The Federal Immission Control Act (Bundes-Immissionsschutzgesetz -BImSchG) in conjunction with the Equipment and Machinery Noise Control Ordinance (Geräte- und Maschinenlärmschutzverordnung -32. BImSchV) contain relevant regulations on the operation of motor-driven machines, tools and gardening equipment.

These regulations are fundamentally aimed at both entrepreneurs and private individuals.
According to Section 7, Paragraph 1, No. 1 of the 32nd BImSchV, equipment and machinery may not be operated outdoors in pure, general and special residential areas, small residential areas, special areas used for recreation, spa and clinic areas, or on the grounds of hospitals and nursing homes on Sundays and public holidays or on workdays between 8:00 pm and 7:00 am. Special regulations exist for brush cutters, grass trimmers and grass edge trimmers, leaf blowers, and leaf collectors that do not bear the Community eco-label (European eco-label) or do not comply with the requirements for permissible sound power levels of Stage II in Article 12 of Directive 2000/14/EC. These may also not be operated between the hours of 7:00 am and 9:00 am, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm, and 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm.

The authority responsible under state law may permit exceptions to the restrictions of Section 7 (1) of the 32nd BImSchV in individual cases. Approval is not required if the operation of the devices and machines is necessary in individual cases to avert a danger in the event of severe weather or snowfall or to avert any other danger to people, the environment or material assets (Section 7 (2) of the 32nd BImSchV).