What is a noise ordinance?

A noise ordinance is a city or county law that limits noise — usually through quiet hours (commonly around 10 or 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.), and either numeric decibel limits measured with a sound-level meter or a "plainly audible" / nuisance standard that needs no meter. The details vary enormously by city, which is why each city here has its own sourced page.

Do all cities have decibel limits?

No. Of the 36 cities summarized here, 7 set no general decibel limit at all — Detroit, Louisville and Las Vegas among them — and enforce by audibility distance or an "unreasonably loud" standard instead, which means no meter reading can settle a complaint there. Others set strict numeric limits (Huntsville: 50 dB(A) at night at the receiving property; Inglewood: a 45 dB(A) residential night base). Most are a hybrid: a decibel table for some sources and an audibility test for others.

How do I find my city's noise ordinance?

Search your city's official municipal code (usually hosted on municode.com, ecode360.com, amlegal.com or the city site) for "noise". Look for quiet hours, decibel tables, and the enforcement section that says who takes complaints. The city pages below link the exact official code for each city.

Noise ordinances

City noise ordinances: quiet hours and decibel limits

Across the 36 cities here, in 26 states, quiet hours start anywhere from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., and 7 cities set no general decibel limit at all: they enforce by whether sound is "plainly audible" at a distance, so no meter reading settles it. Boston caps night noise at 50 dBA at the lot line; New York instead allows 10 dB(A) over background. Each page below quotes the official code.

Last updated: September 3, 2026

Cities covered so far
City	Quiet hours	Limit type
Atlanta, GA	11 p.m. – 7 a.m. Sun–Thu, midnight – 7 a.m. Fri–Sat: the 100-foot rule (Sec. 74-131(b))	audibility standard
Austin, TX	10:30 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.: no noise or music audible next door (Sec. 9-2-3)	dB limits + audibility
Baltimore, MD	9:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.: limits drop 5 dB(A) (§ 9-207); power tools only 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. weekdays	dB limits + audibility
Boston, MA	11:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.	dB limits + audibility
Charlotte, NC	9:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.	dB limits + audibility
Chesapeake, VA	10:00 p.m. – 6:30 a.m. Mon–Sat; 10:00 p.m. Sat – 8:00 a.m. Sun	dB limits + audibility
Chicago, IL	8:00 p.m. – 8:00 a.m. (10:00 p.m. amplified sound)	dB limits + audibility
Columbus, OH	10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.	dB limits + audibility
Dallas, TX	No named quiet hours; construction near homes only 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. weekdays (Sec. 30-2(8))	audibility standard
Denver, CO	10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.	dB limits + audibility
Detroit, MI	10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.	audibility standard
Houston, TX	10:01 p.m. – 7:59 a.m.	dB limits + audibility
Huntsville, AL	10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.	dB limits
Indianapolis, IN	10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. (construction and pile drivers: 7:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.)	dB limits + audibility
Inglewood, CA	10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. (night base level applies)	dB limits
Jacksonville, FL	10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.	dB limits
Las Vegas, NV	11:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.	audibility standard
Los Angeles, CA	10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. (construction: 9:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m., no Sundays except your own home)	dB limits + audibility
Louisville, KY	No blanket quiet hours (audibility test applies 24 h)	audibility standard
Madison, WI	No single window — activity-specific rules (construction, amplification, collection)	dB limits
Memphis, TN	11:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.	dB limits + audibility
Miami, FL	11:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. business music (Sec. 36-5); outdoor music near homes 10 p.m. – 8 a.m.	dB limits + audibility
Nashville, TN	No single window; commercial 9:00 p.m. – 6:00 a.m.	dB limits + audibility
New Orleans, LA	Night 10 p.m. – 7 a.m. (8 a.m. weekends); neighbour music cut-off 9 p.m. Sun–Thu (Sec. 66-203)	dB limits
New York, NY	10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.	dB limits + audibility
Oklahoma City, OK	10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.	dB limits + audibility
Philadelphia, PA	No general quiet hours; dB limits apply 24 h	dB limits + audibility
Phoenix, AZ	11:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. (emphasis window, not an absolute cutoff)	dB limits + audibility
Portland, OR	10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.	dB limits + audibility
Rockford, IL	Tiered: outdoor amplified music banned 11:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. near residences	audibility standard
San Antonio, TX	10:00 p.m. – 6:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday; 11:00 p.m. – 6:00 a.m. Friday and Saturday	dB limits + audibility
San Diego, CA	10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.	dB limits + audibility
Seattle, WA	10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. weekdays; 10:00 p.m. – 9:00 a.m. weekends and legal holidays	dB limits + audibility
Tampa, FL	10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.: plainly audible 100 ft away is prima facie a violation (Sec. 14-154(e))	dB limits + audibility
Washington, DC	9:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. (10:00 p.m. criminal offence)	dB limits + audibility
Worcester, MA	No single window — activity-specific nighttime rules	audibility standard

How these pages are made

Every summary is researched from the city's official codified text (the municipal code hosts cities actually publish to), quotes the code verbatim, and is then independently re-checked against the live code before publishing — the verification date is shown on each page. Where a city has no decibel limit, the page says so plainly rather than inventing a number. These are plain-language summaries, not legal advice; each page links the official code.

Dealing with a noise problem?

The noise complaints guide covers the general playbook, the free online decibel meter measures the actual level where you are (nothing is recorded or uploaded), and every US city above also has a transportation-noise map and ranking.

Renting? The night rules for every city here, plus what a lease can add, are on apartment quiet hours.