Summer Construction Hours by City (2026)
When Is Construction Noise Allowed?
Find the rules for your area:
Find permitted construction hours for your city. Compare when power tools, demolition, and remodeling work are allowed in residential neighborhoods.
The table below breaks down the rules across 49 states and 560 cities and counties. Every entry is based on the actual municipal code for that location, not a guess or a generic template. Click any location to see the full ordinance details, including fines, exceptions, and local FAQs.
Rules by State
Each state is colored by the most common local rule. Click a state to see the cities and counties we cover there.
| State | Locations | Strict | Moderate | Permissive | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 146 | 1 | 141 | 4 | Some Restrictions |
| Florida | 74 | - | 74 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Texas | 45 | - | 33 | 12 | Some Restrictions |
| Washington | 33 | - | 32 | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| Illinois | 32 | - | 29 | 3 | Some Restrictions |
| North Carolina | 31 | - | 31 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Georgia | 30 | - | 30 | - | Some Restrictions |
| New York | 27 | 1 | 26 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Colorado | 23 | - | 23 | - | Some Restrictions |
| New Jersey | 21 | - | 21 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Arizona | 20 | - | 19 | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| Wisconsin | 20 | - | 20 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Virginia | 19 | - | 19 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Michigan | 17 | - | 17 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Massachusetts | 15 | 1 | 14 | - | Some Restrictions |
| South Carolina | 15 | - | 15 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Oregon | 13 | - | 12 | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| Louisiana | 12 | - | 12 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Missouri | 12 | - | 11 | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| Pennsylvania | 12 | 1 | 10 | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| Ohio | 11 | - | 11 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Alabama | 10 | - | 9 | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| Indiana | 10 | 1 | 9 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Tennessee | 10 | - | 9 | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| Connecticut | 9 | - | 9 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Maryland | 9 | - | 9 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Utah | 9 | - | 9 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Nevada | 7 | - | 7 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Minnesota | 6 | - | 6 | - | Some Restrictions |
| New Mexico | 6 | - | 6 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Oklahoma | 5 | - | 5 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Arkansas | 4 | - | 3 | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| Iowa | 4 | - | 4 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Kansas | 4 | - | 4 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Delaware | 3 | - | 3 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Idaho | 3 | - | 3 | - | Some Restrictions |
| New Hampshire | 3 | - | 3 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Rhode Island | 3 | - | 3 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Hawaii | 2 | 2 | - | - | Heavy Restrictions |
| Kentucky | 2 | - | 2 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Mississippi | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | Some Restrictions |
| Nebraska | 2 | - | 2 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Alaska | 1 | - | 1 | - | Some Restrictions |
| District of Columbia | 1 | - | 1 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Maine | 1 | - | 1 | - | Some Restrictions |
| Montana | 1 | - | 1 | - | Some Restrictions |
| North Dakota | 1 | - | - | 1 | Few Restrictions |
| South Dakota | 1 | - | 1 | - | Some Restrictions |
| West Virginia | 1 | - | - | 1 | Few Restrictions |
How Cities Compare
These rankings are based on verified municipal code data, not opinion. A "strict" rating means the city has heavy restrictions, high fines, or outright bans. "Permissive" means few or no local restrictions beyond state law.
Most Restrictive
- 1Allentown, PA9 P.M.-7 A.M. weekdays/Saturdays; all day Sundays/holidays
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.
- 2Honolulu County, HI7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Construction noise on Oahu is governed by state rule HAR 11-46, not a standalone Honolulu ordinance. Even a community noise permit cannot authorize above-limit construction noise before 7:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m. on weekdays, before 9:00 a.m. on Saturdays, or at any hour on Sundays and holidays.
- 3New York, NYWeekdays 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Under Admin. Code Sec. 24-222, construction work is unlawful except on weekdays between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Limited weekend work (Sat/Sun 10 a.m.-4 p.m.) is allowed only for owner-occupied one- or two-family homes located more than 300 feet from a house of worship; all other after-hours work needs an authorization.
- 4Lowell, MA7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. weekdays
Lowell Code Section 204-4C(8) limits erection, demolition, alteration, repair and excavation of buildings to 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. on weekdays. Work outside those hours requires a Building Inspector permit issued only for urgent public-health/safety necessity (or a finding that no party would be inconvenienced). Power tools are separately barred 10 PM-7 AM (Section 204-4C(5)).
- 5Bishop, CA7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Bishop's noise ordinance carves out construction and repair activity, allowing it only between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Building or repairing before 7 a.m. or after 10 p.m. is not shielded and can be cited as unlawful noise.
- 6East Honolulu, HI7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (Mon-Fri)
Under HAR 11-46-7(j), a community noise permit may not authorize construction noise exceeding the limits before 7:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, before 9:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, or at all on Sundays and holidays.
- 7Indianapolis, IN7:00 p.m. - 7:00 a.m. (building work and excavation)
Indianapolis Revised Code section 391-302(c)(9) prohibits the erection, demolition, alteration, or repair of any building, or excavation for it, between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., unless the bureau of license and permit services grants a permit. Pile drivers and heavy hoisting equipment face the same 7 PM-7 AM ban under section 391-302(c)(13).
Fewest Restrictions
- 1Fargo, ND10 p.m.-6 a.m. weeknights
Fargo's noise ordinance sets nighttime quiet hours citywide, but construction and maintenance work at the job site is expressly carved out and exempt from those limits.
- 2Sutter County, CA
Unincorporated Sutter County does not regulate construction noise hours by ordinance. A noise study prepared for the CPUC states the county has not adopted a noise ordinance and that construction-activity noise is not addressed at the county level.
- 3Nevada County, CA
Unincorporated Nevada County does not have a county-wide ordinance setting fixed construction hours. Construction activity is expressly exempt from the County's exterior noise standards; limits on construction timing are instead imposed project-by-project through use permits and CEQA mitigation.
- 4Multnomah County, OR
Unincorporated Multnomah County exempts construction crews from the county's dBA and plainly-audible sound limits during normal operations, so daytime jobsite noise generally isn't a Sound Control Law violation.
- 5Dallas County, TXNo restrictions
No state or county regulation on construction hours in unincorporated areas. Texas has no statewide construction-hours law and counties cannot enact noise ordinances. Only TX Penal Code §42.01 applies if noise rises to unreasonable levels. Essentially unregulated.
- 6Erie, PANone set by ordinance
No Erie-specific ordinance directly addresses construction hours; the City's Codified Ordinances do not set start/stop times for construction noise. Daytime construction noise is governed by the general disorderly conduct standard (Article 705), and nighttime construction noise can be cited under Section 705.02(d).
- 7Jackson, MS
Jackson does not set a citywide curfew on private construction noise: § 54-90(13) exempts construction under a valid building permit from the Table A decibel limits at any hour, so long as manufacturer-installed mufflers and noise-reducing equipment stay in use. Government street and bridge work is separately allowed to run 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. under § 54-90(10) when daytime work is impractical.
- 8Springfield, ILNone set by ordinance
No Springfield-specific ordinance sets numeric construction start/stop hours; construction noise is reached through the general nuisance standard in City Code section 98.01(a), with the Illinois state Environmental Protection Act as a backstop.
- 9Williamson County, TXNone countywide
Unincorporated Williamson County sets no construction-hour limits; counties can't regulate work times. Early or late construction noise is actionable only if unreasonable under Tex. Penal Code §42.01, a Class C misdemeanor up to $500.
- 10College Station, TX
College Station allows construction during designated hours. Most Texas cities permit 7 AM to 8 PM weekdays. Emergency utility work exempt.
All 560 Locations
Every city and county below has verified ordinance data for this topic. Click any location for the full breakdown including fines, exceptions, and local FAQs.
Frequently Asked Questions
These questions come from the most common things people ask about this topic across different cities.