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New York noise ordinance: quiet hours, limits and complaints

Last updated: August 11, 2026

Quiet hours in New York

There is no blanket curfew that bans noise outright at night. Instead, § 24-218(b) tightens the general limit after dark, but only for sound attributable to a device: sound is unreasonable noise at 10 dB(A) or more above the ambient level at or after 7:00 a.m. and before 10:00 p.m., and at only 7 dB(A) or more above ambient at or after 10:00 p.m. and before 7:00 a.m., measured either at any point within a receiving property or at a distance of 15 feet or more from the source on a public right-of-way. A device is any mechanism intended to, or that actually does, produce sound when operated or handled (§ 24-203(26)), so unamplified sound with no mechanism behind it — shouting, voices in a stairwell, a party with no stereo running — is not measured against that test at all; it is judged under the general unreasonable-noise standard in § 24-218(a). Because the § 24-218(b) list is expressly non-exclusive, coming in under the thresholds does not by itself make sound lawful. Impulsive sound (short bursts, each peak 2 seconds or less, expressly excluding music per § 24-203(34)) is capped at 15 dB(A) over ambient around the clock. Construction has its own separate and much harder rule under § 24-222: construction work is unlawful other than on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., so ordinary weekend and overnight construction is banned outright rather than merely limited, unless the permitting agency has issued an after hours work authorization under § 24-223. The same section carves out one self-executing exception that needs no authorization from anybody: alteration or repair of an existing one or two family owner-occupied dwelling classified in occupancy group J-3, or of a convent or rectory, may be performed on Saturdays and Sundays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., provided the dwelling is more than 300 feet from a house of worship. Three source-specific night rules use their own clocks: a barking or otherwise noisy animal violates § 24-235 after 10 minutes of continuous plainly audible sound at or after 7 a.m. and before 10 p.m., but after only 5 minutes at or after 10 p.m. and before 7 a.m.; lawn care devices are barred under § 24-242(a) on weekdays before 8 a.m. and after 7 p.m. or sunset (whichever occurs later), and on weekends and New York State and federal holidays before 9 a.m. and after 6 p.m.; and refuse collection vehicles have an 11 p.m. window, not a 10 p.m. one, with § 24-225(b) barring operation within 50 feet of a residential receiving property at or after 11:00 p.m. and before 7:00 a.m. where aggregate sound exceeds 80 dB(A) measured 35 feet or more away.

Decibel limits

The general standard is relative, not absolute, it applies only to sound attributable to a device, and it does not vary by zoning district: 10 dB(A) over ambient by day, 7 dB(A) over ambient from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., and 15 dB(A) over ambient for impulsive sound (§ 24-218(b)). Under § 24-218(c) those relative limits step aside wherever the code sets a specific limit for a particular source, and under § 24-218(d) they never apply to construction devices and activities. The fixed numeric limits are source-specific: commercial music from a bar, restaurant, hotel or similar establishment may not exceed 42 dB(A) measured inside a neighbouring receiving property dwelling unit, or 45 dB in any one-third octave band with a centre frequency between 63 Hz and 500 Hz, or cause a 6 dB(C) or greater increase over an ambient that already exceeds 62 dB(C) (§ 24-231(a)); circulation devices such as HVAC units, air conditioners, pumps, cooling towers and fans are capped at 42 dB(A) measured inside a receiving dwelling unit with the window or terrace door open at a point three feet from the opening, with a 45 dB(A) cumulative cap for newly installed or replaced devices on a building lot (§ 24-227(a)-(b)) and, for pre-existing devices, a commissioner's order to cut cumulative sound by 5 dB(A) if it exceeds 50 dB(A) (§ 24-227(c)); lawn care devices may not produce an aggregate 75 dB(A) or more at any point within a receiving property (§ 24-242(a)(3)); refuse collection vehicles are capped at 80 dB(A) at 35 feet in the compacting cycle (§ 24-225(a)) and 80 dB(A) aggregate at night (§ 24-225(b)); paving breakers at 95 dB(A) at one metre (§ 24-230(b)); air compressors at 80 dB(A) above 350 cfm and 75 dB(A) at 350 cfm or below, at one metre (§ 24-226(b)). Commercial and business sound sources must additionally satisfy the octave-band table in § 24-232(a), which for a residential receiving property runs 70 dB at 31.5 Hz, 61 at 63 Hz, 53 at 125 Hz, 46 at 250 Hz, 40 at 500 Hz, 36 at 1,000 Hz, 34 at 2,000 Hz, 33 at 4,000 Hz and 32 at 8,000 Hz, with a slightly higher commercial column (74/64/56/50/45/41/39/38/37); critically, § 24-232(d) exempts impulsive sound, music and construction devices or activities from that table, so bar music is policed under § 24-231 rather than § 24-232. During authorised after hours construction, § 24-223(d) caps aggregate site noise at 7 dB(A) over ambient inside a residential dwelling unit with windows and doors closed, at 75 dB(A) measured 50 or more feet from the source when within 200 feet of a residential receptor, and at 85 dB(A) for street construction (the code prints these as "8dB(A), and on or after January 1, 2020, 7 dB(A)" and "80dB(A), and on or after January 1, 2020, 75 dB(A)", so the lower figures are the operative ones today). Unless a section specifically provides otherwise, all measurements are taken in Lmax with the sound level meter set to slow response (§ 24-217.1) — § 24-218(b)(3) is one section that does provide otherwise, requiring impulsive sound to be measured on fast response with the ambient taken on slow.

What the ordinance actually says

§ 24-218(a): "No person shall make, continue or cause or permit to be made or continued any unreasonable noise."

§ 24-218(b)(1): "Sound, other than impulsive sound, attributable to the source, measured at a level of 7 dB(A) or more above the ambient sound level at or after 10:00 p.m. and before 7:00 a.m., as measured at any point within a receiving property or as measured at a distance of 15 feet or more from the source on a public right-of-way."

§ 24-218(b)(2): "Sound, other than impulsive sound, attributable to the source, measured at a level of 10 dB(A) or more above the ambient sound level at or after 7:00 a.m. and before 10:00 p.m., as measured at any point within a receiving property or as measured at a distance of 15 feet or more from the source on a public right-of-way."

§ 24-222: "Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, it shall be unlawful to engage in or to cause or permit any person to engage in construction work other than on weekdays between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. A person may however perform construction work in connection with the alteration or repair of an existing one or two family owner-occupied dwelling classified in occupancy group J-3 or a convent or rectory on Saturdays and Sundays between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. provided that such dwelling is located more than 300 feet from a house of worship."

§ 24-231(a): "No person shall make or cause or permit to be made or caused any music originating from or in connection with the operation of any commercial establishment or enterprise when the level of sound attributable to such music, as measured inside any receiving property dwelling unit: (1) is in excess of 42 dB(A) as measured with a sound level meter; or"

§ 24-227(a): "No person shall operate or permit to be operated a circulation device in such a manner as to create a sound level in excess of 42 dB(A) when measured inside a receiving property dwelling unit. The measurement shall be taken with the window or terrace door open at a point three feet from the open portion of the window or terrace door."

§ 24-233(b)(1): "the operation or use of a personal audio device on or in any public right-of-way so that sound emanating from such device is plainly audible to another individual at a distance of 25 feet or more from the source."

§ 24-235: "No person having charge, care, custody, or control of any animal shall cause or permit such animal to cause unreasonable noise including, but not limited to, any sound that is plainly audible at any location within any residential receiving property as set forth below: (a) At or after 7 a.m. and before 10 p.m., continuously for a period of 10 minutes or more. (b) At or after 10 p.m. and before 7 a.m., continuously for a period of 5 minutes or more."

§ 24-236(a): "No person shall cause or permit any motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, with a maximum gross weight of 10,000 lbs. or less to operate on a public right-of-way where the muffler or exhaust generates a sound that is plainly audible to another individual at a distance of 150 feet or more from the motor vehicle."

§ 24-236(f): "Subdivisions a, b, c and paragraph one of subdivision d of this section may only be enforced on streets where the speed limit is 35 miles per hour or less."

§ 24-242(a): "No person shall operate or use or cause to be operated or used any lawn care device: (1) On weekdays before eight a.m. and after seven p.m. or sunset, whichever occurs later; or (2) On weekends and New York state and federal holidays before nine a.m. and after six p.m."

§ 24-217: "The provisions of this code shall not apply to the operation or use of any organ, bell, chimes or other similar instrument from on or within any church, synagogue, mosque or other house of worship."

§ 24-217.1: "Unless otherwise specifically provided, all sound level measurements under this code shall be taken in Lmax with the sound level meter set to slow response."

§ 24-224.1: "When conducting an inspection pursuant to section 24-223, 24-228, or 24-229, upon the request of an owner, lessor or occupant of a residential receiving property dwelling unit within a building located within a half-mile radius of a construction site, the department shall measure the sound level at any point within such dwelling unit with windows and doors that may affect the measurement closed."

§ 24-203(44): "Plainly audible sound means any sound for which any of the content of that sound, such as, but not limited to comprehensible musical rhythms, is communicated to a person using his or her unaided hearing faculties."

§ 24-203(26): "Device means any mechanism which is intended to or which actually produces sound when operated or handled."

Quoted verbatim from the official codified text (New York City Administrative Code, Title 24 (Environmental Protection and Utilities), Chapter 2 (Noise Control), §§ 24-201 to 24-270, known as the New York City Noise Control Code. Subchapter 1 covers the short title, policy and definitions (§ 24-203 defines ambient sound, impulsive sound at (34), plainly audible sound at (44), receiving property at (49) and unreasonable noise at (62)). Subchapter 2 has general provisions, including § 24-217 exemptions for houses of worship, § 24-217.1 measurement method (Lmax, slow response) and § 24-217.2 noise inspection reports. Subchapter 3 is the general prohibition (§ 24-218, the 7/10/15 dB-above-ambient rule, plus § 24-218(a-1) for commercial noise). Subchapter 4 is construction noise management (§ 24-219 mitigation rules, § 24-220 mitigation plan, § 24-222 the weekday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. limit, § 24-223 after hours authorizations and their dB caps, § 24-224.1 measurement in dwelling units on request). Subchapter 5 sets sound-level standards for specific sources (§ 24-225 refuse collection vehicles, § 24-226 air compressors, § 24-227 circulation devices, § 24-228 construction devices, § 24-230 paving breakers, § 24-231 commercial music, § 24-232 octave-band table). Subchapter 6 sets plainly-audible and other standards (§ 24-233 personal audio devices, § 24-234 transit earphones at 5 feet, § 24-235 animals, § 24-236 motor vehicles, § 24-236.1 noise camera owner liability, § 24-237 sound signal devices, § 24-238 burglar alarms, § 24-242 lawn care devices, § 24-243 snow blowers, § 24-244 sound reproduction devices). Subchapter 7 covers operating certificates and tunneling permits; Subchapter 8 covers enforcement, including § 24-257 the civil penalty schedule (Table I), § 24-261 citizen's complaint, § 24-269 criminal penalties and § 24-270 uniform civil penalties for unreasonable noise. Related rules sit in Title 15 of the Rules of the City of New York (15 RCNY Chapter 28, citywide construction noise mitigation; 15 RCNY Chapter 47 / § 47-02, noise code penalty schedule).). Verified against the live code on 2026-08-11. 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 New York

Call 311, use the NYC311 app, or file online at portal.311.nyc.gov; 311 routes the service request to the right agency and gives you a tracking number you can follow via 311 service request status. DEP's official noise page states verbatim: "The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Police Department (NYPD) share the duties of enforcing the Noise Code." In practice NYPD responds to residential, street, party and loud-music complaints, while DEP handles construction, commercial music, HVAC and vehicle noise. Since Local Law 2024/006 added § 24-217.2, any person can request a copy of the resulting noise inspection report from DEP or NYPD by supplying the 311 tracking number, and the agency must provide it within 14 days and may not refuse on the ground that it is not a FOIL request. Summonses are adjudicated at the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH) / Environmental Control Board.

Step by step, with what to log and what to expect after you file: how to file a noise complaint in New York. For the general playbook — documenting the problem, talking to a landlord or HOA, when 311 beats 911 — see the noise complaints guide.

Worth knowing

Construction is the big carve-out. Work is banned outside weekdays 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., but § 24-223(e) lets the permitting agency issue an after hours work authorization in five listed circumstances only: emergency work, public safety/traffic congestion, city construction projects, construction activities with minimal noise impact, and certified undue hardship. Every construction site must adopt a noise mitigation plan before work starts (§ 24-220), with an alternative plan route under § 24-221 and stop work orders available under § 24-223.1. Since Local Law 2024/004, § 24-224.1 gives any owner, lessor or occupant of a residential unit within a half-mile of a construction site the right to have DEP measure the sound level inside their unit during a § 24-223, 24-228 or 24-229 inspection. Owner-occupied one or two family homes (occupancy group J-3), convents and rectories get a weekend exception of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., but only if the building is more than 300 feet from a house of worship. Houses of worship are themselves fully exempt for organs, bells and chimes (§ 24-217), and snow blowers used to comply with the sidewalk-clearing duty in § 16-123(a) are exempt (§ 24-243). Commercial noise is separately and more heavily penalised: § 24-218(a-1) makes unreasonable noise made for a commercial purpose, or through a device installed in a multiple dwelling or non-residential building, its own violation, carrying a flat $350 first-violation penalty under § 24-257 Table I against $75-$150 for ordinary § 24-218(a) noise. Nightlife enforcement has a forgiveness mechanism: § 24-231(b)(1) waives the civil penalty for a first commercial-music violation if the operator admits liability and files a certification of permanent soundproofing within 30 days, and § 24-231(d) lets the DEP commissioner grant a variance to establishments operating at the same site before the section was enacted; §§ 24-227(d) and 24-232(g) carry the same first-violation forgiveness for circulation devices and octave-band violations. Limits do not vary by zoning district, though § 24-232's octave-band table is stricter for residential receiving properties than commercial ones. Vehicles are heavily carved out and partly preempted: the plainly-audible muffler rules (150 feet for cars, 200 feet for motorcycles and vehicles over 10,000 lbs) are enforceable only on streets with a speed limit of 35 mph or less (§ 24-236(f)), compression (jake) brakes are banned except in an emergency to stop the vehicle, and total vehicle sound is pegged to New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law § 386 rather than to a city number (§ 24-236(e)). DEP runs an automated noise camera program: § 24-236.1, added by Local Law 7 of 2024, establishes photo noise violation monitoring devices and owner liability, and DEP's 2025 annual report confirms the resulting summonses are issued under § 24-236(e) and heard at OATH. Finally, § 24-261 gives residents an unusual private enforcement route with a bounty attached: for the sections listed in Table VI (including 24-208, 24-216, 24-220(b), 24-224, 24-232, 24-234, 24-236, 24-237, 24-238, 24-240, 24-241, 24-244 and 24-245) a citizen may serve a complaint on DEP with evidence, and if DEP neither serves a notice of violation nor declares the complaint frivolous or duplicitous within 30 days, the citizen may serve a notice of violation directly and bring it before the Environmental Control Board; the complainant is awarded up to 25 percent of the proceeds where DEP brings the case and 50 percent where the citizen brings it, except that Local Law 2024/016 capped the award for § 24-244(b) commercial-advertising-sound complaints at $5 and $10 respectively.

Document it before you report it

New York'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 New York noise map. For time-stamped measurement history you can show a landlord or code officer, the app keeps a log.