66 Exceptions (Ord. No. 2019-71, § 2, 11-19-19; Ord. No. 2023-28, § 1, 7-25-23), 9.66.1 Test Equipment Standards, 9.67 Adjustment of Standards, 9.68 Regulations, 9.69 Variances, 9.70 Sound Systems in Motor Vehicles, 9.70.1 Penalties (Ord. No. 2019-71, § 2, 11-19-19; Ord. No. 2026-01, § 2, 1-13-26); the sections without a listed history carry Ord. No. 2019-71, § 2, 11-19-19. Also Article 6 (Sound Trucks), 9.71 to 9.81 (Ord. No. 82-40, 5-4-82); Chapter 152 (Disorderly Conduct), 9.137 Breach of the Peace Offenses, 9.139 Resort Offenses, 9.142 Disturbing Schools; Chapter 163 (False Intrusion and Holdup Alarms), 9.404(2); Chapter 170 (Municipal Civil Infractions), 9.857.151 Nuisances fine schedule (Ord. No. 2016-76, § 1, 11-15-16; Ord. No. 2016-84, § 1, 12-6-16; Ord. No. 2019-72, § 1, 11-19-19; Ord. No. 2026-02, § 1, 1-13-26) and 9.857.173 Fireworks; Chapter 173 (Fireworks), 9.907 and 9.909. Text read on Municode, the City's code host, Supplement 70, online content updated July 29, 2026; Municode marks 9.63, 9.70.1 and 9.857.151 "modified", and the text quoted here is the version that carries Ord. No. 2026-01 and Ord. No. 2026-02 of 1-13-26.). Verified against the live code on 2026-10-30. Ordinances get amended — before acting on a specific provision, check the linked official code. This page is a plain-language summary, not legal advice.

How to file a noise complaint in Grand Rapids

None of the City pages read today names a line for noise complaints, so the general route is the Grand Rapids Police Department's non-emergency line, 616-456-3400, listed on its File a Report and GRPD Contact List pages, with 911 for emergencies. The File a Report page says "For emergencies dial 911." and, under "Call the non-emergency line", "Our phone number is 616-456-3400.", and the GRPD Contact List gives "Non-Emergencies 616-456-3400" and the same number for Non-emergency/General Information; neither page, nor the City's 311 Report an Issue page, mentions noise. The 311 page lists 311 or 616.456.3000, info@grcity.us, 300 Monroe Ave NW in person, an online Report an Issue tool and the grcity 311 app for City services. An event that cannot meet the Article needs a Noise Variance granted by the City Commission, applied for through the City Clerk (9.69); the Clerk's "Apply for a Noise Permit" page says "There is a $456 application fee for new licenses.", says to apply at least 3 months in advance and publish a notice of the application in a daily newspaper at least twice, and lists 616-456-3016 and grbusinesslic@grcity.us. Penalties in the code: a violation of Article 5 is a municipal civil infraction (9.70.1(1)) with fines set in Chapter 170 (9.857.151): $100 for an initial offense, $200 for a first repeat and $400 for a second or later repeat under 9.63, 9.65 and 9.70, and $200, $400 and $800 under 9.64. A person may be warned to cease and desist instead, and no other action is taken if the warning is heeded (9.70.1(2)); each occurrence, or each day of a continuous violation, is a separate infraction (9.70.1(6)); and a violation of 9.64 or 9.65 by a person who violated either within the prior six months is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 and a maximum of 90 days in jail, or both (9.70.1(5)). Sources: https://www.grandrapidsmi.gov/departments/police-department/file-a-report/ and https://www.grandrapidsmi.gov/departments/police-department/grpd-contact-list/ and https://www.grandrapidsmi.gov/living-in-gr/311-customer-service/report-an-issue/ and https://www.grandrapidsmi.gov/departments/clerks-office/business-licenses/apply-for-a-noise-permit/.

Step by step, with what to log and what to expect after you file: how to file a noise complaint in Grand Rapids. For the general playbook — documenting the problem, talking to a landlord or HOA, when 311 beats 911 — see the noise complaints guide.

Worth knowing

(1) Every sound listed in 9.63 is unreasonable by definition: unless exempted, making, causing or allowing any of them "is deemed unreasonable and constitutes a prohibited noise" (9.63.1). (2) A party of one counts: a residential disturbance is a gathering of "one or more persons", and the person in possession or control of the property is the one who may not allow it (9.62(21), 9.63(3)). (3) Businesses (any person or entity with a liquor license or indoor events license, or any business providing goods or services to customers for consideration, 9.62(7)) are judged at 100 feet during nighttime hours, and their sound includes the voices of guests and employees (9.64). A business location gets only one warning in a six-month period for a 9.64 violation, the warning binds everyone who is or becomes a responsible person in that period, and the owner or partner is jointly and severally liable with the business (9.70.1(3), (4)); its fines are double those for other noise (9.857.151). (4) Hospital and clinic buffer: amplified sound within 100 feet of a health care hospital or clinic, measured from that property's line, is barred at any hour (9.63(5); the history notes for 9.63 end with Ord. No. 2026-01, 1-13-26). The exemption for non-commercial public speaking and public assembly on public property or a public right-of-way is written into 9.63(1) only, for "this subsection"; the amplified-sound rules in 9.63(4) and (5) carry no such exemption. (5) A stale cross-reference: 9.65(5) says construction site noise "shall be regulated by section 9.63(5)", which in the current text is the hospital and clinic rule; the construction rule is 9.63(6). (6) The construction rule applies only from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. and only within 600 feet of a residence or hospital, and essential services are exempt; essential services cover work by public utilities and government agencies on streets and utility systems and also Michigan Department of Transportation work such as resurfacing, restriping and emergency repairs (9.63(6), 9.62(8)). Construction sites are also outside the lot-boundary decibel limits (9.65(5)), but the general noise-disturbance ban in 9.63(1) has no construction exemption. (7) A motor vehicle weighing more than five tons may not run its motor for longer than two consecutive minutes while stationary on private property within 150 feet of residential property, except during normal productive work, essential services, buses at turnarounds, terminals or storage yards, and vehicles inside a completely enclosed structure (9.63(8)). Horns are allowed only as a warning of danger or peril (9.63(7)), and mufflers may not be altered unless the change reduces noise, though worn equipment may be replaced with parts meeting the original specifications (9.63(11)). (8) Other exceptions (9.66): residential use of snow blowers, and snow removal from commercial or industrial properties by any internal combustion device; authorized emergency vehicles; and special events under a permit, if the sound complies with the permit. (9) Noise Variances come only from the City Commission, by resolution, after the applicant files with the City Clerk and publishes notice at least twice in a daily newspaper, and the City Manager investigates and recommends; a variance may be granted only for an event or activity held in a public place and open to the public, may be limited by days and hours, must be kept at the site and shown on request to any law enforcement officer, Environmental Services Department employee or park patrol officer, and may not turn on the communicative content of the event (9.69). (10) Enforcement starts soft: a person may be warned to cease and desist, given a reasonable time to comply, and if the warning is heeded no other action is taken (9.70.1(2)). Only repeat violations of 9.64 (business sound) or 9.65 (the decibel limits) within six months become misdemeanors (9.70.1(5)); the fine schedule lists "None" as the period for repeat offenses for all four noise sections, with a note pointing 9.64 and 9.65 to that misdemeanor rule (9.857.151). (11) Sound trucks: noncommercial use needs a registration statement filed with the City Clerk, effective for not more than one month, and commercial use needs a Clerk's license (9.72, 9.77). Only music or human speech is permitted; the truck must be moving at least 10 miles per hour, except when stopped by traffic (no more than one minute per stop) or lawfully parked within 300 feet of an industrial or commercial establishment in connection with a labor question involving it (no more than 30 minutes); and it may not broadcast within 300 feet of hospitals, schools, churches or courthouses or on set stretches of Monroe Avenue, Fulton Street and Division Avenue (9.76). (12) Fireworks outside the set days are a municipal civil infraction with a $1,000 fine for each offense, $500 of which goes to the local law enforcement agency that enforces the ordinance (9.909, 9.857.173). (13) Related rules elsewhere in Title IX: disturbing the public peace and quiet by loud or boisterous conduct (9.137(3)); permitting loud or boisterous noise on premises one owns, occupies or controls (9.139(3)); wilfully or maliciously disturbing a school by noise (9.142); and audible alarms heard off the premises must shut off after not more than 15 minutes (9.404(2)). (14) The Director named in the Article is the Environmental Services Director (9.62(4)), and the City Manager may adopt enforcement regulations, effective on City Commission approval and kept on file with the City Clerk and the Director (9.68).

Document it before you report it

Grand Rapids's limits are measured numbers, so a reading is direct evidence of how loud it really is. Take a quick reading with the free online decibel meter — it runs in your browser and records nothing — and check how loud your block is on the Grand Rapids noise map. For time-stamped measurement history you can show a landlord or code officer, the app keeps a log.