Kansas Noise Laws (2026): Quiet Hours, Disorderly Conduct, Fines

Kansas leaves most neighborhood noise rules, including any quiet hours and decibel limits for homes, to city and county ordinances. The state offense that reaches loud behavior is disorderly conduct under K.S.A. 21-6203(a)(3): "using fighting words or engaging in noisy conduct tending reasonably to arouse alarm, anger or resentment in others," when the person knows or should know it will alarm, anger or disturb others or provoke an assault or other breach of the peace. It is a class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to one month in jail and a fine of up to $500. To compare other states, see our guide to noise ordinance laws by state.

Information last verified on 2026-10-10. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers Kansas state law: disorderly conduct (K.S.A. 21-6203) and maintaining a public nuisance (21-6204), with the class C misdemeanor penalties (21-6602, 21-6611); the vehicle horn and muffler statutes (8-1738, 8-1739, 8-1810) and the uniform traffic fine schedule (8-2116, 8-2118); motorboat exhaust noise (32-1120); city and county home rule and municipal fine schedules (12-101, 19-101a, 12-4305); the sport shooting range noise protection (58-3222); the agricultural nuisance protection (2-3202, 2-3205); and the transportation department's highway noise studies (75-5070). It also covers quiet hours on wildlife and parks department lands and waters (K.A.R. 115-8-19, with K.S.A. 32-1031), motorboat noise penalties (32-1180), engine brakes (8-1761), county resolution penalties (19-101d) and the tenant duty not to disturb other tenants (58-2555, 58-2564). It does not cover the text of any city or county noise ordinance, rental lease terms, aircraft or workplace noise, or the law of other states.

Kansas noise laws at a glance

State rules that set hours or decibel limits

Kansas sets a numeric noise limit for one kind of machine in the statutes on this page: motorboats. "A motorboat shall not be operated on the waters of this state under any condition or in any manner whereby the motorboat exhaust noise emits a sound level in excess of 92 decibels on the 'A' weighted scale, when subjected to a stationary sound level test as prescribed by SAE J2005" (K.S.A. 32-1120(a)). The limit does not apply to registered motorboats competing in, or on trial runs in the 48 hours before, a regatta, race, marine parade, tournament or exhibition authorized or permitted by the department (32-1120(b)). An officer with reasonable suspicion may direct the operator to submit the boat to an on-site noise test, and failing to comply with that request is a class C misdemeanor; the owner of a boat that violates the section has 60 days to bring it into compliance (32-1120(c)). A violation of 32-1120 is a class C misdemeanor unless otherwise provided (32-1180).

The vehicle muffler statute uses words, not numbers. K.S.A. 8-1739(a) requires every vehicle to be "equipped, maintained and operated so as to prevent excessive or unusual noise" and states no decibel limit.

State parks and other department lands and waters. A Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks regulation provides that "quiet hours shall be observed between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m." on department lands and waters, and that, except as authorized by the department, "each action that will alarm, anger, or disturb others shall be prohibited during quiet hours" (K.A.R. 115-8-19(a)(2)). A person who fails to comply may be removed from department lands or waters, along with the person's equipment, in addition to other penalties (115-8-19(b)). Unless a law or regulation provides otherwise, violating a wildlife and parks regulation is a class C nonperson misdemeanor (K.S.A. 32-1031(a)).

Does Kansas have statewide quiet hours for homes?

Apart from the state park quiet hours above, none of the state laws on this page sets quiet hours, construction hours or a decibel limit for homes. The transportation department's noise statute, K.S.A. 75-5070, deals with something else: it requires the secretary of transportation to "conduct and analyze noise studies when the secretary participates in highway reconstruction projects which add through traffic lanes."

Where a neighborhood has quiet hours, they come from the city or county code. To find yours:

• Inside a city: look up the city's code of ordinances, usually linked from the city website or available from the city clerk, and read its noise or nuisance chapter.
• Outside city limits: check the county's resolutions and codes through the county website or the county clerk.
• Who to call: the police department or sheriff's office takes noise complaints and enforces disorderly conduct; the city or county enforces its own ordinance.

When noise is disorderly conduct in Kansas

The Kansas disorderly conduct statute is not a noise statute as such. K.S.A. 21-6203(a) defines disorderly conduct as acts "that the person knows or should know will alarm, anger or disturb others or provoke an assault or other breach of the peace," and one listed act is "(3) using fighting words or engaging in noisy conduct tending reasonably to arouse alarm, anger or resentment in others."

Two elements work together. The noisy conduct must tend reasonably to arouse alarm, anger or resentment in others, and the person must know or should know that it will alarm, anger or disturb others or provoke a breach of the peace. Loud noise that falls short of that may still violate a city or county noise ordinance.

Disorderly conduct is a class C misdemeanor (21-6203(b)). The sentence for a class C misdemeanor is a definite term in the county jail, fixed by the court, that "shall not exceed one month" (21-6602(a)(3)), and in addition to or instead of jail the court may impose a fine of "a sum not exceeding $500" (21-6611(b)(3)).

How Kansas cities and counties regulate noise

Kansas cities write their own rules under home rule. K.S.A. 12-101 recites that "Article 12, section 5 of the constitution of Kansas empowers cities to determine their local affairs and government by ordinance and enables the legislature to enact laws governing cities."

Counties have a statutory grant. Under K.S.A. 19-101a(a), the board of county commissioners "may transact all county business and perform all powers of local legislation and administration it deems appropriate," subject to listed limits. Counties remain "subject to all acts of the legislature which apply uniformly to all counties" (19-101a(a)(1)), and a county may not supersede or impair a city's home rule power "without the consent of the governing body of each city within a county which may be affected" (19-101a(a)(4)).

A county may enforce a resolution by injunction, by fine, by confinement in the county jail or by both. Unless the resolution provides otherwise, the penalty follows the penalties for a class C misdemeanor, and it may never exceed the penalties for a class B misdemeanor (19-101d(a)(1)): up to six months in county jail (21-6602(a)(2)) and a fine up to $1,000 (21-6611(b)(2)).

City ordinance fines are set locally. A municipal judge may establish a schedule of fines for certain ordinance violations, and "any fine so established shall be within the minimum and maximum allowable fines established by ordinance for such offenses by the governing body" (K.S.A. 12-4305(a)). The amount for a city noise violation therefore depends on the city's own ordinance.

Loud cars, mufflers and horns

K.S.A. 8-1739(a) reads: "Every vehicle shall be equipped, maintained and operated so as to prevent excessive or unusual noise. Every motor vehicle at all times shall be equipped with a muffler or other effective noise suppressing system in good working order and in constant operation, and no person shall use a muffler cut-out, bypass or similar device." Motorcycles and motor-driven cycles must meet the same muffler and horn rules (8-1810(a)).

The horn statute requires a horn audible from at least 200 feet, "but no horn or other warning device shall emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or whistle." A driver must sound the horn when reasonably necessary to insure safe operation "but shall not otherwise use such horn when upon a highway" (8-1738(a)). The same section requires garbage trucks to carry a whistle, bell or other audible signal used only when backing, and lets a city adopt an ordinance prohibiting its activation "during specific periods of time during the day" (8-1738(e)).

Engine brakes have their own rule: "It shall be unlawful for the driver of any motor vehicle to use or cause to be used or operated any compression release engine braking system without such motor vehicle being equipped with a muffler in accordance with K.S.A. 8-1739" (8-1761(a)).

Violating a section listed in the uniform fine schedule is a traffic infraction (8-2116(a)). The schedule published by the Revisor of Statutes lists $45 for "Defective or improper use of horn or warning device" (8-1738) and $45 for "Defective muffler" (8-1739), and $75 for "Improper compression release engine braking system" (8-1761) (8-2118(c)). Paying the fine without signing a written waiver "shall be deemed such an appearance, waiver of right to trial and plea of no contest" (8-2118(b)). The schedule amount is the most a court may impose on a plea and payment, and court costs are taxed as provided by law (8-2118(a)); the schedule "shall not limit the fine that may be imposed following a court appearance" other than one made to plead and pay (8-2118(c)).

Remedies for a noisy neighbor

Kansas neighbors have these routes in state law and local codes:

1. Call the police or sheriff when the conduct may be disorderly conduct under 21-6203 or breaks a local noise ordinance. Use the non-emergency number unless there is an emergency.
2. Report an ordinance violation to the city or county that adopted the noise rule.
3. Public nuisance. "Maintaining a public nuisance is knowingly causing or permitting a condition to exist which injures or endangers the public health, safety or welfare," and knowingly permitting property under the offender's control to be used to maintain one is "permitting a public nuisance" (21-6204(a), (b)). Both are class C misdemeanors (21-6204(c)), with the same jail and fine limits as disorderly conduct.

Kansas's Residential Landlord and Tenant Act requires a tenant not to engage in conduct, or allow any person or pet on the premises with the tenant's permission to engage in conduct, "that will disturb the quiet and peaceful enjoyment of the premises by other tenants" (K.S.A. 58-2555(g)). If a neighbor in your building rents, you can report the noise to the landlord. For a material noncompliance with the rental agreement, or a noncompliance with 58-2555 materially affecting health and safety, the landlord may deliver a written notice that the rental agreement will terminate on a date not less than 30 days after the tenant receives it if the breach is not remedied in 14 days (58-2564(a)). See our page on Kansas landlord-tenant laws. For the state rules on fireworks, see Kansas fireworks laws.

Shooting ranges and farms

Sport shooting ranges. A person who owns, operates, manages or uses a sport shooting range "that conforms to generally accepted operation practices in the state is not subject to civil liability or criminal prosecution in any matter relating to noise or noise pollution resulting from the operation or use of the range if the range is in compliance with any noise control laws or ordinances or resolutions that applied to the range and its operation at the time of construction and initial operation of the range" (K.S.A. 58-3222(a)). Such a range is also not subject to a nuisance action, and a court may not enjoin or restrain its use on the basis of noise, if it complied with the noise laws, ordinances or resolutions that applied when it was built or first operated (58-3222(b)). State rules limiting outdoor noise by decibel level do not apply to a range immune under the act (58-3222(c)). A person who acquires property after a permanently located and improved range was built and first operated may not bring a nuisance action over its noise, but "this section does not prohibit actions for negligence or recklessness in the operation of the range" (58-3222(d)).

A range operating lawfully when a local ordinance or resolution is enacted may continue to operate even if it does not conform to the new rule (58-3223(a)), but local governments may still regulate the location and construction of a sport shooting range (58-3224(a)).

Farms. "Agricultural activities conducted on farmland, if consistent with good agricultural practices and established prior to surrounding agricultural or nonagricultural activities, are presumed to be reasonable and do not constitute a nuisance, public or private, unless the activity has a substantial adverse effect on the public health and safety" (K.S.A. 2-3202(a)). For a private nuisance action under the agricultural protection article, "no person shall have standing to bring an action for private nuisance pursuant to this section unless such person has an ownership interest in the property alleged to be affected by the nuisance" (2-3205(d)). The same section limits compensatory damages for a nuisance originating from farmland primarily used for agricultural activity: for a permanent nuisance, to the reduction in the fair market value of the claimant's property, and for a temporary nuisance, to the lesser of the drop in fair rental value, the value of the lost use and enjoyment of the property, or the reasonable cost to repair or mitigate the injury (2-3205(a)).

Related pages

• Noise ordinance laws by state
• Kansas landlord-tenant laws
• Kansas fireworks laws
• Missouri noise ordinance laws
• Oklahoma noise ordinance laws

This article provides general legal information about Kansas law, not legal advice. For advice about a specific situation, contact a lawyer licensed in Kansas or your city or county government.

Last updated: 2026-10-10.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the noise laws in Kansas?

State law covers noisy conduct as disorderly conduct (K.S.A. 21-6203(a)(3), a class C misdemeanor), vehicle noise and mufflers (8-1739), horns (8-1738) and motorboat exhaust (32-1120). Quiet hours and decibel limits for homes come from your city or county ordinance.

What are the quiet hours in Kansas?

None of the state statutes on this page sets quiet hours for homes. On state parks and other wildlife and parks department lands and waters, quiet hours run from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. (K.A.R. 115-8-19(a)(2)). For your home, check your city's code of ordinances or your county's codes, which set any quiet hours under local home rule.

Is a loud party disorderly conduct in Kansas?

It can be if the noisy conduct tends reasonably to arouse alarm, anger or resentment in others and the person knows or should know it will alarm, anger or disturb others or provoke a breach of the peace (21-6203(a)(3)). It is a class C misdemeanor, with up to one month in jail and a fine of up to $500.

What is the fine for a loud muffler in Kansas?

The uniform fine schedule lists $45 for a defective muffler under K.S.A. 8-1739 (8-2118(c)). After a full court appearance the court is not limited to the schedule amount, and court costs are taxed as provided by law.

Can I call the police on a loud neighbor in Kansas?

Yes. Police and sheriffs handle disorderly conduct under K.S.A. 21-6203 and enforce city and county noise ordinances. Use the non-emergency number unless there is an emergency.

Can a shooting range be sued for noise in Kansas?

Not over noise if the range follows generally accepted operation practices and complied with the noise laws, ordinances or resolutions that applied when it was built and first operated: K.S.A. 58-3222(a) shields it from civil liability and criminal prosecution in that case. Actions for negligence or recklessness in operating the range are still allowed (58-3222(d)).