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Vancouver noise bylaw: construction hours, decibel limits and how to complain

Last updated: October 27, 2026

Construction and quiet hours by type of noise

Vancouver has no single quiet-hours rule. The Noise Control By-law sets hours for particular sources, and many of them turn on its definition of "daytime": 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays and holidays (§ 1.2). Every other hour is "nighttime". In this by-law a "holiday" includes every Sunday as well as Christmas Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Canada Day, Victoria Day, British Columbia Day, Labour Day, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Remembrance Day, Family Day, New Year's Day, December 26 and other proclaimed public holidays.

For construction, two rules overlap. Outside the hours in the table, § 3.1(h)(ii) bans construction noise "that disturbs the quiet, peace, rest or enjoyment of the public", and § 3.2(c)(iii) bans construction noise from any premises that is clearly audible to someone off the premises. At any hour, construction in or next to homes (not street work) may not exceed 85 dBA as a continuous sound level, measured at the property line of the site nearest the listener (§ 3.1(h)(i)). "Construction" is defined widely: it covers building, alteration, repair, demolition, painting, land clearing, excavating, concreting, and installing or removing construction equipment and materials.

The owner of every construction site must post a sign, visible from a street, that names the general contractor, gives the name and phone number of a contractor's representative reachable during working hours, and gives the City's contact information for complaints (§ 3.3). Work outside the hours needs a written exception from the Chief Building Official, applied for at least five working days ahead and granted for no more than 180 days, with a fee of $255, or $506 for a late application when the deadline is waived (§ 4.4).

Leaf blowers are banned at all times in the area outlined on Schedule E of the by-law, which the City describes as the West End (§ 3.2(b)(i)). Snow and ice removal and emergency work to protect property, life or health may exceed the by-law's sound levels (§ 4.3).

Decibel limits by zone

Steady noise from any source, such as fans, equipment or music, is limited by zone. Schedule A of the by-law lists the zoning districts in the activity zone (such as M-1, I-1 and DD), Schedule B those in the intermediate zone (such as C-1, C-2 and C-3A), and Schedules G and G.1 the event zone (sites on Terry Fox Way, Pacific Boulevard, Griffiths Way and Expo Boulevard). Every other part of the city is a "quiet zone". The limit depends on the zone the noise comes from and the zone where it is heard.

"Continuous sound" is "any sound occurring for a duration of more than three minutes, or occurring continually, sporadically or erratically but totalling more than three minutes in any 15 minute period of time" (§ 1.2). The sound level is an A-weighted energy average (Leq) on an approved sound meter, meaning an ANSI or IEC Type 2 precision integrating meter, set to slow response. It is taken at the "point of reception": a point in the lane or street next to the property of the person hearing the noise, or, where no lane, street or other public property lies between them, any point outside the property line of the noise source, in either case at least 1.2 m above the ground. The zone limits are measured outdoors, not in your living room.

Two exceptions matter at home. Noise that "emanates from residential premises and the point of reception is in the same building" may exceed the sound levels (§ 4.3(a)), so the decibel limits do not apply between units in one residential building; the clearly-audible rule below still does. And construction noise is governed by the construction rules above, not by the zone limits (§ 4.1).

Businesses have extra limits (§ 3.1(a) and (b)). Bass from music, a sound system or a PA in commercial premises may not exceed 70 dBC by day or 65 dBC at night for three minutes at the point of reception, or 55 dBC inside a home that shares the building or a wall, measured at the centre of the nearest living room or bedroom. Music and amplified sound from commercial premises also may not be more than 3 dBA above the background noise at the point of reception, or above 50 dBA by day and 45 dBA at night inside such a home. The dBC figures catch bass, which A-weighting discounts; see dBA vs dBC.

Parties, music and neighbours

The main rule for noise from homes has no decibel figure and no hours. Section 3.2(c) bans noise from premises "when they are clearly audible to an individual or member of the public who is not on the same premises" if it is "noise resulting from a gathering of two or more persons at any time, where one or more human voice is raised beyond the level of ordinary conversation", or the sound of a radio, television, music player, sound system or musical instrument (sound from businesses falls under the limits above instead). In a building with more than one unit, each unit and the common areas count as separate premises (§ 1.2).

In streets, parks and other public places the test is disturbance. Section 3.1(j) bans "any noise or sound made in a street, park or similar public place that disturbs or tends to disturb unreasonably the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of persons in the neighbourhood or vicinity."

The City's Noise Control By-law page puts the neighbour rule as sound that "must not cause an unreasonable disturbance", and its guide to everyday noise says the by-law does not regulate children playing, church bells, heavy walking, people moving furniture, slamming doors or wind chimes. Where the City's summary and the by-law differ, the by-law's clearly-audible wording controls. Noise from household animals falls under the separate Animal Control By-law.

How to complain

Report construction, mechanical, business and people noise to the City through Van311 or by calling 3-1-1 (604-873-7000), staffed 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays. The City's Manage noise page says that for an issue the City handles, on a weekday after 4:30 p.m. or at any time on a weekend or holiday, you should phone the Vancouver Police Department non-emergency line at 604-717-3321, and adds: "The police assist with noise concerns when resources are available." The Vancouver Police Department lists a "noisy party" among the reports for that line; 911 is for emergencies and crimes in progress.

For noise inside a strata building you live in, the City's guide sends you first to your strata council or building manager, and in co-op housing to the co-op's board of directors or building manager. For construction, the site sign required by § 3.3 gives the contractor's contact and the City's complaint contact.

A reading helps your record but is not the evidence; the by-law's limits are read on an approved sound meter. The free online decibel meter runs in your browser and records nothing. It is an uncalibrated estimate of about ±10 dB, enough to tell 50 from 70 but not to settle whether 55 dBA was crossed. The zone limits are A-weighted averages taken outdoors at the street or lane, and continuous sound means more than three minutes of noise in any 15, so turn A-weighting on, let the meter run for at least 15 minutes and note the session average, though it is not a certified Leq. For a party or a stereo the test is whether it is clearly audible off the premises, so the times matter more than any number. A dated record of repeated noise is what moves a complaint; the noise complaints guide covers what to log.

Fines

Several noise offences can be dealt with by ticket. The Ticket Offences By-law No. 9360 (Table 4) sets fines of $250 for loud voices (§ 3.2(c)(i)), loud equipment such as music or a TV (§ 3.2(c)(ii)), loud construction audible off the premises (§ 3.2(c)(iii)), power equipment at night or over 77 dBA, and a leaf blower in the banned area or outside its hours; and $500 for construction noise outside the permitted time (§ 3.1(h)(ii)), construction noise over 85 dBA at a home, and garbage collection outside the permitted time. Police officers, the Chief Licence Inspector and the Chief Building Official can issue these tickets.

If a case goes to court instead, § 5.2 of the Noise Control By-law sets a fine of not less than $250 and not more than $10,000 for each offence, with a minimum of $500 for construction or garbage collection outside the permitted times and for most of the commercial bass and sound limits. Each day a violation is allowed to continue is a separate offence (§ 5.1), and a continuing offence carries $250 to $10,000 for each day (§ 5.3).

Sources

City of Vancouver Noise Control By-law No. 6555 (passed September 12, 1989), consolidated for convenience to July 14, 2026 to include By-law No. 14786, read from the City's official PDF on 2026-10-27, and the Ticket Offences By-law No. 9360, consolidated to July 14, 2026, read the same day. Construction hours, holidays, the reporting guide and the after-hours police route from the City of Vancouver's Noise Control By-law page, construction noise page and Manage noise page, and the non-emergency line from the Vancouver Police Department, all read on 2026-10-27. The City of North Vancouver (Noise Control Bylaw No. 8885) and the District of North Vancouver (Noise Regulation Bylaw 7188) are separate municipalities with their own bylaws; this page covers only the City of Vancouver. This page is a plain-language summary, not legal advice; the by-law controls.

What are the construction noise hours in Vancouver?

On private property, construction noise that disturbs the public is allowed only from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays, and not at all on Sundays or holidays. Work on a street may run from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays and holidays. At any hour, construction next to homes (not street work) may not exceed 85 dBA at the property line. Work outside the hours needs an exception from the Chief Building Official.

What is the decibel limit in the Vancouver noise bylaw?

It depends on the zone. Continuous noise made and heard in a quiet zone may not exceed 55 dBA in the daytime (7 a.m. to 10 p.m., from 10 a.m. on Sundays and holidays) or 45 dBA at night. The limits rise to 60 or 70 dBA by day where intermediate, activity or event zones are involved, and non-continuous noise is limited to 75 dBA by day and 70 at night. Levels are A-weighted averages measured outdoors at the street or lane.

Is there a quiet time for parties in Vancouver?

There is no party curfew, because the rule applies at every hour. The by-law bans raised voices from a gathering of two or more people, and music, TV or instruments, whenever they are clearly audible to someone who is not on the same premises. Report it to 3-1-1 or Van311 during City hours; on weekdays after 4:30 p.m., weekends and holidays, the City says to call police non-emergency at 604-717-3321. The ticket is $250.

Can I complain about noise from my apartment neighbour in Vancouver?

The by-law covers it: each unit in a building counts as separate premises, so raised voices from a gathering, or music or a TV, clearly audible in your unit breach § 3.2(c). The decibel limits do not apply when noise from a home is heard in the same building, so audibility is the test. For a strata building you live in, the City's reporting guide points first to your strata council or building manager; co-op residents go to the co-op board or building manager.

What is the fine for breaking the Vancouver noise bylaw?

By ticket, $250 for loud voices, loud music or sound equipment, construction audible off the premises, power equipment and leaf blower offences, and $500 for construction noise outside the permitted time, construction over 85 dBA at a home, and garbage collection outside the permitted time (Ticket Offences By-law No. 9360). In court the by-law allows $250 to $10,000 per offence, at least $500 for after-hours construction, and each day a violation continues is a separate offence.

Noise bylaws in other Canadian cities

• Toronto
• Calgary
• Edmonton
• Ottawa
• Winnipeg
• Hamilton
• Mississauga

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