Noise Ordinances in Reading, PA: What Residents Actually Need to Know

If you live in Reading or are thinking about moving there, noise ordinances are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Reading has 8 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of noise ordinances, and some of them might surprise you.

Construction Hours

Reading restricts construction and demolition noise to 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday. No construction operations that cause a noise disturbance across a residential property line are permitted on Sundays or legal holidays at any hour. Emergency work is exempt. The rule is at § 387-104(C) of the Codified Ordinances.

Key details: Allowed Hours (Mon-Sat): 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.. Sundays and Holidays: Prohibited if disturbs across residential property line. Blasting Hours (with permit): 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Mon-Fri. Emergency Exception: Yes — § 387-107(D), defined work only. Ordinance: § 387-104(C) of Reading Codified Ordinances.

Under § 387-109, fine of $25-$1,000 plus costs per offense, with each day a separate violation. Stop-work orders are available to the City under its building code authority where construction is permitted but the operator violates conditions of approval.

Amplified Music & Events

Amplified music, loudspeakers, radios, drums, and similar sound devices are governed by § 387-104(A) of Reading's noise code. They may not create a 'noise disturbance' across a property line at any time, and they may not be 'plainly audible' across a property line between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. The 50-foot public-street audibility rule also applies. Permitted parades and events are exempt.

Key details: Daytime Standard: No disturbance across property line. Nighttime (10 p.m.-7 a.m.): Not plainly audible across property line. Public Street Rule: Not audible 50 ft from source. Event Exemption: Permitted concerts/carnivals must end by 10 p.m.. Special Permit: Chief of Police may grant — § 387-107(H).

Summary citation under § 387-109: $25-$1,000 plus costs per offense, each day a separate violation. Police may also seize equipment as evidence and require the operator to cease the activity immediately.

Industrial Noise

Reading does not adopt industry-specific decibel caps. Industrial and commercial sources fall under the general 'noise disturbance' standard of § 387-103 (audible 50 feet on a public street, or disturbing across a property line). Pennsylvania DEP regulates stationary-source air emissions and some operational standards under 25 Pa. Code Article III, but no state decibel limit exists for stationary sources outside vehicles.

Key details: Local Decibel Cap: None — disturbance/audibility standard. Loading-Dock Hours: Prohibited 10 p.m.-7 a.m. if disturbing across residential line. Engine Testing: Restricted by § 387-104(J). Zoning Performance Standard: Audibility across property line (Ch. 600). State Overlay: PA DEP Air Quality, 25 Pa. Code Art. III.

Summary citation under § 387-109: $25-$1,000 plus costs, each day a separate offense. PA DEP can take separate enforcement action under 35 P.S. § 4001 et seq. (Air Pollution Control Act) for stationary-source violations tied to permit conditions, and civil injunctive relief is available.

Quiet Hours

Reading's noise ordinance (Codified Ordinances Chapter 387) sets nighttime quiet hours from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. every day. During those hours, sound that is plainly audible across a property line — or audible on a public street 50 feet from the source — is a violation. The same 50-foot/across-property-line standard applies at any hour as a 'noise disturbance.'

Key details: Quiet Hours: 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. daily. Plainly Audible Threshold: Across property line or 50 ft from source. Authority: Codified Ordinances Ch. 387 (Ord. 33-1996). Fine Range: $25-$1,000 + costs per day. Enforcement: Reading Police Department.

Summary offense under § 387-109: fine not less than $25 and not more than $1,000 plus costs per violation, with up to 30 days imprisonment in default of payment. Each day of continuing violation is a separate offense. Complaints go to Reading Police non-emergency dispatch.

Aircraft Noise

Reading cannot regulate aircraft-in-flight noise. Federal law — 49 U.S.C. § 40103 and the Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990 (49 U.S.C. §§ 47521-47534) — preempts municipal aircraft noise rules. Reading Regional Airport (RDG, owned by the Reading Regional Airport Authority) follows FAA Part 150 noise compatibility planning. No mandatory curfew is in place. Complaints route to RDG operations and the FAA.

Key details: Federal Preemption: 49 U.S.C. § 40103; ANCA 49 U.S.C. §§ 47521-47534. Key Case: City of Burbank v. Lockheed, 411 U.S. 624 (1973). Airport: Reading Regional Airport (RDG), Bern Township. Owner: Reading Regional Airport Authority (not the City). Curfew: No mandatory curfew; Part 150 voluntary planning.

No municipal violation for aircraft-in-flight noise; complaints lodged with the airport authority and FAA. The FAA can pursue certificate action against pilots for low-altitude or unsafe operations under 14 C.F.R. § 91.119. State action is similarly preempted.

The rules around aircraft noise in Reading lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Barking Dogs

Reading's noise code targets barking dogs with a bright-line test: any animal that barks, howls, meows, squawks, or makes other sounds continuously for 10 minutes — or intermittently for 30 minutes or more — is a noise disturbance at any hour, day or night. The rule appears at § 387-104(F) of Chapter 387 and applies on private property.

Key details: Continuous Barking Limit: 10 minutes. Intermittent Barking Limit: 30 minutes. Applies When: Any time, day or night. Defense: Trespass, threatened trespass, or provocation. Citation: $25-$1,000 + costs per offense.

Summary citation under § 387-109: $25-$1,000 fine plus costs per day. Chapter 141 also allows the City to declare a dog a nuisance and require additional confinement or muzzling, and repeated offenders can face an aggressive- or dangerous-dog determination under § 141-216.

Leaf Blower Rules

Reading has not adopted a leaf-blower-specific ordinance. Gas and electric blowers are regulated under § 387-104(D) of the noise code, which prohibits outdoor residential use of mechanically powered lawn and garden tools between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. when the sound disturbs across a property line. Daytime use is allowed subject to the general 'noise disturbance' standard.

Key details: Standalone Blower Ordinance: None — handled under § 387-104(D). Prohibited Hours (Residential): 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.. Gas vs Electric Distinction: None in Reading code. Seasonal Limits: None. Decibel Cap (Blower-Specific): None — general disturbance standard applies.

Summary offense under § 387-109: $25-$1,000 fine plus costs per offense, each day a separate violation. No municipal noise-equipment certification, decibel test, or model registration applies in Reading.

The rules around leaf blower rules in Reading lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Vehicle Noise

Reading's § 387-105 incorporates Pennsylvania state vehicle noise standards (67 Pa. Code Ch. 157) by reference and adds local rules. Removing or disabling a muffler is prohibited (§ 387-104(I)), as is unnecessary horn blowing, idling a stationary vehicle over 15 minutes within 150 feet of a residence, and excessive sound-truck operation. Pennsylvania's underlying muffler statute is 75 Pa.C.S. § 4523.

Key details: State Decibel Standard: 67 Pa. Code Ch. 157 (incorporated by reference). Muffler Tampering: Prohibited — § 387-104(I); 75 Pa.C.S. § 4523. Stationary Idling Limit: 15 minutes within 150 ft of residence. Horn Use: Only when 'absolutely necessary' as a warning. Car Alarm Rule: Must be adjusted to prevent false triggers.

Two enforcement tracks: Reading Police issue a summary citation under § 387-109 ($25-$1,000 plus costs) for the local ordinance violations; PennDOT Vehicle Code violations under 75 Pa.C.S. § 4523 (defective muffler) carry their own summary fine plus inspection-failure consequences and possible vehicle correction order.

The Bottom Line

Compared to many U.S. cities, Reading gives residents more room on noise ordinances. 2 of the 8 rules here are rated permissive. But permissive does not mean unregulated. There are still requirements, and the city does enforce them when violations are reported.

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