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Columbus noise ordinance: quiet hours and who to call

Columbus puts all of its community noise rules in one section of the City Code, § 2329.11. It has a general ban on unreasonably loud or raucous noise. It has distance rules for music and other sound from homes, and decibel limits by hour and land use. Penalties step up if someone keeps going after a warning.

Loud and raucous noise

Section 2329.11(C)(1) says no one may make or allow "any unreasonably loud and/or raucous noise in such a manner or at such a volume as to disturb the quiet, comfort, or repose of a person of ordinary sensibilities."

"Loud or raucous noise" is defined as sound of such volume, intensity, character and duration that it would offend or disturb a person of ordinary sensibilities (§ 2329.11(A)(10)). The section imposes strict liability, so intent does not have to be shown.

The distance rules for homes

Section 2329.11(C)(2) adds specific bans that apply at any hour. They cover any sound amplification system, auditory device or stationary sound source. Those terms include radios, speakers, musical instruments and machines such as air conditioners and pumps (§ 2329.11(A)).

• From a residential unit, the sound may not be audible 50 feet beyond the property line of the property it comes from (§ 2329.11(C)(2)(a)).
• Some homes are closer together: units that share one building, or homes on lots next to each other within 50 feet. There, the sound may not be audible 25 feet from the unit it comes from (§ 2329.11(C)(2)(b)).
• From 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., sound from non-residential property may not be audible at the property line of a home 100 feet or more away (§ 2329.11(C)(2)(c)).

The 25-foot rule is the one apartment and duplex residents will use most. It needs no meter, only a listener at that distance.

Decibel limits

Table I in § 2329.11(B) sets the maximum one-hour average sound level by the land use receiving the sound:

• Residential (all categories): 65 dBA from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., 60 dBA from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
• Institutional: 65 dBA day, 60 dBA night
• Commercial: 75 dBA day, 70 dBA night
• Manufacturing: 80 dBA at any time

These readings are unusual in two ways. They are averaged over at least 60 consecutive minutes, and they are taken from inside the building affected by the sound (§ 2329.11(B)(1)). A short burst of noise may not move a one-hour average much, which is why the distance rules above are often easier to enforce.

What is exempt

Section 2329.11(D) lists exceptions. They include emergency warnings and work, safety warning devices, permitted outdoor events and concerts, and public works projects. Routine upkeep that housing or building codes require is also exempt from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Who to contact

The Department of Public Health, the Division of Police and the Department of Building and Zoning Services can all enforce the section (§ 2329.11(I)). The Division of Police lists its main non-emergency number as 614-645-4545. The city's 311 Customer Service Center takes non-emergency requests at 614-645-3111 or through the CBUS 311 app. Call 911 for emergencies.

Penalties

Penalties are set in § 2329.11(K):

• Unreasonably loud or raucous noise under (C)(1) is a minor misdemeanor. Say the person gets a fair warning or request to stop and keeps going within 12 hours. Then it becomes a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
• Breaking the distance rules in (C)(2) is "prohibited sound," and it works the same way. It is a minor misdemeanor, or fourth-degree if the person keeps going after a warning within 12 hours.
• A person with a prior conviction under § 2329.11 is charged with a fourth-degree misdemeanor.
• The owner of non-residential property can face a civil fine for sound that breaks the distance rules. It is $500 for a first violation and $1,000 for a second. A third or later one within a year is $5,000.

The section does not state the fine amounts for minor and fourth-degree misdemeanors. Those are set elsewhere, so we have left them out.

Ohio law

Ohio Revised Code § 2917.11 makes unreasonable noise disorderly conduct. The person has to act recklessly. The noise has to cause inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm. The usual penalty is a minor misdemeanor. The Ohio noise rules page links the statute.

Keeping a record

In Columbus, the charge goes up if the person keeps going within 12 hours of a warning or a request to stop. So write down when you asked the neighbor to stop and when police came. The Noisy Neighbor iPhone app logs each incident with the date, time, length and an estimated decibel level. It exports a PDF report or complaint letter for a landlord or HOA.

Sources

• Columbus City Code § 2329.11, Community noise (Municode)
• City of Columbus: Contact the Division of Police
• City of Columbus: 311 Customer Service Center

Last checked October 17, 2026. Laws change, so check the official code before you act. This is not legal advice.