5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 3 cities in Suffolk County, Massachusetts.
Verified from official government sources
Suffolk County, MA has no county government — it was abolished in 1999. All noise ordinances are set by individual municipalities: Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop. Each city has its own quiet hours and enforcement procedures.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 40, sec. 21 (By-laws of towns; purpose - municipal authority to regulate)
Section 21. Towns may, for the purposes hereinafter named, make such ordinances and by-laws, not repugnant to law, as they may judge most conducive to their welfare, which shall be binding upon all inhabitants thereof and all persons within their limits. They may, except as herein provided, affix penalties for breaches thereof not exceeding three hundred dollars for each offense, which shall en...
No Suffolk County construction hours ordinance — county government was abolished in 1999. Each city sets its own: Boston (7 AM–6 PM Mon–Fri, 9 AM–5 PM Sat), Revere (7 AM–6 PM Mon–Fri, 9 AM–6 PM Sat, no Sun). All cities prohibit Sunday construction.
No county-level dog barking ordinance. State law MGL c. 140 §136A governs statewide; local cities in Suffolk County add their own regulations. Boston, Chelsea, and Revere each have animal control ordinances addressing excessive barking.
MGL c. 140, § 157 (Nuisance or dangerous dogs; orders for remedial action; appeal; violation of order)
Section 157. (a) Any person may file a complaint in writing to the hearing authority that a dog owned or kept in the city or town is a nuisance dog or a dangerous dog; provided, however, that no dog shall be deemed dangerous: (i) solely based upon growling or barking or solely growling and barking; (ii) based upon the breed of the dog; or (iii) if the dog was reacting to another animal or to a ...
Leaf blower rules in Suffolk County are set at the city level — Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop each set their own hours. Massachusetts has no statewide leaf blower ban, and Suffolk County (having abolished most county functions) does not regulate blowers at the county level.
Amplified music in Suffolk County is regulated at the city level. Boston requires Entertainment Licenses from the Mayor's Office of Consumer Affairs & Licensing, and MGL c. 272 §53 (disturbing the peace) applies statewide as a fallback.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 272, sec. 53 (Penalty for certain offenses - Disorderly persons; disturbers of the peace)
Section 53. (a) Common night walkers, common street walkers, both male and female, persons who with offensive and disorderly acts or language accost or annoy another person, lewd, wanton and lascivious persons in speech or behavior, keepers of noisy and disorderly houses, and persons guilty of indecent exposure shall be punished by imprisonment in a jail or house of correction for not more than...
3 cities in Suffolk County have their own noise ordinances rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
See every category we cover for Suffolk County — parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Suffolk County Ordinance Hub →