For most of us time is at a premium.
If you are retired, usually you can cut your lawn at your own leisure, but if you are trying to fit in lawn care around work and a family, sometimes it can be a bit more tricky to schedule in those mows.
I am guessing that is why I often see the question, what time can I legally mow my lawn, asked.
Trying to juggle life and lawns isn’t always easy. But can you start cutting your grass at 7am? Or get your mower going at 9pm at night?
Let’s find out…
What Time Can I Legally Mow My Lawn?
Noise regulations vary from city to city, state to state and country to country. Many places also have one set of regulations for weekdays and one for weekends and holidays. As a very general rule of thumb generally, it is considered acceptable legally, to mow your lawn anytime from 7am to 9pm or 10pm on weekdays and between 8am or 9am until 8pm or 9pm on a Sunday or bank holiday.
Lawn Mowing Restrictions Across the World
When I was doing some research into how late you can use a lawn mower, I noticed there wasn’t a really comprehensive guide.
So I set about creating one.
Twelve hours later I finished it!
Ok that is a bit of an exaggeration, but there certainly isn’t an easy answer to the question of what time you can legally mow your lawn.
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I did as much research as I could for each state in USA, as well as for Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
If you live in another country I am sorry, but this already took me a lot longer than I expected!
Ok so if you want to know how late you can mow your lawn or if you can mow your lawn at 7am, here are your answers…
USA Lawn Mowing Restrictions
| State | Regulations |
| Alabama CITY: Tuscaloosa | 6am and 9pm: No continuous noise exceeding 80db. 9pm and 6am: No continuous noise exceeding 75db. |
| Alaska CITY: Anchorage | 10pm and 7am: No usage of domestic power tools, including lawn tools. |
| Arizona CITY: Phoenix | 11pm and 7am: No unnecessary use of a noisemaking device. |
| Arkansas CITY: Rogers | 10pm to 7am: No unnecessary use of a noisemaking device. |
| California CITY: Varies | 11pm to 7am or 8am on weekdays: No loud noises. 12midnight to 8am to 10am on Sundays and holidays: No loud noises. |
| Colorado CITY: Statewide | 7am to 7pm: No continuous noise exceeding 55db. 7pm to 7am: No continuous noise exceeding 50db. |
| Connecticut CITY: Fairfield | 10pm to 7am on weekdays: No excessive noise. 11pm to 8am on weekends and holidays: No excessive noise. |
| Delaware CITY: Delaware | 9pm to 7am: No operating of lawn mowers and other domestic tools outdoors. |
| Florida CITY: Hollywood | 7am to 10pm: No continuous noise exceeding 65db. 10pm to 7am: No continuous noise exceeding 55db. |
| Georgia CITY: Atlanta | 10pm to 7am on weekdays: No use of noise-creating machinery. 10pm to 10pm on weekends and holidays: No use of noise-creating machinery. |
| Hawaii CITY: Statewide | 7am to 10pm: No continuous noise exceeding 55db. 10pm to 7am: No continuous noise exceeding 45db. |
| Idaho CITY: Eagle | 10pm to 8am: No loud or offensive noises. |
| Illinois CITY: Aurora | 9pm to 6am: No use of noise-creating machinery. |
| Indiana CITY: Indianapolis | 10pm to 7am: No use of noise-creating engines. |
| Iowa CITY: Dubuque | Sunset to 8am on weekdays: No use of lawn mowers and garden tools. Sunset to 9am on weekends: No use of lawn mowers and garden tools. |
| Kansas CITY: Topeka | 11pm to 7am: No use of noise-creating machinery. |
| Kentucky CITY: Bellevue | 10pm to 7am: No use of noise-creating machinery. |
| Louisiana CITY: Baton Rouge | Sunset to 7am: No loud and raucous noise. |
| Maine CITY: Oakland | 9pm to 6am: No unnecessary or unreasonable sound. |
| Maryland CITY: Anne Arundel | 11pm and 7am: No operation of loud machinery. |
| Massachusetts CITY: Boston | 11pm to 7am: No continuous noise exceeding 50db. 7am to 11pm: No continuous noise exceeding 70db. |
| Michigan CITY: Anne Arbor | 10pm and 7am: No noise that can be heard beyond your property line. |
| Minnesota CITY: Saint Paul | 10pm and 7am: Domestic tools, including lawn mowers must be quiet. |
| Mississippi CITY: Jackson | 10pm to 7am on weekdays: No continuous noise exceeding 55db. 10pm to 9am on weekends: No continuous noise exceeding 55db. |
| Missouri CITY: Town & Country | 9pm to 8am Monday to Saturday: No operation of lawn mowers 9pm to 9am on a Sunday: No operation of lawn mowers |
| Montana CITY: Helena | 6am to 9pm: No continuous noise exceeding 80db. |
| Nebraska CITY: Lincoln | 7am to 10pm: No continuous noise exceeding 65db. 10pm to 7am: No continuous noise exceeding 55db. |
| Nevada CITY: Las Vegas | 8pm to 7am: No continuous operation of blowers and similar devices. |
| New Hampshire CITY: Concord | 9pm and 7am: No operation of lawn mowers. |
| New Jersey CITY: Statewide | 10pm and 7am: No continuous noise exceeding 50db. 7am to 10pm: No continuous noise exceeding 65db. |
| New Mexico CITY: Santa Fe | 9pm to 7am: No operation of lawn mowers. |
| New York CITY: Albany | 8pm to 6am: No continual excessive noise. |
| North Carolina CITY: Raleigh | 10pm to 7am: No unnecessary or unreasonable sound. |
| North Dakota CITY: Fargo | 10pm to 6am: No use of mowers or snow blowers |
| Ohio CITY: Columbus City | 7am to 10pm: Proper maintenance of a lawn is permitted. |
| Oklahoma CITY: Broken Arrow | 10pm to 7am Sunday to Thursday: No use of machinery with internal combustion engines. 11pm to 7am Saturday and Sunday: No use of machinery with internal combustion engines. |
| Oregon CITY: Marion County | 10pm to 7am: No noise audible outside of your property permitted. |
| Pennsylvania CITY: Harrisburg | 8pm to 6.30am: No use of lawn mowers or any maintenance equipment. |
| Rhode Island CITY: Providence | 7am to 10pm: No continuous noise exceeding 65db. 10pm to 7am: No continuous noise exceeding 55db. |
| South Carolina CITY: West Columbia | 9pm to 7am: No use of machinery with internal combustion engines. |
| South Dakota CITY: Sioux Falls | 10.30pm to 6am: No use of powered mechanical devices. |
| Tennessee CITY: Clarksville | 6am to 11pm: No continuous noise exceeding 70db 11pm to 6am: No continuous noise exceeding 65db |
| Texas CITY: Austin | 10.30pm to 7am: No unreasonable noises permitted. |
| Utah CITY: Salt Lake City | 10pm to 7am: No continuous excessive noise. |
| Vermont CITY: Burlington | 10pm to 7am: No unreasonable noise permitted. |
| Virginia CITY: Stafford County | 10pm to 7am: No excessive noise is permitted. |
| Washington CITY: Statewide | 10pm to 7am: No use of loud mechanical devices. |
| West Virginia CITY: Brooke County | 12midnight to 8am: No excessive noise is permitted. |
| Wisconsin CITY: Madison | 7pm to 7am: No continuous noise exceeding 70db. 7am to 7pm: No continuous noise exceeding 75db. |
| Wyoming CITY: Statewide | 7am to 10pm Sunday to Thursday: No continuous noise exceeding 57db. 7am to 11pm Friday and Saturday: No continuous noise exceeding 57db. All other times: No continuous noise exceeding 50db. |
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United Kingdom Lawn Mowing Restrictions
| 11pm to 7am: Any noise above-permitted levels between can be investigated and a penalty notice issued. Permitted noise levels are classed as 34db if the underlying level of noise is no more than 24db and 10db above the underlying level of noise if this is more than 24db. |
Canada Lawn Mowing Restrictions
| Toronto | 7pm to 7am Monday to Friday: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. 7pm to 9am weekends and holidays: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. |
| Montreal | Vary by borough |
| Calgary | 10pm to 7am Monday to Saturday: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. 10pm to 9am Sundays and holidays: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. |
| Ottawa | 9pm to 7am weekdays: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. 9pm to 9am weekends: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. |
| Edmonton | 10pm to 7am: No continuous noise exceeding 50db. 7am to 10pm: No continuous noise exceeding 65db |
| Mississauga | 11pm to 7am Monday to Saturday: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. 11pm to 9am Sunday: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. |
| Winnipeg | 9pm to 7am weekdays: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. 9pm to 9am weekends and holidays: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. |
| Vancouver | Nightime: No use of power devices exceeding 77db |
Australia Lawn Mowing Restrictions
| New South Wales | 8pm to 7am Monday to Saturday: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. 8pm to 8am Sundays and holidays: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. |
| Victoria | 8pm to 7am Monday to Friday: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. 8pm to 9am weekends and holidays: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. |
| Western Australia | 7pm to 7am Monday to Saturday: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. 9pm to 7am Sundays and holidays: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. |
| South Australia | 8pm to 8am Monday to Saturday: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. 8pm to 9am Sundays and holidays: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. |
| Queensland | 7pm to 7am Monday to Saturday: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. 7pm to 8am Sundays and holidays: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. |
| Tasmania | 7pm to 7am Monday to Friday: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. 8pm to 8am Saturdays: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. 6pm to 10am Sundays and holidays: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. |
| Northern Territory | 8pm to 7am Monday to Saturday: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. 8pm to 8am Sundays and holidays: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. |
New Zealand Lawn Mowing Restrictions
| Auckland | 8pm to 6.30am Monday to Friday: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. 6pm to 7.30am Weekends and holidays: No use of power devices, inc. lawn mowers. |
| Rest of NZ | Laws in other cities vary by council area. |
Just a couple of notes about this list.
Within the USA many cities within states do have varying times for noise ordinances.
I have tried, where possible, to include those of the capital city. But sometimes it wasn’t always easy to find.
Some cities and states have the details written down plainly and concisely, others make it as dark as mud! I have linked each city to the source where I found the information.
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I hope for the most part these figures give you a broad sense of what is acceptable and what isn’t.
If you want to double-check the details for your area simply search ‘city name’ + noise ordinances or ‘city name’ + quiet hours.
The key, as with most things in life, is simply to exercise common sense before mowing your lawn, and if you are uncertain if it might upset your neighbors, you probably shouldn’t do it.
And of course, it does depend on what type of mower and size yard you have.
A big gas mower cutting a 1-acre lawn in a built-up residential area is likely to cause more problems than a reel mower cutting a tiny plot in a largely rural area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Mow My Lawn at 7am?
As you can see from the list above there are a surprising number of places where mowing your lawn at 7am is perfectly legal.
However, again consider your neighbors.
Telling your neighbors it is fine because you are not breaking any noise regulations might not appease them if they are woken early from a planned lie-in!
How Late Can I Mow My Lawn?
Generally, no matter where you are in the world, the latest acceptable times for mowing a lawn in terms of noise regulation fall somewhere between 9pm and 11pm.
Again the list above gives full details.
What Time Can I Mow My Lawn on a Sunday?
As a rule, most noise restrictions are more stringent on Sundays and weekends in general. Usually, the permitted time for the operation of noisy machinery starts an hour or two later on a Sunday.
So if you are checking what time you can legally mow your lawn, make sure you double-check whether the information you are looking at is specific to a Sunday.
Mowing Your Lawn Early: An Important Point
Not only can mowing your lawn early potentially upset your neighbors, it might also upset your mower.
First thing in the morning is when the grass is usually wet or damp with morning dew.
This makes it harder for your mower to deal with efficiently, so you will often be left with a ragged unsightly cut.
Not only that the wet grass can clog up and damage your mower and leave the rest of your grass more open to disease and fungal infection.
Cutting your lawn at dusk brings about similar risks.
The optimal time to cut your grass is usually sometime around 10am. This will give time for the dew to settle and it is before the sun is at its hottest.
Final Thoughts
Whether you are asking how late you can mow your lawn or if you can mow your lawn at 7am, I hope this article has answered your questions. Please feel free to refer to the infographic above as well.
The truth is legalities around what time you can mow your lawn vary from city to city, state to state and country to country.
Always use your own judgment. You will know the area you live in, and you will know your neighbors.
Everyone is different, some people are easygoing, and others are upset by the slightest thing.
If you think mowing your lawn particularly early or late might upset someone it probably is best not to do it.
But if you must, at least you now hopefully have some idea of what is acceptable in the area you live in!