Noise ordinances › St. Louis, MO

St. Louis noise ordinance: quiet hours, limits and complaints

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 St. Louis acts on. Log noise levels for a complaint — free, runs in your browser, records no audio.

Quiet hours in St. Louis

Chapter 15.51 defines daytime hours as 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and nighttime hours as 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. (15.51.010 H and O); at night its stationary-source table drops by 5 dB(A) in dwelling districts A–E and commercial districts F and G, while districts H–I and J–K have a single "All Hours" scale. Construction devices with original-equivalent sound controls are exempt from Chapter 15.51 only when used during daytime hours, and lawn care equipment only from 7:00 a.m. to sunset (15.51.040 A and I). Separately, Sec. 15.50.081 prohibits construction, demolition and excavation within 1,000 feet of a residential property "before 6:00 a.m. and after dusk, Monday through Saturday," except for an urgent public-safety necessity lasting up to three days, after which a permit from the Building Commissioner is needed; the section names Monday through Saturday and says nothing about Sunday. Using steam under pressure for cleaning in an establishment between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. with its windows open is prohibited (15.50.060). The general prohibition (15.50.010), the music and car-audio rules (15.50.030 and 15.50.031), the animal rule (15.50.040) and disturbing the peace (15.46.030) carry no hours.

Decibel limits

Only for stationary sources and vehicles. Chapter 15.50, the general noise chapter, contains no decibel figure. Chapter 15.51 "Industrial Noise" applies to any "stationary noise source," defined as "Any equipment, motor vehicle, aircraft, or facility, fixed or movable, capable of emitting audible sound," measured at any point outside the boundary of the property where the source is located, using the slow meter characteristic and A-weighting and the table for the land use where the measurement is taken (the least restrictive one if the property has more than one use) (15.51.030 A). Table I gives the minutes a level may be emitted during a 60-minute period of measurement. Districts A–E, daytime: 55 dB(A) or less 60 minutes, 56–58 30, 59–61 15, 62–64 8, 65–67 4, 68–70 2, 71 or greater 0; nighttime: 50 or less 60, 51–53 30, 54–56 15, 57–59 8, 60–62 4, 63–65 2, 66 or greater 0. Districts F + G, daytime: 65 or less 60, 66–68 30, 69–71 15, 72–74 8, 75–77 4, 78–80 2, 81 or greater 0; nighttime: 60 or less 60, 61–63 30, 64–66 15, 67–69 8, 70–72 4, 73–75 2, 76 or greater 0. Districts H–I, all hours: 70 or less 60, 71–73 30, 74–76 15, 77–79 8, 80–82 4, 83–85 2, 86 or greater 0. Districts J–K, all hours: 80 or less 60, 81–83 30, 84–86 15, 87–89 8, 90–92 4, 93–95 2, 96 or greater 0. When a source runs at several levels, a violation exists if C1/T1 + C2/T2 + ... exceeds 1 (15.51.030 F); a discrete tone or impulsive noise lowers the table by 5 dB each, cumulatively (B to D); periods when the ambient exceeds the source are deemed below the level allowed for the full 60 minutes (E). The meter must be Type 2 or better under ANSI S1.4-1971 (15.51.010 T). Exemptions from Chapter 15.51 include daytime construction devices with original-equivalent sound controls, repair, maintenance or construction of State or City public facilities, listed emergency work, motor vehicles on a vehicular way with original-equivalent controls, railways, emergency signal devices, lawn care equipment from 7:00 a.m. to sunset, residential air conditioning and heating systems (nuisance relief preserved), and "The enforcement of the provisions of Chapters 15.50 and 17.78" (15.51.040). Vehicles on a public right-of-way (17.78.030, A-weighted with fast response): any motorcycle 82 dB(A) where the speed limit is 35 mph or less and 86 above; passenger cars and other vehicles of 10,000 lb GVWR or less 76 and 82; 17.78.020 refers to a 50-foot measuring distance and allows others up to 100 feet with correction factors; a horn above 85 dBA at 50 feet is a violation (17.78.040 B). Everything else is judged by ear: louder than necessary for "convenient, normal hearing" of voluntary listeners on private property (15.50.030 A), plainly audible beyond 75 feet on public property (15.50.030 B), clearly audible to anyone outside a vehicle (15.50.031), and animal noise "distinctly heard at a distance of more than one hundred feet" is excessive (15.50.040).

What the ordinance actually says

Sec. 15.50.010: "Subject to the provisions of this chapter, the creation of any unreasonably loud, disturbing or unnecessary noise in the City is prohibited. The acts in this chapter, among others, are declared to be loud, disturbing and unnecessary noises in violation of this chapter, but such enumeration shall not be exclusive."

Sec. 15.50.030 A: "No person shall play any radio, music player, television, audio system or musical instrument upon private property at a volume louder than is necessary for convenient, normal hearing of the person or persons who are on the property on which the device is being used or operated and who are voluntary listeners."

Sec. 15.50.030 B: "Except for any lawful event occurring on a periodic basis at a venue where people assemble and that is anticipated and lawfully allowed to occur on a periodic basis and persons operating motor vehicles under Section 15.50.031 of this chapter, no person shall play any radio, music player, or audio system upon public property at a volume which is plainly audible at a distance greater than seventy-five (75) feet from the source of the sound."

Sec. 15.50.031: "No person shall play, use, operate or permit to be played, used or operated, any radio, tape recorder, cassette player or other device for receiving broadcast sound or reproducing recorded sound if the device is located in any motor vehicle and the sound generated by the device is clearly audible to persons other than the occupants of such vehicle."

Sec. 15.50.081: "Construction, demolition and excavation within one thousand (1,000) feet of a residential property, including excavation, demolition, alteration or repair of any building, land clearing, land grading or road and utility construction within one thousand (1,000) feet of a residential property is prohibited before 6:00 a.m. and after dusk, Monday through Saturday, except in case of an urgent necessity in the interest of public safety for a period of three (3) days."

Sec. 15.51.030 A: "No person shall operate or permit to be operated any stationary noise source which emits noise in such a manner that the level of the noise emitted, when measured at any point outside the boundary of the property upon which the stationary noise source is located using the slow meter characteristic and the A-weighting network of the sound level meter, exceeds the levels set forth in Table I below or exceeds the limit set forth in this chapter." Table I, Zoning Districts Zoned A—E, Daytime Hours (Tn minutes / dB(A)): "60 55 or less; 30 56—58; 15 59—61; 8 62—64; 4 65—67; 2 68—70; 0 71 or greater"

Sec. 15.50.040: "The keeping of any animal, bird or fowl which, by causing frequent or long-continued noise, shall tend to disturb the comfort and repose of any person in the vicinity is prohibited. Any such noise that can be distinctly heard at a distance of more than one hundred feet from its source shall be excessive."

Quoted verbatim from the official codified text (Revised Code of the City of Saint Louis, 2020, Annotated, Title 15 "Public Peace, Morals and Welfare," Division IV "Offenses Against Public Peace": Chapter 15.46 "Disturbances" (15.46.030 disturbing the peace); Chapter 15.50 "Noise" (15.50.010 general prohibition through 15.50.150; 15.50.030 as amended by Ord. Nos. 65700 (2002), 67002 and 67233 (2006); 15.50.031 to 15.50.033 by Ord. No. 67002 (2006); 15.50.080 to 15.50.082 by Ord. No. 66986 (2006); 15.50.110 by Ord. No. 63803 (1996)); Chapter 15.51 "Industrial Noise" (15.51.010 to 15.51.090; Ord. No. 64566 (1998), amended by Ord. No. 68130 (10-26-2008)); and Title 17, Chapter 17.78 "Vehicle Noise" (Ord. Nos. 58602 (1982) and 61303 (1989)). The Municode edition is codified through Ordinance No. 72042, enacted October 30, 2025 (Supp. No. 11). Text read on Municode (the City's 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 St. Louis

Per stlouis-mo.gov: the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department page lists "Non-Emergencies: (314) 231-1212" (911 for emergencies). The Citizens' Service Bureau (CSB) takes City service requests online, by live chat, via @stlcsb, or by phone at (314) 622-4800, Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM (excluding City holidays); the Health Department's "Report a Community Sanitation Problem" page lists "Noise complaint for construction (unacceptable levels of construction noise between 10 pm and 7 am)" among the requests CSB routes to Community Sanitation ((314) 657-1539, health@stlouis-mo.gov). The Excise Division's page on nuisance behavior at establishments that sell alcohol says that if an establishment is too loud, a resident should call the non-emergency line at 314-231-1212 and state "This is a nuisance property." Chapter 15.51 is enforced by notice: the Health Commissioner issues a written notice giving up to 60 days to abate (extendable on an acceptable abatement plan), unabated violations are referred to the City Counselor for prosecution, and orders can be appealed within 10 days to the Board of Noise Control Appeals and Variance Review with a $50 fee (15.51.050 to 15.51.070); variances cost $50 and require a public hearing (15.51.080). Penalties: violations of 15.50.010 to 15.50.100 are fined $100 to $500 for a first offense and $250 to $500 for a repeat within a year, or community service (15.50.110); 15.50.032 sets minimum fines for music (at least $100, $250, then $500 within a year) and car audio (at least $250, then $500), and a vehicle whose sound is plainly audible more than 75 feet away may be seized and impounded with a $500 administrative penalty plus towing and storage fees; the construction-hours rule carries $100 to $500, then $250 to $500 (15.50.082); Chapter 15.51 carries $100 to $500, up to 90 days, or both, each day a separate offense (15.51.090); disturbing the peace is a misdemeanor (15.46.030).

Step by step, with what to log and what to expect after you file: how to file a noise complaint in St. Louis. 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) St. Louis runs two systems side by side: Chapter 15.50 contains no decibel figure and is judged by ear, while Chapter 15.51's decibel table, despite its "Industrial Noise" title, reaches any stationary source, "fixed or movable," and works through the Health Commissioner's written notice with up to 60 days to abate, followed by referral to the City Counselor if the violation is not abated. (2) Table I is a time-at-level table rather than a single cap: in a dwelling district by day 59–61 dB(A) is allowed for 15 minutes of the hour and 71 or more for none, and mixed levels are added as fractions of their allowances. (3) The private-property music test has no distance and no hours: music on your own property may be no louder than necessary for the voluntary listeners there. (4) Car audio has two thresholds: "clearly audible" to anyone outside the vehicle is the offense (15.50.031), but impoundment requires sound "plainly audible at a distance greater than seventy-five (75) feet horizontally or vertically" (15.50.032 C). (5) The construction rule ends at "dusk," which moves through the year, and names only Monday through Saturday; the City's Community Sanitation page instead describes construction-noise complaints "between 10 pm and 7 am," which is Chapter 15.51's nighttime window, not the 15.50.081 hours. (6) Fines overlap: 15.50.110 sets $100 to $500 for violations of 15.50.010 through 15.50.100, which includes the music and car-audio sections, while 15.50.032 sets only minimums for those same sections. (7) Single- and multifamily residential air-conditioning units, HVAC systems, cooling towers and heating systems are exempt from the decibel table, though nuisance relief is preserved (15.51.040 J). (8) Table I covers districts A through K; the Title 26 "L" Jefferson Memorial District and the form-based districts are not listed. (9) Quiet zones: excessive noise within 150 feet of a hospital, church, school or court in session that unreasonably interferes with it is prohibited, with signs posted by the Director of Streets (15.50.090). (10) Some sections read as older law: drums and loudspeakers used to attract attention or advertise are banned outright (15.50.100), bells may not be used to draw people to auctions (15.50.140), a locomotive whistle or horn "shall not regularly be sounded" (15.50.150), horns on any public right-of-way are a violation except as a warning of danger (17.78.040 A), and 15.51.030 C cross-references "Section 625.0550.6," a number that is not in the Revised Code's current section format.

Document it before you report it

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