How Allentown Handles Noise Ordinances: A Practical Guide

Allentown maintains 106 local ordinances across all categories, and 7 of those deal specifically with noise ordinances. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Allentown falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Vehicle Noise

Article 710.03(C)(12) requires every motor vehicle to have a working muffler with no cutout or bypass, bars idling longer than 15 minutes per hour within 150 feet of a residential area, restricts horn use to genuine warnings, and prohibits sound trucks across property boundaries or between 9 P.M. and 7 A.M.

Key details: Code Section: Allentown Art. 710.03(C)(12). Muffler rule: Working muffler required; no cutout or bypass. Idling limit: 15 min/hour within 150 ft of residential area. Horn use: Only when absolutely necessary as a warning while driving. Sound trucks: Barred across boundaries or 9 P.M.-7 A.M..

$100 violation ticket per offense (Article 710.99(A)(7)); summary conviction fine $100 to $1,000 and/or up to 90 days (710.99(A)(9)). Modified-exhaust and idling violations are commonly cited alongside 75 Pa.C.S. section 4523.

Amplified Music & Events

Article 710.03(C)(1) makes it a noise disturbance to operate any radio, stereo, instrument, or sound amplifier at any time so as to be audible across a real property boundary, and 710.03(C)(4) bars loudspeakers and public-address systems on public rights-of-way between 10 P.M. and 7 A.M. Public-entertainment venues are capped at 90 dBA.

Key details: Code Section: Allentown Art. 710.03(C)(1), (C)(4), (E)(2). Core rule: No amplified sound audible across a property boundary, any hour. Loudspeaker/PA curfew: 10 P.M.-7 A.M. on public ways. Entertainment venue cap: 90 dB(A) unless warning sign posted. Liquor premises (state): 47 P.S. section 4-493 / Act 67 of 2022 (75 dBA at line).

$100 violation ticket per offense (Article 710.99(A)(7)); summary conviction fine $100 to $1,000 and/or up to 90 days (710.99(A)(9)). Public-entertainment venues over 90 dBA without a posted warning sign also violate 710.03(E)(2).

This is one of the stricter rules in Allentown's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Quiet Hours

Allentown does not use a single blanket curfew; instead Article 710 (Chapter 400, Noise Control) sets maximum permissible dBA sound levels by receiving land use, with sharply lower limits between 10:00 P.M. and 7:00 A.M. Residential zones drop to 52 dBA at night, and exceeding the table is a noise disturbance.

Key details: Code Section: Allentown Art. 710.06 (Chapter 400). Residential night limit (10 PM-7 AM): 52 dBA. Residential day limit (7 AM-10 PM): 57 dBA. Tonal/impulsive correction: Limits reduced 5 dB(A). State backstop: 18 Pa.C.S. section 5503 (unreasonable noise).

Each violation may draw a $100 violation ticket (Article 710.99(A)(7)); on summary conviction the fine is $100 to $1,000 per offense and/or up to 90 days imprisonment (710.99(A)(9)). Each day a violation continues may be a separate offense.

This is one of the stricter rules in Allentown's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Construction Hours

Article 710.03(E)(1) bars construction, drilling, and demolition tools between 9:00 P.M. and 7:00 A.M. on weekdays and Saturdays, and at any time on Sundays or holidays, where the noise crosses a residential property boundary. At permitted times, no source may exceed 85 dBA at the boundary without a variance.

Key details: Code Section: Allentown Art. 710.03(E)(1). Prohibited hours: 9 P.M.-7 A.M. weekdays/Saturdays; all day Sundays/holidays. Permitted-hours dBA cap: 85 dB(A) at the property boundary. Domestic power tools: Art. 710.03(C)(9): banned 9 P.M.-7 A.M. (snow blowers exempt). Variance authority: Section 710.05(B) (Hearing Board).

$100 violation ticket per offense (Article 710.99(A)(7)); summary conviction fine $100 to $1,000 and/or up to 90 days (710.99(A)(9)). Each day may be a separate offense; the Bureau of Health or Police may also issue an abatement order under 710.99(B).

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Allentown actively enforces its construction hours requirements.

Barking Dogs

Article 710.03(C)(6) makes it a noise disturbance to own or harbor any animal or bird that barks, bays, cries, or squawks continuously for 10 minutes, or intermittently for one-half hour or more, to the disturbance of any person at any time of day or night, with a defense for trespass or provocation.

Key details: Code Section: Allentown Art. 710.03(C)(6). Continuous threshold: 10 minutes. Intermittent threshold: One-half hour (30 minutes) or more. Time: Any time of day or night. Defense: Trespass, threatened trespass, or provocation.

$100 violation ticket per offense (Article 710.99(A)(7)); summary conviction fine $100 to $1,000 and/or up to 90 days (710.99(A)(9)). Each day the barking continues may be a separate offense.

Aircraft Noise

No Allentown ordinance directly regulates in-flight aircraft noise; federal law (49 U.S.C. section 40103 and City of Burbank v. Lockheed) preempts local control of aircraft operations. Article 710.03(C)(8) only reaches ground-based aircraft repairs and testing that cross a residential property line.

Key details: Federal authority: 49 U.S.C. section 40103 (exclusive airspace sovereignty). Preemption case: City of Burbank v. Lockheed, 411 U.S. 624 (1973). Local provision: Allentown Art. 710.03(C)(8) (aircraft repairs/testing only). Airport: Lehigh Valley Int'l (Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority). Where to complain: FAA / airport noise program, not city code.

For ground repair/testing under 710.03(C)(8): $100 violation ticket and, on summary conviction, $100 to $1,000 and/or up to 90 days. In-flight aircraft noise is not enforceable under city or state law and must be addressed through FAA channels.

Allentown is more permissive than most cities when it comes to aircraft noise. That said, there are still limits.

Leaf Blower Rules

Allentown regulates leaf blower use by time of day. Pennsylvania has no statewide leaf blower ban. Most municipalities restrict use to daytime hours only.

Key details: Gas Blowers: Legal statewide. Hours: Typically 8 AM to 7 PM. Electric: Same hour restrictions. State Ban: None.

Noise hour violations: $50 to $250. Repeat offenders face escalating fines. Commercial operators may face license issues.

Allentown is more permissive than most cities when it comes to leaf blower rules. That said, there are still limits.

The Bottom Line

Allentown is tougher than many cities when it comes to noise ordinances. Out of the 7 rules covered here, 3 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Allentown, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

This guide is based on Allentown's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.