Decibel Shield
Noise ordinances › Ireland
Noise laws in Ireland: noise times, noisy neighbours and how to complain
Ireland has no national quiet hours and no decibel limit for homes. Under section 108 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992, noise at any hour can be a nuisance if it gives "reasonable cause for annoyance". Talk to the person first, then complain to the District Court. Dublin building sites may work 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays unless otherwise approved.
Last updated:
No 11 p.m. rule: noise is judged by annoyance, at any hour
Many people look for an 11 p.m. noise law in Ireland, but there is none for homes. Citizens Information puts it plainly: "There are no universal noise standard laws that apply in Ireland but your local authority may refer to particular noise standards", and "the law does not mention an exact level or standard of noise that is illegal".
The test is in section 108 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992: noise "so loud, so continuous, so repeated, of such duration or pitch or occurring at such times as to give reasonable cause for annoyance to a person in any premises in the neighbourhood or to a person lawfully using any public place". The time of night is one of the things a court weighs, not a cut-off. A local authority, the Environmental Protection Agency or the person affected can complain to the District Court, and the court can order whoever makes the noise "to reduce the noise to a specified level or to take specified measures for the prevention or limitation of the noise". Aircraft noise is outside the section.
Who deals with which noise
Who to contact depends on where the noise comes from. Read on 31 October 2026 from Citizens Information, the Acts and Dublin City Council's noise pages.
| Noise | Who to contact | Law |
|---|---|---|
| A neighbour in a home they own | Talk to them first; Gardaí can ask them to lower the noise; then the District Court | Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992, s 108 |
| A tenant of a private landlord or housing body | The tenant, then the landlord, then the Residential Tenancies Board | Residential Tenancies Act 2004, ss 16(h) and 17 |
| A council tenant | The council, as landlord | The tenancy agreement |
| A barking dog | The owner, then the District Court (7 days' notice first) | Control of Dogs Act 1986, s 25 |
| Pubs, clubs, concerts and businesses, including fans and other plant | The environment section of your local authority | Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992, s 107 |
| Building sites | Your local authority (in Dublin, planning enforcement where the hours are a planning condition) | Conditions of the planning permission |
| People shouting in the street, fireworks | Gardaí (fireworks: your Garda station or 1800 666 111) | Public order law |
| Aircraft | The airport | Excluded from Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992, s 108 |
Complaining to the District Court under section 108
Before going to court you must serve a notice of your intention on the person or business making the noise (s 108(3)), in the form set out in the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992 (Noise) Regulations, 1994. The form names a court sitting "being a date not earlier than 7 days from the date of this notice". Citizens Information describes the steps: ask the District Court clerk for a hearing date, citing section 108 and the 1994 regulations, tell the other party at least 7 days before the hearing, fill in the court's complaint form and attend. There is a fee, and Citizens Information calls the court "the last step you take to resolve the issue".
A business has a defence if it took "all reasonable care to prevent or limit the noise" or the noise is within the terms of an EPA licence or noise regulations (s 108(2)). Not complying with the court's order is an offence: section 8 makes a contravention of "any order made under this Act" an offence. Section 9 sets the maximum on summary conviction at a fine of €3,000 (a class B fine of up to €4,000 under the Fines Act 2010) or 12 months in prison, and up to €1,000 for each day the contravention goes on after a conviction.
Noisy neighbours in rented homes
A tenant of a private landlord or housing body must not "behave within the dwelling, or in the vicinity of it, in a way that is anti-social" (Residential Tenancies Act 2004, s 16(h)). Section 17 includes in that to "engage, persistently, in behaviour that prevents or interferes with the peaceful occupation" of a neighbouring home, and Citizens Information says this "includes persistent noise that affects others around them".
The Residential Tenancies Board says a neighbour "must first try to resolve the dispute with the landlord" and give the landlord a chance to fix it. After that the neighbour can apply to the RTB for mediation or adjudication, and "Landlords can be ordered to make large payments to neighbours for distress caused." The RTB asks for "A record log of any events (dates and times when things happened)", photographs, witness statements and Garda reports where they exist. Dublin City Council adds that the home must be on the RTB register for this route.
Gardaí and anti-social behaviour
For noise from a home, Citizens Information says "the Gardaí can ask them to lower noise. But they can't enter the property with the sole intention of asking them to lower the noise." If it continues, the next step is the District Court.
Persistent noise can also be anti-social behaviour under Part 11 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. Citizens Information gives the example of a neighbour who "continuously plays loud music which annoys and interferes with your peace and quiet". A Garda can give a behaviour warning on a member of the public's complaint, within 1 month of the behaviour; it lasts 3 months, and if it is ignored a Garda Superintendent can ask the District Court for an anti-social behaviour order. Rowdy people on a street are a Garda matter, not a council one (Dublin City Council).
Building site hours and other noise
Construction hours are usually set as conditions of the site's planning permission. Dublin City Council gives "the permissible hours of operation of a building site unless otherwise approved within Dublin City" as 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, and "no noisy work on site" on Sundays and public holidays. Roadworks run to the hours on their permit. Outside Dublin, ask your council for the conditions on the site's permission.
For pubs, clubs, concerts and commercial premises, the local authority can serve a notice under section 107 setting out "the measures which appear to the local authority ... to be necessary in order to prevent or limit the noise", and under the 1994 regulations it can prosecute a breach of its notice itself. Citizens Information says alarm installers must follow a standard that limits how long an external alarm sounds: 15 minutes at most under the European standard.
Barking dogs
Under section 25 of the Control of Dogs Act 1986, where "a nuisance has been created as a result of excessive barking by a dog", the District Court may order the occupier to exercise "due control over the dog", limit the number of dogs kept, or have the dog delivered to a dog warden. You must first serve notice of your intention on the occupier.
The Courts Service guide says to send that notice "at least 7 days before you intend to make the application", keep a log of the barking, then apply on Form No. 40C.01. The fee is €80, the respondent must be notified "at least 21 days prior to the court date by registered post", and the stamped application goes to the court office at least 7 days before the hearing.
How to make a noise complaint in Ireland
Talk to the person making the noise first if it is safe. After that: for a home, the Gardaí can ask them to turn it down, and a continuing problem goes to the District Court under section 108; for a rented home, the landlord and then the RTB; for a pub, club, business or building site, your local authority's environment section. In Dublin, the council takes noise complaints on 01 222 2222 or its online form, does not take complaints against private occupiers, and points neighbours to free mediation or a section 108 case (Dublin City Council). The Department's Make a Noise Nuisance Complaint page says to contact the Clerk of your local District Court for a formal complaint.
Keep a record. Citizens Information suggests noting the times, how long the noise lasted and "The levels of noise involved". The free online decibel meter runs in your browser and records nothing; it is an uncalibrated estimate of about ±10 dB, enough to show 50 against 70 but not a measurement a court will rely on. Turn A-weighting on (dBA vs dBC) and write down the time and the session average. A dated log of repeated noise is what a judge, a landlord or the RTB will ask for; the noise complaints guide covers what to log.
Sources
Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992, ss 8, 9, 106, 107 and 108, and Control of Dogs Act 1986, s 25, and Residential Tenancies Act 2004, ss 16 and 17, all in the Law Reform Commission's Revised Acts; Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992 (Noise) Regulations, 1994 (S.I. No. 179 of 1994), Irish Statute Book; Courts Service, "How to make a barking dog complaint application" (published 18 February 2026); Citizens Information, "Noise pollution and noise complaints" (edited 9 October 2024) and "Anti-social behaviour by adults"; Residential Tenancies Board, "Neighbour disputes"; Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, "Make a Noise Nuisance Complaint" (updated 20 July 2021); Dublin City Council noise complaint pages. All read on 31 October 2026. This page covers the Republic of Ireland; Northern Ireland is on the UK noise laws page. It is a plain-language summary, not legal advice; the legislation controls, and your council may have its own rules for a particular site.
Is there an 11 p.m. noise law in Ireland?
No. Ireland has no national quiet hours for homes. Noise at any hour can be a nuisance under section 108 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 if it is so loud, continuous, repeated or "occurring at such times" as to give "reasonable cause for annoyance". The time of night counts, but there is no set start time.
Is there a decibel limit for noise in Ireland?
Not for homes. Citizens Information says the law "does not mention an exact level or standard of noise that is illegal". A District Court can order someone to reduce noise "to a specified level", but a neighbour's noise is judged on annoyance, not a number.
What can I do about noisy neighbours in Ireland?
Talk to them first. Gardaí can ask a household to lower the noise but cannot enter only to do that. If it continues, serve a section 108 notice and complain to the District Court, at least 7 days later. If the neighbour rents privately, complain to the landlord and then the Residential Tenancies Board; if they rent from the council, complain to the council.
What hours can builders work in Ireland?
They are usually set in the site's planning permission. In Dublin City, unless otherwise approved, building sites may work 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, with no noisy work on Sundays and public holidays. Complain to the council, which enforces planning conditions.
How do I complain about a barking dog in Ireland?
Ask the owner first. If the barking goes on, serve notice on the occupier at least 7 days before applying to the District Court under section 25 of the Control of Dogs Act 1986. The Courts Service fee is €80. The court can order the owner to control the dog, limit the number of dogs, or have the dog given to a dog warden.
