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How to file a noise complaint in Scottsdale

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

Official text: Scottsdale Revised Code, Chapter 19 "Offenses, Miscellaneous": Article I, Sec. 19-20 "Sound amplification systems; limitations on use" (Ord. No. 2754, § 1, 12-18-95), and Article II "Special Noise Violations," Secs. 19-24 through 19-31 (Ord. No. 3912, § 2, 9-28-10; 19-25 definitions, 19-26 unreasonable noise created by businesses that serve alcohol or provide live entertainment, 19-27 measurement criteria, 19-28 penalties, 19-29 civil complaints, 19-30 habitual offenders, 19-31 remedies non-exclusive); Chapter 18 "Public Nuisance and Property Maintenance," Article VIII "Nuisance Parties and Unlawful Gatherings," Secs. 18-121 through 18-133 (Ord. No. 4417, 9-24-19; Ord. No. 4528, 12-8-21; Ord. No. 4626, 5-6-24); Sec. 4-17(c) (animal noise); Sec. 24-14(b) (solid waste collection hours); Sec. 20-120 (Civic Center facility use permits); Chapter 31, Secs. 31-12 and 31-13, which add Sections 117 "Construction Activity" and 118 "Construction Noise" to the International Building Code (Ord. No. 4550, 9-20-22, eff. 1-1-23); and Sec. 1-8 (general penalty). Text read on Municode, the City's code host (Supp. No. 80, codified through Ordinance No. 4681, adopted July 1, 2025), on 2026-10-05. The City's Special Noise Violations Ordinance page (scottsdaleaz.gov, last updated May 21, 2026) says staff are drafting proposed changes; the draft was on the City Council's Feb. 10, 2026 work study agenda and was continued to a future meeting..

Where to file in Scottsdale

Per the City's Special Noise Violations FAQ (scottsdaleaz.gov): "If you want a police response, call the non-emergency number at 480-312-5000. Complaints may also be submitted online at ScottsdaleAZ.gov/EZ, search Noise, but this will not automatically generate a call for service with the police department, but will be followed up on during office hours." The FAQ says calls are prioritized and assigned to the beat officer, who may warn, cite or take no action, and that recurring complaint areas bring sound-level meters, meetings with the locations generating the noise and code enforcement involvement where zoning or use permit stipulations apply. The Police Department page lists 480-312-5000 and 480-312-5419 (TTY) (8401 E. Indian School Road), and the City's Good Neighbor Guide lists "Police & Fire Emergency - 911" and "Non-emergency Police – 480-312-5000." Under the code, the City Manager or designee, a Scottsdale police officer or the City Attorney may issue civil complaints for business noise (19-29) and nuisance parties (18-128). Construction noise from a permitted site is handled through the building official and the project's Noise Mitigation Plan, which must list jobsite contacts "who can address complaints immediately" (IBC 118.4–118.5). Sources: https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/docs/default-source/scottsdaleaz/codes---ordinances/special-noise/frequently-asked-questions.pdf, https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/police and https://ww2.scottsdaleaz.gov/Assets/ScottsdaleAZ/Codes+and+Ordinances/good+neighbor+guide+-+visitor.pdf.

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

1. 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.
2. Measure it if you can. Scottsdale 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.
3. Check the rule. Quiet hours in Scottsdale are 10 p.m. – 9 a.m. for parties (68 dBA presumption); car stereos 10 p.m. – 6 a.m.. The Scottsdale noise ordinance page quotes the code verbatim, so you can cite the section.
4. 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 Scottsdale in general? The Scottsdale 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 Scottsdale?

Per the City's Special Noise Violations FAQ (scottsdaleaz.gov): "If you want a police response, call the non-emergency number at 480-312-5000.

What are the quiet hours in Scottsdale?

10 p.m. – 9 a.m. for parties (68 dBA presumption); car stereos 10 p.m. – 6 a.m.. The full rule, quoted from the code, is on the Scottsdale noise ordinance page.

Should I call 911 for noise in Scottsdale?

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 Scottsdale?

Scottsdale 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.