Lafayette, LA Noise from Specific Sources: Delivery Truck Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 34-369(4)
- Buffer distance
- 250 feet from residential property
- Weekday curfew
- 10:00 p.m.–7:00 a.m. barred
- Weekend curfew
- 10:00 p.m.–9:00 a.m. barred
- Standard
- Distance/time test, not decibels
- Minimum fine
- $150.00 (major violation)
Summary
Lafayette bars commercial trucks from running refrigeration units within 250 feet of residential property overnight under City-Parish Code § 34-369(4): 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. on weekdays, and 10:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. on weekends. The restriction applies regardless of the unit's measured decibel level.
The operation of any commercial truck with refrigeration units may not be conducted within 250 feet of any residential property between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on weekdays or between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. on weekends.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 65).
Full Breakdown
Section 34-369(4) targets the diesel-powered refrigeration units mounted on commercial delivery and freight trucks, the units that keep cargo cold but run continuously, often idling at loading docks or curbside near housing. Like the other restricted uses in § 34-369, this rule overrides the general Table I decibel framework in § 34-366: the operative test is the truck's distance from residential property during the barred hours, not a sound level reading. on weekends, mirroring the same weekend extension used for construction noise and commercial refuse collection elsewhere in the section.
The rule is closely related to § 34-369(3)'s ban on commercial refuse and recycling collection within 250 feet of residential property during similar overnight windows, reflecting a broader pattern in Lafayette's code of pushing commercial logistics noise away from housing at night. is in violation even if the unit is relatively quiet, because the 250-foot/time-of-day test, not decibels, controls.
Violations & Fines
A refrigeration-unit violation is enforced under § 34-370: a first, non-willful instance can be treated as minor, giving the operator up to 30 days to adjust routes or scheduling, while a willful or repeat violation within 12 months is major and punishable under § 1-9 with a minimum fine of $150.00. Any enforcement agency may also order the truck's unit shut down immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a delivery truck run its refrigeration unit overnight near my house?
Does it matter how loud the refrigeration unit is?
Is this the same rule that covers trash truck noise?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lafayette
Compare Lafayette to another location·View the Louisiana noise from specific sources overview
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