Noise ordinances are laws enforced by city or state governments to limit the amount of noise above ambient levels that adversely affect those communities’ inhabitants.

Local Noise Regulations

These local regulations may define the parameters such as sound levels, sound level limits, duration and times in the day in which certain levels are permitted. Some ordinances are very vague and up for interpretation with verbiage describing a violation as any unwanted noise. Others are very specific using sound levels in decibels, defining these decibel limits and the exact hours of the day that these maximum levels will be tolerated without a violation. The maximum decibel levels are typically lowered in the evening hours.

Violations of noise ordinances are typically reported to the police or law enforcement that may visit the site, record sound level readings, issue fines, and enforce that corrective action be obtained by the owner if the noise is an ongoing nuisance.

Many small or rural communities will not have a noise ordinance in place, but in more densely populated areas such as big cities, noise ordinances are an extremely important part of the community’s health.

Below is a list of noise ordinances of interest:

• New York
• Chicago
• Los Angeles
• Seattle

eNoise Control are experts in providing solutions to community and environmental noise. We can provide noise assessments, reports, noise solution feasibility, recommendation and implementation. Please contact our office and speak with one of our knowledgeable staff about your noise issue.