How to file a noise complaint in Buffalo

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 Buffalo acts on. Log noise levels for a complaint — free, runs in your browser, records no audio.

Buffalo noise complaint at a glance
Quiet hours	9 p.m. – 7 a.m. for construction and lawn equipment; the code's "day" ends 11 p.m. Fri–Sat
How it is enforced	Decibel limits for some sources, audibility for others
Emergencies	911
Ordinance	Code of the City of Buffalo

Official text: Code of the City of Buffalo, Part II General Legislation, Chapter 293 "Noise" (adopted by the Common Council 7-31-1990, effective 8-13-1990): § 293-1 Findings; intent, § 293-2 Definitions, § 293-3 Unreasonable noise prohibited, § 293-4 Specific acts constituting unreasonable noise (Subsection M amended 11-26-2002, effective 12-6-2002), § 293-5 Additional guidelines to determine unreasonable noise (amended 10-2-1990, effective 10-11-1990), § 293-6 Methods of measurement, § 293-7 Penalty for offenses (added 11-12-1996, effective 11-25-1996; amended 12-12-2006, effective 12-26-2006); with Chapter 137 "Code Enforcement", Article I, §§ 137-2 and 137-7 Schedule of fines and penalties (last amended 2-18-2025), Chapter 295 "Nuisance Party" (adopted 11-29-2016) and Chapter 496 Unified Development Ordinance (Buffalo Green Code; PDF marked Supp 18, Feb 2025) §§ 6.1.9.E, 6.2.2.T, 6.2.2.AN, 7.6.5 and 9.4.1.L. Text read on eCode360 (General Code, the City's code host; "Includes legislation through 03-31-2026", and none of the uncodified new laws listed there affects Chapter 293) on 2026-10-05..

Where to file in Buffalo

Buffalo 311 (Division of Citizen Services): "Call 311 within City of Buffalo limits, or dial 716-851-4890"; 311 "provides residents with fast, centralized access to city services. Register complaints, get information, and access non-emergency police services," and every case gets a reference number. Representatives answer from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; after hours callers can leave a message that an operator enters the next business day. Requests can also be filed through the Buffalo 311 Self-Service Portal, which lists an "Excessive Noise" request under Public Safety, Police Department, or by email to 311@city-buffalo.com, and reports can be made anonymously by app, online or by phone (anonymous reports cannot be tracked online). The 311 FAQ reserves 911 for emergencies such as house fires and crimes in progress, and the 311 page notes "you must contact the Buffalo Police to file a police report"; the Buffalo Police Department's site lists Buffalo Police Headquarters, 68 Court Street, phone 716-851-4444. Under § 293-7B a Buffalo police officer who observes a violation firsthand may arrest without a warrant or issue an appearance ticket, and § 137-2 lists Chapter 293 among the chapters whose violations the Parking Violations Bureau hears and determines. Sources: https://www.buffalony.gov/463/Contact-311, https://www.buffalony.gov/m/faq?cat=28, https://www.buffalony.gov/1668/BUFFALO311-SELF-SERVICE-PORTAL and https://www.bpdny.org/.

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. Buffalo 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 Buffalo are 9 p.m. – 7 a.m. for construction and lawn equipment; the code's "day" ends 11 p.m. Fri–Sat. The Buffalo 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 Buffalo in general? The Buffalo 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 Buffalo?

Buffalo 311 (Division of Citizen Services): "Call 311 within City of Buffalo limits, or dial 716-851-4890"; 311 "provides residents with fast, centralized access to city services.

What are the quiet hours in Buffalo?

9 p.m. – 7 a.m. for construction and lawn equipment; the code's "day" ends 11 p.m. Fri–Sat. The full rule, quoted from the code, is on the Buffalo noise ordinance page.

Should I call 911 for noise in Buffalo?

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 Buffalo?

Buffalo 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.