How to file a noise complaint in Newark

Last updated: October 1, 2026

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

Newark noise complaint at a glance
Quiet hours	10 p.m. – 7 a.m. (50 dBA at homes); construction curbed 8 p.m. – 7 a.m. weekdays, all Sunday
How it is enforced	Decibel limits for some sources, audibility for others
Emergencies	911
Ordinance	Revised General Ordinances of the City of Newark

Official text: Revised General Ordinances of the City of Newark, Title XX "Offenses, Miscellaneous," Chapter 20:3 "Noise Control" (cited as the "Noise Control Ordinance of the City of Newark"), §§ 20:3-1 through 20:3-18 and Attachment 1, Table I "Maximum Permissible Sound Levels" (Ord. 6 S+FG, 6-25-1986, which replaced the noise ordinance codified in R.O. 1966 § 17:3-1 et seq., repealed the same day by Ord. 6 S+FH; amended by Ord. 6 S+FD, 12-22-1987, Ord. 6 S+FC, 4-3-1991, Ord. 6 S+FI, 5-1-1991, Ord. 6 S+FD, 3-16-1994, Ord. 6 S+FL, 9-17-2008, Ord. 6PSF-A(S), 1-7-2016, Ord. No. 6PSF-D, 3-24-2020 and others): 20:3-2 definitions, 20:3-6 noise measurements, 20:3-7 maximum permissible sound levels, 20:3-8 exemptions, 20:3-9 to 20:3-12 motor vehicles, mufflers, horns and standing vehicles, 20:3-13 prohibited acts, 20:3-14 exceptions and variances, 20:3-15 enforcement, 20:3-16 notice of violation, 20:3-17 abatement order and impoundment, 20:3-18 penalties; with § 20:2-16 disorderly conduct, § 6:1-10 noises by dogs and Zoning § 41:6-2-33 (nightclubs, discotheques and cabarets). Text read on eCode360 (General Code, the City's code host; "Includes legislation through 08-05-2026") on 2026-10-01..

Where to file in Newark

Per newarknj.gov's "Report an Issue" link (the City of Newark request portal on SeeClickFix), the Public Safety category lists "Noise Disturbance" with the note "For immediate police response, Please call 973-733-6000"; the Newark Department of Public Safety's contact page (newarkpublicsafety.org) lists Emergency: Dial 911 and Non-Emergency: (973) 733-6000. The Department of Health and Community Wellness Food & Drug Bureau page on newarknj.gov lists "Noise Quality" among the environmental health nuisances and complaints the bureau investigates and says the Division of Environmental Health consults with the Essex Regional Health Commission for the investigation of noise issues; the City Hall number on newarknj.gov is 973-733-4311. Under the code, Chapter 20:3 is enforced by the Directors of Health and Community Wellness, Engineering and Public Safety, with motor-vehicle provisions enforced solely by Public Safety (20:3-15); a violation is cause for a notice of violation (20:3-16), which the Directors pair with an abatement order allowing 10 to 30 days, except for willful or knowing violations or where they believe there will be no compliance (20:3-17a–b). Police impound sound equipment used in violation of 13b and vehicles operated in violation of the chapter (20:3-17c–d). Fines on conviction: $100 to $250 for stereo and device violations under 13b; otherwise at least $100 and up to $750 for a first offense, $1,250 for a second and $2,000 for a third; $100 to $2,000 for willful or knowing violations; an additional $100 to $2,000 for a repeat within a year; each day a separate offense (20:3-18). Sound permits for outdoor and street assemblages are filed with the Department of Finance, Division of Special Taxes and Tax Abatements, 15 calendar days in advance (20:3-14c).

From the city's official pages and code, verified 2026-10-01. 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. Newark 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 Newark are 10 p.m. – 7 a.m. (50 dBA at homes); construction curbed 8 p.m. – 7 a.m. weekdays, all Sunday. The Newark 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 Newark in general? The Newark 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 Newark?

What are the quiet hours in Newark?

10 p.m. – 7 a.m. (50 dBA at homes); construction curbed 8 p.m. – 7 a.m. weekdays, all Sunday. The full rule, quoted from the code, is on the Newark noise ordinance page.

Should I call 911 for noise in Newark?

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 Newark?

Newark 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.