Minneapolis noise ordinance: quiet hours and who to call

When are quiet hours in Minneapolis?

Quiet hours: The noisy or unruly assembly rule covers gatherings in residential areas from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Lawn mowers, leaf blowers, trimmers and similar tools may be used only from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Right now: Checking the clock for Minneapolis.
Who to call: The City says to call 911 while a noisy party is happening. For other noise complaints, call 311 or 612-673-3000 (7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Friday).
When you can call: For noise other than a noisy party, 311 or 612-673-3000 is listed from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Friday.
The law: Minneapolis Code of Ordinances Chapter 389, Noise, as rewritten by Ordinance No. 2026-029, and § 64.40 for animals. Read the code

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We checked this against the city's code and website on November 2, 2026.

The City Council rewrote the noise chapter, Chapter 389, on Sept. 17, 2026 (Ordinance No. 2026-029). Many section numbers changed. As of Nov. 2, 2026, Municode's copy of Chapter 389 still showed the older text with a note that it has been amended. The section numbers below are from the new ordinance. The barking rule is in Chapter 64 and did not change. The health commissioner and the police chief enforce the noise chapter (§ 389.10).

Noise inside your home

Minneapolis measures neighbor noise inside the home of the person who complains. A sound breaks the rule if it is 10 dB(C) or more above the normal background level during the day, or 5 dB(C) or more above it at night. The reading is taken with doors and windows closed (§ 389.40(1)). The C scale picks up low bass sounds. The chapter doesn't say what hours count as day and night for this rule.

Outdoors, a sound breaks the rule if it is over the Minnesota state noise limits and at least 5 dB(A) above the background level, measured where people spend time, such as inside a home or on a nearby deck or patio (§ 389.40(2), § 389.30).

Outdoor speakers need a City permit, with a few exceptions such as a bullhorn of 10 watts or less used from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (§ 389.80(a), (j)). A car stereo can't be heard 50 feet or more from the car. Fines are up to $500 for a first offense and $700 for a second (§ 389.200(i)).

A motion-sensor alert, like a doorbell camera chime, is allowed only if it can't be heard inside a nearby home and was set off by motion on the owner's own property (§ 389.100(b)(4)).

Noisy parties

A "noisy or unruly assembly" is a gathering of more than one person in a residential area or building between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. whose noise or conduct would likely cause real discomfort or annoyance to a reasonable person (§ 389.300). Taking part in one, or knowingly letting your property be used for one, is a violation (§ 389.310(a), (f)). After police find one took place, the owner or rental license holder gets a notice by mail. If police or other emergency crews respond to another one at the same place within 180 days, the owner can get an administrative citation (§ 389.310(c), (d)).

Barking dogs

No one may keep an animal that "frequently and habitually produces noise" that unreasonably disturbs a person of ordinary sensibility (§ 64.40). Barking, howling, whining or similar noise that can plainly be heard across a property line, or through a wall shared by two homes, is banned if it goes on continuously or repeatedly for:

15 minutes or more between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.
10 minutes or more between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

A violation can bring an administrative fine. The second later violation doubles the fine, and a third may lead to an order to remove the animals from the city. Animal hospitals and clinics are exempt (§ 64.40).

Construction and yard work

Lawn mowers, snow and ice equipment, parking lot sweepers, hedge clippers, leaf blowers and trimmers may be used only from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Leaf blowers need a muffler. Snow and ice equipment can run at any time during an official snow emergency (§ 389.120). Yard tools used in those hours, and construction equipment used in allowed hours or with an after-hours permit, are exempt from the decibel rule (§ 389.70(a)(3)–(4)).

The City's noise complaint page says construction and demolition noise is allowed 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Friday, and that weekend work needs an after-hours permit. It says homeowners don't need that permit from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays or 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends. That page still says snowblowers can run within 24 hours after a snowfall of 1 inch or more. The new § 389.120 no longer has that rule.

Reporting noise

The City's noisy party page says to call 911 while the party is happening. Its noise complaint page lists 311, or 612-673-3000, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday. It says to call 911 for loud vehicles.

Penalties

Noise violations can be charged as crimes or handled as administrative offenses (§ 389.60). As a crime, a violation is punished by a fine, jail or both, up to the most Minnesota law allows for a misdemeanor. Each day is a separate offense (§ 1.30). The City's noisy party page lists fines of up to $1,000, up to 90 days in jail, or both.

Writing it down

Minneapolis compares noise to the normal background level in your home, so it helps to note what your home sounds like on a quiet night too. 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.

Minneapolis noise FAQ

What are the quiet hours in Minneapolis?

The noisy or unruly assembly rule covers gatherings in residential areas from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Lawn mowers, leaf blowers, trimmers and similar tools may be used only from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Who do I call about a noisy neighbor in Minneapolis?

The City says to call 911 while a noisy party is happening. For other noise complaints, call 311 or 612-673-3000 (7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Friday).

Where are Minneapolis's noise rules?

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances Chapter 389, Noise, as rewritten by Ordinance No. 2026-029, and § 64.40 for animals. There is a link to the official code at the top and bottom of this page.

What is the penalty for a noise violation in Minneapolis?

A noise violation can be charged as a crime, with a fine, jail or both up to Minnesota's limit for a misdemeanor. Each day is a separate offense. It can also be handled with an administrative citation. The City's noisy party page lists fines of up to $1,000, up to 90 days in jail, or both.

Can my neighbor's doorbell camera chime be a noise violation?

It can. Under the 2026 rewrite, a motion-sensor sound on private property is allowed only if it can't be heard inside a nearby home and it was set off by motion on the owner's own property (§ 389.100(b)(4)).

Sources

Last checked November 2, 2026. Laws change, so check the official code before you act. This is not legal advice.