Norfolk, VA Noise from Specific Sources: Generator Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Exemption section
- Sec. 26-5(4)
- Covers
- Power outages, emergency circumstances
- Penalty if exempt
- None; not a violation
- Not covered
- Routine, non-emergency generator testing
- Enforcer for non-exempt use
- Norfolk Police Department
Summary
Norfolk exempts generator noise from its noise ordinance during power outages or other emergency or necessary circumstances, per Sec. 26-5(4). Running a portable or standby generator to keep the lights on during a storm-related outage is not a Chapter 26 violation, regardless of the hour or how loud it runs.
No provision of this chapter applies to:
(1)Sound or noise with the purpose of alerting persons to the existence of an emergency.(2)Noises resulting from any public emergency vehicle at any time or resulting from other authorized emergency vehicles when responding to an emergency call or acting in time of emergency.(3)Noises resulting from emergency and public safety work necessary to restore property to a safe condition following a public calamity or weather event, or work required to protect persons or property from an imminent danger.(4)Noises created by the operation of generators during power outages or under other emergency or necessary circumstances.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 166).
Full Breakdown
Sec. " Coastal Norfolk sees frequent nor'easters, tropical storms, and hurricane-related outages from the local electric grid, and this exemption means a resident or business running a generator to keep refrigeration, medical equipment, or heat running during an outage cannot be cited under the per se or scientific-measurement offenses in Sec. thresholds would otherwise tighten distance limits to 50 feet under Sec. 26-6(a)(2). The exemption is not unlimited: it applies specifically to "power outages" or "other emergency or necessary circumstances," language that ties the carve-out to the outage or emergency itself rather than to routine, non-emergency generator testing or continuous off-grid use unrelated to an outage.
Sec. 26-3(a) gives the Norfolk Police Department and other agencies with concurrent jurisdiction enforcement authority over Chapter 26, but that authority never reaches a generator running because the power is out, since Sec. 26-5(4) removes that scenario from the chapter's scope before any penalty in Sec. 26-4 could attach.
Violations & Fines
No Chapter 26 violation attaches to generator noise that falls within Sec. 26-5(4)'s power-outage or emergency exemption; the Class 3 misdemeanor and $500 fine in Sec. 26-4(a) do not apply. Generator noise outside a genuine outage or emergency, such as routine testing, is not covered by this exemption and can still be measured against the per se and decibel standards in Sec. 26-6.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run a generator overnight during a hurricane outage in Norfolk?
Does the generator exemption cover routine weekly testing?
What happens if my generator noise isn't covered by the exemption?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Norfolk
Compare Norfolk to another location·View the Virginia noise from specific sources overview
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