How to file a noise complaint in Arlington County

Last updated: October 5, 2026

Documenting this? A dated log of when the noise started, when it stopped and how loud it got is what Arlington County acts on. Log noise levels for a complaint — free, runs in your browser, records no audio.

Arlington County noise complaint at a glance
Quiet hours	9 p.m. – 7 a.m. (until 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sunday and legal holiday mornings)
How it is enforced	Decibel limits for some sources, audibility for others
Emergencies	911
Ordinance	Arlington County Code (Arlington

Official text: Arlington County Code (Arlington, Virginia has no city government; it is Arlington County, so the County Code is the local law), Chapter 15 "Noise Control", the "Noise Control Ordinance of Arlington County, Virginia", §§ 15-1 through 15-15: § 15-3 definitions; § 15-5 maximum noise, with Table I (stationary sources) and Table II (motor vehicles) (history: 1-1-75; 8-14-76; 8-25-81; Ord. No. 04-21, 9-18-04; Ord. No. 14-04, 5-10-14, effective 7-1-14); § 15-6 prohibited acts; § 15-9 criminal penalties; § 15-10 civil penalties (Ord. No. 14-04; Ord. No. 20-12, 6-13-20); § 15-12 exemptions issued by the County Manager; § 15-15 exemption for County activities (Ord. No. 06-02, 2-28-06). Every section except § 15-1 cites Ord. No. 14-04 (5-10-14, effective 7-1-14) in its history; §§ 15-3 and 15-6 were last amended by Ord. No. 26-16 (7-18-26), whose history note reads "Effective 1-1-29". Read in the County's official PDF of Chapter 15, headed "Code Updated July 2026", in the County Code collection on arlingtonva.us; the County's code page notes "Not all Code Chapters are current" and that a true copy is available from the County Board Clerk (703-228-3130)..

Where to file in Arlington County

The County's Noise Control Ordinance page routes complaints by type and time: loud parties and music, any time day or night, to Police at 703-558-2222; construction and trash from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays to County Code Enforcement ("Response within 5 days; Call 703-228-3232"), and on weekends, holidays and 4:30 p.m. to 8 a.m. on weekdays to Police at 703-558-2222; animals from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 7 days a week, to Code Enforcement at 703-228-3232, and from 4:30 p.m. to 8 a.m. to Police at 703-558-2222; lawn equipment at night, live entertainment and restaurants, and nighttime yelling to Police at 703-558-2222. The page warns that "inspectors and officers must witness the violation" and suggests first approaching the neighbor, property management or a civic association; for community mediation it names Northern Virginia Mediation Services, which provides mediation for the General District Court, while saying the County does not endorse a specific mediator. The Police Department page lists "Non-Emergency: 703-558-2222". The Code Enforcement page lists "Construction noise" among the problems it handles and takes complaints through Permit Arlington (a "Code Enforcement Complaint") or at 703-228-3232 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with cases serviced in three to five business days; that does not match the noise page's "7 days a week" daytime row for animal noise, and the same Code Enforcement page lists "Animal nuisances including leash requirements" among the things Code Enforcement does not address; and on the noise page some click-to-call links printed as 703-558-2222 actually dial 703-228-2222, so use the printed number, which matches the Police Department page. To find out whether a site holds a noise exemption, contact Code Enforcement at 703-228-3232 or codeenforcement@arlingtonva.us; exemption requests are filed through Permit Arlington. Sources: https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Programs/Building/Codes-Ordinances/Noise-Control-Ordinance and https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Departments/Police-Department and https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Programs/Building/Enforcement-Appeals/Code.

From the city's official pages and code, verified 2026-10-05. Numbers and departments change; if a line does not answer, the city's main switchboard or 311 can redirect you.

Before you call

Log it. Date, start and end time, what the noise was and where you heard it from. Three dated entries carry more weight than one angry call.
Measure it if you can. Arlington County sets measured limits, so a reading near the limit is direct evidence. The free noise log runs in your browser, records nothing, and saves a dated report.
Check the rule. Quiet hours in Arlington County are 9 p.m. – 7 a.m. (until 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sunday and legal holiday mornings). The Arlington County noise ordinance page quotes the code verbatim, so you can cite the section.
Try the source once. A neighbour, landlord or venue manager often fixes it faster than the city does, and telling them first strengthens a later complaint.

What happens after you file

Non-emergency noise reports are queued, not dispatched, so a first call rarely ends the noise that night. What it does is start a record against the address. Repeated reports, a dated log and a reading are what move a case from a warning to a citation. Where the city needs an officer to witness the noise, as most audibility rules require, file while it is happening rather than the next morning.

How loud is Arlington County in general? The Arlington County noise map shows the federal transportation-noise data for every neighbourhood, and the apartment quiet hours page compares every city's night rule.

Who do I call for a noise complaint in Arlington County?

What are the quiet hours in Arlington County?

9 p.m. – 7 a.m. (until 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sunday and legal holiday mornings). The full rule, quoted from the code, is on the Arlington County noise ordinance page.

Should I call 911 for noise in Arlington County?

Only if there is danger, a threat or a crime in progress. For ongoing noise use the non-emergency police line or the department named above; repeated calls build an official record tied to the address, which is what code enforcement acts on.

What evidence helps a noise complaint in Arlington County?

Arlington County uses both decibel limits and audibility rules, so keep a dated log and take readings when you can; which rule applies depends on the source of the noise.

This page is a plain-language guide to the reporting route, not legal advice. Ordinances and contact numbers get amended; check the linked official sources before relying on a specific provision.