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Noise ordinances › Boston, MA
Boston noise ordinance: quiet hours, limits and complaints
Boston, MA regulates noise under City of Boston Municipal Code (CBC 1985). Quiet hours: 11:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. 50 dBA at night (11 p.m.–7 a.m.) and 70 dBA at all other hours, measured at the residential lot line. Below: the exact code language, who actually takes complaints, and a link to the official text.
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| Quiet hours | 11:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. |
|---|---|
| Limit type | Both: decibel limits plus audibility rules |
| Headline limit | 50 dBA at night (11 p.m.–7 a.m.) and 70 dBA at all other hours, measured at the residential lot line |
| Official code | City of Boston Municipal Code (CBC 1985) |
Quiet hours in Boston
11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. (the 50 dBA night limit applies during these hours, per 16-26.1 and 16-26.6). Construction: allowed only 7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. on weekdays unless an Off Hours Permit is issued by Inspectional Services (16-26.4); construction devices near residential lots are additionally capped at 50 dBA from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. (16-26.5). APCC regs define "daytime" as 7:00 AM–6:00 PM daily except Sunday.
Decibel limits
Yes, numeric limits. Ordinance (16-26.1, 16-26.6): unreasonable/excessive noise = over 50 dBA between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., or over 70 dBA at all other hours, measured at the residential lot line or nearest affected dwelling. Fallback where no APCC standard applies: noise "plainly audible" at 300 ft (100 ft for loud amplification devices). APCC Regulation 2.5 zoning table (single-number equivalents): Residential 60 dBA daytime / 50 dBA all other times; Residential-Industrial 65/55; Business 65 dBA anytime; Industrial 70 dBA anytime (plus per-octave-band limits). APCC Regulation 3.1 construction sites: L10 of 75 dBA / max 86 dBA at residential-institutional property, L10 80 dBA business, 85 dBA industrial (impact devices like pile drivers exempt per Reg 3.4). Construction devices at residential lot lines: 50 dBA max 6 p.m.–7 a.m. (16-26.5).
What the ordinance actually says
16-26.1(A): "No person shall make, or cause to be made, any unreasonable or excessive noise in the city, by whatever means or from whatever means or from whatever source." — with UNREASONABLE OR EXCESSIVE NOISE defined as "(1) Noise measured in excess of 50 dBa between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., or in excess of 70 dBa at all other hours; or (2) In the absence of an applicable noise level standard or regulation of the Air Pollution Control Commission, any noise plainly audible at a distance of 300 feet or, in the case of loud amplification devices or similar equipment, noise plainly audible at a distance of 100 feet from its source by a person of normal hearing."
16-26.4: "No erection, demolition, alteration or repair of any building and excavation in regard thereto, except between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., on weekdays or except in the interest of public safety or welfare, upon the issuance of and pursuant to an Off Hours Permit from the Commissioner, Inspectional Services Department... Any person violating this Section hereof shall be punished by a fine of $300 for each offense... Each day shall constitute a new offense."
16-26.6(B): "The Police, in response to each complaint, shall verify by use of the sound level meter described herein that the noise complained of does exceed the limit described herein and if so, may thereupon arrest and/or make application in the appropriate court for issuance of a criminal complaint for violation of M.G.L. Chapter 272, Section 53, which sets forth the penalties for disturbing the peace."
Quoted verbatim from the official codified text (City of Boston Municipal Code (CBC 1985), Chapter XVI (Prohibitions, Penalties and Permits), Section 16-26 "Unreasonable Noise," subsections 16-26.1 (general prohibition + dB definitions), 16-26.4 (construction hours), 16-26.5 (construction noise at residential lot lines), 16-26.6 (disturbing the peace), 16-26.7–16-26.10 (loud amplification devices + enforcement). Supplemented by the Air Pollution Control Commission "Regulations for the Control of Noise in the City of Boston" (adopted under CBC Title 7 §50 / M.G.L. c.40 §21), Regulations 1–6.). Verified against the live code on 2026-07-11. Ordinances get amended — before acting on a specific provision, check the linked official code. This page is a plain-language summary, not legal advice.
How to file a noise complaint in Boston
Per boston.gov "Noise in Boston" page: loud parties, car alarms, and amplification (disturbing-the-peace issues) — dial 9-1-1 or contact the community service liaison at the local precinct; unpermitted after-hours construction — Boston 311 or Inspectional Services (ISD@boston.gov); construction/industrial site noise — Air Pollution Control Commission; HVAC and other noise — Boston Public Health Commission (617-534-5965, environment@bphc.org); roadwork — Public Works (617-635-4900) or BTD; licensed venues — entertainment licensing (617-635-4165); aircraft — Massport (617-561-3333). Ordinance basis: 16-26.6(B) directs aggrieved persons to complain to the Police, who must verify the level with a sound meter.
For the general playbook — documenting the problem, talking to a landlord or HOA, when 311 beats 911 — see the noise complaints guide.
Worth knowing
Notable quirks: (1) Licensed/permitted performances are exempt — 16-26.6(A) exempts "any performance, concert, establishment, band, group or person who has received and maintains a valid license or permit" from a city department. (2) Police must measure with an ANSI-compliant sound level meter before enforcing 16-26.6 — the arrest path runs through the state disturbing-the-peace statute (M.G.L. c.272 §53). (3) Car alarms must auto-shut-off within 5 minutes and not be plainly audible at 200 ft; violation is a $50 fine (16-26.2/16-26.3). (4) Loud amplification devices are flatly banned in/on motor vehicles on public ways, in public places, and in/on residential premises (16-26.7–16-26.9), and electronic sound devices on parked/standing food-vending vehicles (ice-cream-truck jingles) are prohibited while stopped (16-26.7(B)). (5) Construction outside 7 a.m.–6 p.m. weekdays needs an ISD Off Hours Permit; $300 fine per day (16-26.4). (6) APCC construction limits exclude impact devices (pile drivers, jackhammers) entirely (Reg 3.4), and the ordinance's 50/70 dBA test coexists with the stricter APCC zoning table (residential 60 dBA day / 50 dBA night). (7) The APCC "daytime" runs 7 AM–6 PM daily EXCEPT Sunday, so Sunday is all "night" limits under the zoning table.
Document it before you report it
Boston's limits are measured numbers, so a reading is direct evidence of how loud it really is. Take a quick reading with the free online decibel meter — it runs in your browser and records nothing — and check how loud your block is on the Boston noise map. For time-stamped measurement history you can show a landlord or code officer, the app keeps a log.