How to file a noise complaint in Birmingham

Last updated: October 21, 2026

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

Birmingham noise complaint at a glance
Quiet hours	10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. (construction, power tools, trash pickup, loading near homes)
How it is enforced	Audibility, no general decibel limit
Emergencies	911
Ordinance	The General Code of the City of Birmingham

Official text: The General Code of the City of Birmingham, Alabama, Title 11 "Crimes and Offenses", Chapter 8 "Nuisances", Article B "Noises": Sec. 11-8-21 Illegal noises, Sec. 11-8-22 Definitions, Sec. 11-8-23 Prohibited acts, Sec. 11-8-24 Determining circumstances, Sec. 11-8-25 Exemptions; Secs. 11-8-26—11-8-40 Reserved (Ord. No. 98-25, § 1, 2-17-1998; Ord. No. 02-47, § 1, 4-30-2002, amending Secs. 11-8-22 and 11-8-23; Ord. No. 04-98, § 1, 9-14-2004)..

Where to file in Birmingham

Birmingham Police Department's contact page lists "Emergency" "Call 911" and "Non-Emergency" "P: 205-328-9311" (Police Headquarters 205-254-1700, 1710 1st Avenue N). The City's 311 customer service page says "If you prefer to speak with a customer service representative, call 311 or dial 205-254-2489.", offers the My Bham 311 App and an online request form (SeeClickFix), and says "If you have a police, fire, or medical emergency, call 911 immediately."; its examples of requests (potholes, blocked storm drains, broken traffic signals, illegal dumping, missed trash) do not mention noise. Article B names no enforcing agency and no complaint procedure. Sources: https://www.birminghamal.gov/government/city-departments/birmingham-police-department/contact-birmingham-police-department and https://www.birminghamal.gov/government/city-council/residents/311-birminghams-customer-service-center.

From the city's official pages and code, verified 2026-10-21. 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. Birmingham enforces mostly by audibility, so the log is the main evidence, but a reading shows how loud it really was. The free noise log runs in your browser, records nothing, and saves a dated report.
Check the rule. Quiet hours in Birmingham are 10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. (construction, power tools, trash pickup, loading near homes). The Birmingham 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 Birmingham in general? The Birmingham 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 Birmingham?

Birmingham Police Department's contact page lists "Emergency" "Call 911" and "Non-Emergency" "P: 205-328-9311" (Police Headquarters 205-254-1700, 1710 1st Avenue N).

What are the quiet hours in Birmingham?

10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. (construction, power tools, trash pickup, loading near homes). The full rule, quoted from the code, is on the Birmingham noise ordinance page.

Should I call 911 for noise in Birmingham?

Only if there is danger, a threat or a crime in progress. For ongoing noise use 311 or the non-emergency police line; repeated calls build an official record tied to the address, which is what code enforcement acts on.

What evidence helps a noise complaint in Birmingham?

Birmingham enforces mostly by whether the sound is plainly audible at a set distance, so a log of dates, times, durations and where you could hear it from matters more than a meter reading, though a reading still helps.

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.