Noise ordinances › Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee noise ordinance: quiet hours, limits and complaints

Last updated: October 1, 2026

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Quiet hours in Milwaukee

Night is defined as the hours between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. and day as 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. (80-60-4 and 80-60-8); at night the noise rating limits in 80-64-1 drop by 10 in every listed district except Downtown Districts, which stay at 60. Powered lawn mowers, small lawn and garden tools and riding tractors may not be operated "during the hours of 9 p.m. through 8 a.m., inclusive," with snow removal equipment excepted (80-67-4). Construction sites, public utilities and public works are exempt from the daytime criteria only during daytime hours Monday through Saturday, must minimize noise, and stationary equipment on projects lasting more than 10 days in residential districts must be shielded or located to avoid unnecessary noise (80-67-1); Chapter 80 sets no construction curfew, so at night and on Sundays such work is measured against the table, emergency operations aside (80-67-2). No trash compacting or garbage, rubbish or trash collection may take place between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on or in connection with premises within 200 feet of a residential premises, with City sanitation operations exempt (80-67-9). Time-signal bells and chimes are exempt from the daytime limits if they run no longer than 5 minutes in an hour (80-67-8). On streets designated as cruising areas under 101-20.5, violations of 80-63 and 80-65 between 8:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. carry a forfeiture of $250 to $1,000 (80-91). The nuisance rules in 80-63-1 and 80-65-4 have no clock.

Decibel limits

Yes, but in noise rating (NR) numbers rather than dB(A). Sec. 80-64-1 sets limits "for any premises in the following zoning districts, as measured at the lot line" (NR day / night): Residential Districts 55 / 45; Neighborhood Shopping 55 / 45; Other Commercial Districts 60 / 50; Downtown Districts 60 / 60; Industrial Districts 65 / 55; Parks 55 / 45; Institutional 55 / 45; Planned Development adjacent to an IH or IM district 65 / 55; Other Planned Development 55 / 45. Five NR numbers are subtracted if the noise is primarily a pure tone or impulsive (80-64-2), and the noise must exceed the ambient by 5 Db or more in any octave band to be excessive (80-64-3). Measurement (80-65): a sound level meter and octave band analyzer to ANSI S1.4-1971 and S1.6-1960 or later standards, at the nearest lot line of the premises from which complaints are received, at least 3 feet above the ground and 3 feet from walls or reflective surfaces, on slow response where the noise permits; the sound analysis curve is plotted on the noise rating numbers chart (chart 1) and the highest portion of the curve in any octave band above a noise rating curve sets the NR number (80-65-2). When that analysis cannot be made, an A-scale reading minus 8 dB is the NR number (80-65-3), so, for example, a reading of 53 dB(A) converts to NR 45, the residential night limit. Residential air conditioners are measured inside the complainant's sleeping room, 3 feet from the open window nearest the source, against octave-band limits (night / day, dB re 0.0002 microbar): 63 Hz 66 / 76, 125 Hz 59 / 69, 250 Hz 52 / 62, 500 Hz 46 / 56, 1,000 Hz 42 / 52, 2,000 Hz 40 / 50, 4,000 Hz 38 / 48, 8,000 Hz 37 / 47, and where the ambient approaches those levels they are not a violation unless they exceed the ambient by more than 5 decibels in some octave band (80-68). Vibration has its own displacement tables (80-73). Without a meter, 80-65-4 covers noises "impractical to measure": the chief of police or the commissioner may start a prosecution on a police officer's or department inspector's own observation, or on a member of the public's complaint that identifies at least one adult witness available to testify, and no one may be convicted under that procedure without testimony of at least one affected adult; its examples include a sound device played to disturb neighboring occupants or louder than necessary for voluntary listeners in the same room, vehicle or area (b-2), and a device that tends to disturb neighboring occupants "at a distance of greater than 50 feet" from where it is located (b-3). Sec. 80-63-1 separately bars a building or premises occupant, or a vehicle owner or operator on a highway or waterway, from allowing "loud, excessive or unusual noise" from a radio, stereo or other device that tends to unreasonably disturb people nearby.

What the ordinance actually says

Sec. 80-60-11: "NUISANCE means the making, creating, or causing to be made or continued of any boisterous or unreasonably loud noise which causes, constitutes or tends to provoke a disturbance and which is detrimental to the public health, safety, welfare or peace, or noise which exceeds the limitations set forth in s. 80-64 or 80-65."

Sec. 80-64-1: "NOISE LIMITATIONS. The following noise limitations are established for any premises in the following zoning districts, as measured at the lot line:" Table (NOISE RATING NUMBER, DAY / NIGHT): "Residential Districts 55 45; Neighborhood Shopping 55 45; Other Commercial Districts 60 50; Downtown Districts 60 60; Industrial Districts 65 55; Parks 55 45; Institutional 55 45; Planned Development adjacent to an IH or IM district 65 55; Other Planned Development 55 45"

Sec. 80-65-3: "ALTERNATIVE METHOD. When detailed sound analysis measurements cannot be made, a measurement of the noise using the A scale of a standard sound level meter may be made and the noise rating number shall be determined by this measurement minus 8 dB."

Sec. 80-63-1: "It shall be unlawful for any person occupying or having charge or control of any building or premises, or any part thereof, to cause, suffer or allow any loud, excessive or unusual noise in the operation of any radio, stereo or other mechanical or electrical device, instrument or machine, which loud, excessive or unusual noise tends to unreasonably disturb the comfort, quiet or repose of persons therein or in the vicinity."

Sec. 80-65-4-b-3: "Distance of greater than 50 feet. The operation of any radio, television, musical instrument, compact disc or tape player, phonograph or other machine or device in a manner that tends to disturb the peace, quiet and comfort of the neighboring occupants at a distance of greater than 50 feet from the site, building, structure or vehicle where the machine or device is located."

Sec. 80-65-4-a-4: "Testimony required. No person shall be convicted under this procedure except upon testimony of at least one affected adult person."

Sec. 80-67-1: "The daytime criteria, as set forth in s. 80-64-1, shall not apply to construction sites, public utilities and public works projects and operations during the daytime hours from Monday through Saturday, inclusive; provided, however, that noise production shall be minimized through proper equipment operation and maintenance."

Sec. 80-67-4: "No person shall operate such equipment, with the exception of snow removal equipment, during the hours of 9 p.m. through 8 a.m., inclusive."

Quoted verbatim from the official codified text (Milwaukee Code of Ordinances, Chapter 80 "Nuisances," Subchapter 2 "Noise Control": 80-60 definitions (day, night, noise rating number, nuisance), 80-61 enforcement, 80-62 excessive noise and vibration declared a nuisance, 80-62.5 ultrasonic repellent devices prohibited, 80-63 excessive noise prohibited (including the owner and vehicle-owner cost provisions), 80-64 criteria to determine excessive noise (the noise rating table), 80-65 method of measuring noise (including 80-65-4 noise nuisances), 80-66 variance permit, 80-67 exemption, 80-68 residential air conditioners, 80-69 engine compression braking prohibited, 80-70 noisy equipment, 80-71 City contracts and purchases, 80-72 building and occupancy permits, 80-73 excessive vibration prohibited, 80-75 sound-producing devices: impoundment, seizure and forfeiture; Subchapter 3: 80-90 penalties (penalty classes defined in Chapter 61) and 80-91 penalties for violations in cruising areas; also Traffic Code 101-20 unnecessary vehicle noises. The chapter PDF prints no ordinance history (it says "For the legislative history of chapter 80, contact the Municipal Research Library"); its noise-control pages carry revision dates of 7/31/2025, 5/20/2008, 3/3/2020 and 12/17/2024, and the penalty page 10/15/2019. Text read on city.milwaukee.gov (the City Clerk's Legislative Reference Bureau code PDFs, the City's official code host) on 2026-10-01.). Verified against the live code on 2026-10-01. 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 Milwaukee

Per city.milwaukee.gov: the "Non-emergency resources" page lists "City of Milwaukee Non-Emergency Police 414-933-4444" for matters including "Loud Music" (9-1-1 for emergencies) and "414-286-CITY (2489)" for City services including "Nuisance Violations (barking dogs, neglected vehicles)". The Department of Neighborhood Services "Environmental" page says complaints about issues including noise and light pollution go to "the DNS Complaint Intake line at (414) 286-2268," with the complainant's name kept confidential, that a temporary noise variance can be obtained for construction projects or festivals, and that "Noise complaints handled by the Police Department include vehicular noises (while on a public right-of-way) and disturbing of the peace issues (boisterous individuals, fighting etc.)"; the DNS "Noise Complaints FAQ" linked from it says point-source noise from factories and equipment on commercial buildings is measured and regulated by DNS, intermittent noise such as boom boxes, loud parties and live music is handled by the Milwaukee Police Department, and if police do not arrive while the noise is going on they can be asked to issue a ticket if the complainant is willing to appear as a witness in Municipal Court. Sec. 80-61 gives enforcement to the commissioner, except that 80-65-4 may be enforced jointly with the chief of police and the jake-brake ban (80-69) by the chief of police. Penalties (80-90 with Chapter 61): 80-60 through 80-65-3 are Class E ($50 to $500, each day a separate offense); 80-65-4 is Class K ($150 to $1,000, each day a separate offense); 80-69 is Class C ($25 to $200); a second or subsequent conviction under 80-60 to 80-65 within 3 years is Class O ($300 to $1,500).

Step by step, with what to log and what to expect after you file: how to file a noise complaint in Milwaukee. 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) The limits are ISO noise rating numbers, criteria the code ties to an August 1961 ISO document (80-60-10), not dB(A); the full method rates the noise by its worst octave band (80-65-2), and only "When detailed sound analysis measurements cannot be made" does an A-scale reading minus 8 dB give the noise rating number (80-65-3). (2) Night starts at 9 p.m., but the yard-tool ban runs to 8 a.m., an hour past the 7 a.m. end of night. (3) Downtown Districts have no night reduction (NR 60 day and night). (4) Measurement is at the nearest lot line of the complaining premises, and the noise must beat the ambient by at least 5 dB in some octave band before it counts (80-64-3, 80-65-2). (5) The 50-foot rule is not a plainly-audible test: 80-65-4-b-3 requires a device that "tends to disturb" neighboring occupants more than 50 feet away, although the City's Noise Complaints FAQ paraphrases it as "If they can hear noise 50 feet away from the property, they can issue a citation." (6) A neighbor can start a case: under 80-65-4-a-2 and a-3 prosecution can begin on a citizen complaint naming at least one adult witness, without an officer hearing the noise, but a conviction under that procedure needs testimony of at least one affected adult. (7) Owners pay for repeat noise: after a person on the premises is charged and the owner is sent notice, the costs of enforcing the second and later charges at the same address and unit (at least 8 business days after the notice) can be charged against the real estate as a lien and special charge (80-63-3); a parallel rule makes the owner or operator of a vehicle or machinery on the highways liable for those costs, collected as a city receivable rather than a lien (80-63-4). (8) Sound equipment can be lost: police must impound a radio or other sound-producing device used in a violation of 80-63, 80-64, 80-65 or state statute s. 346.94(16) when the person charged owns it and has 2 or more prior convictions within 3 years, and seize it for forfeiture with 3 or more (80-75). (9) Also banned: engine compression ("jake") brakes citywide except where necessary to protect persons and property and unavoidable with other braking, or by emergency vehicles for emergency purposes (80-69), ultrasonic animal repellers detectable beyond the property line (80-62.5), and squealing tires, excessive engine acceleration, loud mufflers and unattended car alarms going off without evidence of tampering (101-20, $100 to $200). (10) The chapter PDF carries no legislative history, so amendment dates for the noise sections could not be confirmed from the code itself.

Document it before you report it

Milwaukee'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 Milwaukee noise map. For time-stamped measurement history you can show a landlord or code officer, the app keeps a log.