Decibel Shield
Noise complaints › New Orleans
How to file a noise complaint in New Orleans
NOLA 311 (dial 3-1-1, text 311, or the MyNOLA portal at nola.gov/311) for non-emergency service requests; noise in progress goes to the New Orleans Police Department non-emergency line, (504) 658-6800. The ordinance is administered jointly by the Department of Health and the police (Sec. 66-137).
Last updated:
| Quiet hours | Night 10 p.m. – 7 a.m. (8 a.m. weekends); neighbour music cut-off 9 p.m. Sun–Thu (Sec. 66-203) |
|---|---|
| How it is enforced | Measured decibel limits |
| Emergencies | 911 |
| Ordinance | Code of the City of New Orleans |
Where to file in New Orleans
NOLA 311 (dial 3-1-1, text 311, or the MyNOLA portal at nola.gov/311) for non-emergency service requests; noise in progress goes to the New Orleans Police Department non-emergency line, (504) 658-6800. The ordinance is administered jointly by the Department of Health and the police (Sec. 66-137). Short-term rental noise has a 24-hour hotline, (504) 788-2008, and property code complaints go to Code Enforcement at (504) 658-5050.
From the city's official pages and code, verified 2026-09-03. 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. New Orleans sets measured limits, so a reading near the limit is direct evidence. The free online decibel meter runs in your browser and records nothing.
- Check the rule. Quiet hours in New Orleans are Night 10 p.m. – 7 a.m. (8 a.m. weekends); neighbour music cut-off 9 p.m. Sun–Thu (Sec. 66-203). The New Orleans 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 New Orleans in general? The New Orleans 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 New Orleans?
NOLA 311 (dial 3-1-1, text 311, or the MyNOLA portal at nola.gov/311) for non-emergency service requests; noise in progress goes to the New Orleans Police Department non-emergency line, (504) 658-6800.
What are the quiet hours in New Orleans?
Night 10 p.m. – 7 a.m. (8 a.m. weekends); neighbour music cut-off 9 p.m. Sun–Thu (Sec. 66-203). The full rule, quoted from the code, is on the New Orleans noise ordinance page.
Should I call 911 for noise in New Orleans?
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 New Orleans?
New Orleans enforces numeric decibel limits, so a time-stamped reading near the limit is direct evidence. Keep a log of dates, times and durations as well.
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.