Kansas City noise ordinance: quiet hours and who to call

When are quiet hours in Kansas City?

Quiet hours: 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., when the residential limit drops from 60 to 55 dBA outdoors and from 45 to 40 dBA indoors. Power tools and lawn tools: not from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. if they break those limits. Construction work is exempt from the noise code.
Right now: Checking the clock for Kansas City.
Who to call: Call 311 (816-513-1313) or use the myKCMO app; the Health Department says to contact 311 about noise. Kansas City Police non-emergency: 816-234-5111. Emergencies: 911.
When you can call: Kansas City 311 is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The page does not state hours for the police non-emergency line.
The law: Kansas City Code of Ordinances Chapter 46 (Noise Control). Read the code

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We checked this against the city's code and website on October 21, 2026.

Kansas City's noise rules are Chapter 46 of the Code of Ordinances, "the city noise control code or the noise code" (§ 46-1). The Health Department runs the noise program (§ 46-36), and the code also lets city police enforce it (§ 46-37(b)).

The 50-foot rule

The rule that fits most neighbor complaints is in § 46-4(b). No one may run any source of sound that "disturbs the peace, quiet and comfort of the neighboring residential inhabitants" louder than needed for the people in the same room or vehicle to hear it. And no one may make a noise that is "plainly audible across a residential property line 50 feet or more from the source of the noise."

The code defines plainly audible as sound a person with normal hearing can detect without a device. For a stereo or car speakers, hearing the "rhythmic bass component of the music" is enough, and the officer doesn't need to know the song (§ 46-3).

Decibel limits

Under § 46-4(a) and Table I, sound reaching a residential property can't meet or go over these levels:

Outdoors: 60 dBA from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 55 dBA from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Indoors: 45 dBA from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 40 dBA from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Table I also sets limits for each octave band. Those limits cover low, bassy sound. The sound has to be more than 5 dB above the background noise to count (§ 46-4(d)). Inspectors can choose where to measure, for example at the home of the person who complained instead of at the property line (§ 46-6(b)).

Power tools, loading and car stereos

Saws, drills, sanders, grinders, lawn and garden tools: not from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. on a residential property, unless they stay within the Table I limits (§ 46-5(1))
Loading and unloading boxes, garbage cans and similar objects: not from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. in a way that causes a noise disturbance across a residential property line (§ 46-5(2))
Car stereos: not plainly audible 50 feet away from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., or 25 feet away from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. (§ 46-5(6))
Security alarms that keep sounding more than 15 minutes after they go off are banned (§ 46-5(7))
Trash and recycling pickup: not from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. in or within 500 feet of a residential area (§ 46-5(9))

What the code doesn't cover

Section 46-26 says the noise code does not apply to construction work, the unamplified human voice, emergency work and a few other sources. That means the noise code doesn't set construction hours, and shouting or talking without a speaker is outside it. Animals are not covered in Chapter 46, and we have not reviewed other chapters for barking dog rules.

How to complain

The Health Department's forms page says to contact 311 for complaints about noise. Kansas City 311 is at 816-513-1313, Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and you can also file through the myKCMO app or by email to 311CallCenter@kcmo.org. The Kansas City Police Department lists its non-emergency number as 816-234-5111. For an emergency, call 911.

Penalties

The Health Department can issue an administrative citation (§ 46-39):

First violation: $100
Second violation of the same rule within 12 months: $100 to $300
Third: $300 to $500
Fourth and later: $500 to $1,000

Each day a violation continues is a separate offense. An unpaid fine picks up a one-time penalty equal to the fine (§ 46-39(d)).

In court, the fines follow the same schedule, plus court costs, and a fourth or later violation can also bring up to 180 days in jail (§ 46-50).

Keeping a record

The 50-foot rule needs no meter, but notes on when the noise happened, how long it lasted and where you heard it help when you call 311 or the police. The Noisy Neighbor iPhone app logs each incident with the date, time, length and an estimated decibel level. It exports a PDF report. Phone readings are estimates. The code calls for a Type 1 or Type 2 sound level meter (§ 46-3).

Kansas City noise FAQ

What are the quiet hours in Kansas City?

10 p.m. to 7 a.m., when the residential limit drops from 60 to 55 dBA outdoors and from 45 to 40 dBA indoors. Power tools and lawn tools: not from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. if they break those limits. Construction work is exempt from the noise code.

Who do I call about a noisy neighbor in Kansas City?

Call 311 (816-513-1313) or use the myKCMO app; the Health Department says to contact 311 about noise. Kansas City Police non-emergency: 816-234-5111. Emergencies: 911.

Where are Kansas City's noise rules?

Kansas City Code of Ordinances Chapter 46 (Noise Control). There is a link to the official code at the top and bottom of this page.

What is the fine for a noise violation in Kansas City?

A first violation is $100. Repeat violations within 12 months rise to $100 to $300, then $300 to $500, then $500 to $1,000.

Sources

Last checked October 21, 2026. Laws change, so check the official code before you act. This is not legal advice.