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Noise complaints › Cary
How to file a noise complaint in Cary
For noise in progress, call the Cary Police Department's non-emergency line, (919) 469-4012. The Police FAQ says to call that number for nonemergency situations such as frauds, loud music or parking complaints; the Town's Calling 911 page lists loud music among the calls for the non-emergency line; and…
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Documenting this? A dated log of when the noise started, when it stopped and how loud it got is what Cary acts on. Log noise levels for a complaint — free, runs in your browser, records no audio.
| Quiet hours | Most amplified sound under 50 dB(A), 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.; other noise up to 60 dB(A) at any hour |
|---|---|
| How it is enforced | Decibel limits for some sources, audibility for others |
| Emergencies | 911 |
| Ordinance | Town of Cary Code of Ordinances |
Where to file in Cary
For noise in progress, call the Cary Police Department's non-emergency line, (919) 469-4012. The Police FAQ says to call that number for nonemergency situations such as frauds, loud music or parking complaints; the Town's Calling 911 page lists loud music among the calls for the non-emergency line; and the Planning Department FAQ says the Town's noise ordinance is regulated by the Police Department and gives the same number for alerting the Town to a potential noise violation. Barking is handled separately: the Calling 911 page says not to call the non-emergency line for barking dog complaints and points to the noise complaint form on the Animal Services page. The Animal Services office, staffed by Police Department officers, is at (919) 319-4517, Sunday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and its pages say the process starts with its Annoying Animal Sounds form (the Pet Laws and Complaints page calls it the Animal Noise form). Under Sec. 6-71(f), a detailed written and signed complaint brings a written notice to the owner or possessor of the premises where the animal is kept; if the violation is not cured, or a second complaint about the same animal is made within any six-month period, an order to abate within no more than seven days; if the order is not obeyed, an investigation and possibly a civil citation of $200; after that the complainant can go to the magistrate and file a summons. Penalties for other noise (22-112): a civil penalty of $100, rising within any one-year period to $250 for a second offense, $500 for a third, $750 for a fourth and $1,000 for a fifth and any later one; a penalty is due within 72 hours of issue; the amount can be appealed to the Town Manager or designee within 30 calendar days of issuance; and, in addition to or in place of the civil penalty, a violation is a misdemeanor (22-112(c)). The Town's general penalty section sets a fine of not more than $500 on conviction unless a law or ordinance provides otherwise (1-9(c)). A police officer, an animal control officer or another authorized employee may issue the citation (22-112(a)(2)). Where the pages and the code differ, the code controls: the Police FAQ points to Sections 22-102 through 22-111 for barking dogs and other noise, but the Division runs to 22-112 and barking is in Sec. 6-71. Sources: https://www.carync.gov/services-publications/police/faq-5367, https://www.carync.gov/services-publications/911/calling-911, https://www.carync.gov/connect-engage/town-departments-offices/planning-department/faq, https://www.carync.gov/services-publications/police/animal-services, https://www.carync.gov/services-publications/police/animal-services/pet-laws-and-complaints and https://www.carync.gov/services-publications/housing/affordable-housing-initiative/top-seven-standards.
From the town's official pages and code, verified 2026-11-09. Numbers and departments change; if a line does not answer, the town's main switchboard 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. Cary 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 Cary: Most amplified sound under 50 dB(A), 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.; other noise up to 60 dB(A) at any hour. The Cary 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 town 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 town 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 Cary in general? The Cary 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 Cary?
For noise in progress, call the Cary Police Department's non-emergency line, (919) 469-4012.
What are the quiet hours in Cary?
Most amplified sound under 50 dB(A), 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.; other noise up to 60 dB(A) at any hour. The full rule, quoted from the code, is on the Cary noise ordinance page.
Should I call 911 for noise in Cary?
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 Cary?
Cary 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.
