The question arises again and again on which days and at what times lawn mowing is permitted and when it becomes a disturbance of the peace. Particularly loud lawn mowers, such as gasoline mowers or lawn tractors, can disturb neighbors to a not inconsiderable degree. Depending on the lawn area, mowing can last from a few minutes to hours, and the monotonous noise can deprive the entire neighborhood of its peace and quiet. Therefore, there are legal regulations on when and to what extent mowing is allowed.
When am I allowed to mow my lawn?
Especially working garden owners are often faced with the problem of only being able to mow their lawns in the evenings and on weekends. From 1992 to 2002, the Lawn Mower Noise Ordinance regulated the times at which the operation of a lawn mower was permitted on a nationwide basis. In 2002, this was replaced by the Equipment and Machinery Noise Ordinance. It includes more equipment classes and also differentiates between residential and industrial areas.
Saturday is considered a working day
In normal residential areas, you are only allowed to mow your lawn on weekdays. People often forget that Saturday is also considered a working day, which means that mowing is allowed from Monday to Saturday.
Mowing prohibited on Sundays and public holidays
On Sundays and holidays, the lawn mower may not be used at all. The only exceptions here are very quiet reel mowers, electric lawn mowers and robotic mowers, provided that this does not disturb other people.
Times when mowing is allowed
As of June 2022, the times for mowing lawns in residential areas are regulated as follows: Monday through Saturday, you may mow your lawn from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
However, for particularly noisy equipment, there are some restrictions or quiet hours that must be observed. The following equipment classes are affected:
- Brushcutters
- Grass trimmers / grass edge trimmers
- Leaf blowers and leaf collectors
According to the Machine Noise Protection Ordinance, these devices may only be operated between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. and between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., even during the week. An exception is made for garden equipment that bears the European Eco-label or EU Ecolabel (a flower with EU stars). For them, these stricter rest period restrictions do not apply on working days.
However, depending on the state and municipality, these times may vary somewhat. It is therefore generally recommended to ask the public order office in advance which mowing times are permitted in the city or municipality as a precaution. A violation of this regulation can become a misdemeanor if reported, and can result in a heavy fine.
