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Noise Ordinances in Island County, WA (2026)

7 rules for unincorporated Island County, Washington.

Verified from official government sources

Note: These county rules apply to unincorporated areas of Island County. If you live within an incorporated city, that city's own rules apply: see the city list below.

Quiet Hours

Island County Code § 9.60.030 bans several categories of noise between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. in unincorporated areas whenever they unreasonably disturb a neighbor's peace, comfort, or repose, including frequent shouting, yelling, or singing outdoors during those hours.

Island County Nighttime Noise Curfew, 10 PM-7 AM

Some Restrictions

Island County Code § 9.60.030(A)(4)

9.60.030 - Public disturbance noises. A.It is unlawful for any person to cause, or for any person in possession of property to allow to originate from the property, sound that is a public disturbance which unreasonably disturbs or interferes with the peace, comfort and repose of property owners or possessors. The following sources of sound when they unreasonably disturb or interfere with the pe...

Construction Hours

Island County exempts construction noise from its public-disturbance ordinance only between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.; § 9.60.030(B)(6) covers temporary construction sites, and (B)(5) covers home maintenance and repair projects on residential property during the same window.

Island County Permitted Construction Noise Hours

Light Restrictions

Island County Code § 9.60.030(B)(5)-(6)

5.Sounds originating between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. from residential property relating to temporary projects for the maintenance or repair of homes, grounds and appurtenances;6.Sounds originating between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. from temporary construction sites as a result of construction activity;

Barking Dogs

Island County Code § 6.08.130 makes it unlawful for a dog's owner or keeper to allow frequent or habitual barking, howling, or yelping that annoys or disturbs a neighborhood of three or more separately domiciled persons. The rule applies countywide in unincorporated Island County and exempts licensed pet shops, commercial kennels, and veterinary hospitals holding a conditional use permit.

Barking Dog Nuisance Rules in Island County

Some Restrictions

Island County Code § 6.08.130

It shall be unlawful for any person having the possession or custody of, or harboring or giving shelter or refuge to, any dog to allow, suffer, or permit the dog, by frequent or habitual howling, yelping, barking, or the making of similar noises, to annoy or disturb a neighborhood of three (3) or more persons separately domiciled; provided, that this section shall have no applicability to any p...

Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound

Island County Code § 9.60.030(A)(6)-(7) bans sound from motor vehicle audio systems and from tape players, radios, or CD players operated at a volume that unreasonably disturbs a neighboring property owner's peace, comfort, or repose, at any hour.

Island County Rule on Amplified Sound Volume

Some Restrictions

Island County Code § 9.60.030(A)(6)-(7)

6.Sound from motor vehicle audio sound systems, such as tape players, radios and compact disc players, operated at a volume so that it unreasonably disturbs or interferes with the peace, comfort and repose of property owners or possessors;7.Sound from audio equipment, such as tape players, radios and compact disc players, operated at a volume so that it unreasonably disturbs or interferes with ...

Aircraft Noise

Island County does not cap aircraft noise; Chapter 9.44 instead maps 'airport noise zones' around military and civilian airfields and requires sellers and landlords in those zones to disclose that jet noise, including single flyovers exceeding 100 DBA, is routine.

Island County Airport Noise Disclosure Zones

Light Restrictions

Island County Code § 9.44.040; § 9.44.050

9.44.040 - Airport noise zones. Airport noise zones are hereby established as follows: Airport noise zone . .Ldn values 2 . .65 to 75 3 . .Greater than 75 ... Additionally, the noise generated by the single flyover of a military jet may exceed the average noise level depicted by the airport noise zones and may exceed 100 DBA.

Decibel Limits

Unincorporated Island County's numeric noise standard isn't a property-line nuisance limit; it's a construction rule tied to NAS Whidbey. Section 14.01B.050 requires new buildings and alterations in Airport Noise Zone 2 to cut outdoor-to-indoor sound by at least 25 dBA, and buildings in Airport Noise Zone 3, defined by higher aircraft noise levels, to cut it by at least 30 dBA.

Island County Airport Noise Zone dBA Limits

Some Restrictions

Island County Code § 14.01B.050

All new structures and alterations to existing structures shall conform to the following minimum standard unless exempted in this chapter.A.Airport noise zone 2 shall have a minimum twenty-five (25) dba noise level reduction. Noise level reduction is to be measured outdoor to indoor noise; andB.Airport noise zone 3 shall have a minimum thirty (30) dba noise level reduction. Noise level reductio...

Vehicle Noise

Island County Code § 9.60.030(A)(3) bars frequent, repetitive, or continuous noise between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. from starting, operating, repairing, rebuilding, or testing any motor vehicle, motorcycle, off-highway vehicle, or internal combustion engine on residential or rural residential zoned property.

Island County Overnight Vehicle Engine Noise Rule

Some Restrictions

Island County Code § 9.60.030(A)(3)

3.The creation of frequent, repetitive or continuous noise between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. in connection with the starting, operation, repair, rebuilding or testing of any motor vehicle, motorcycle, off-highway vehicle or internal combustion engine on residential and rural residential zoned property;

All Island County ordinances

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