Manchester, NH Noise Ordinances: Aircraft Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- City Code Ch. 94, Noise Regulations
- In-flight aircraft
- Exempt, federal law controls
- Ground aircraft activity
- Testing/run-up also exempt
- Enforcement otherwise
- Chief of Police, § 94.04
Summary
Manchester's noise ordinance limits do not apply to aircraft or helicopters in flight or to ground-based aircraft engine testing and run-up noise.
(C) Any aircraft in flight subject to federal law regarding noise control. (D) Any ground-based aircraft activity including testing or engine run-up noise.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-25: current through Ord. passed 6-3-2025).
Full Breakdown
City Code Chapter 94 sets maximum decibel limits by zone and time of day, but § 94.11 carves out aircraft entirely. Any aircraft in flight is exempt because federal law governs aviation noise, and even ground operations like engine testing or run-up noise at the airport are excluded from the property-line dBA caps in Table A. Helicopter operators over Manchester answer to FAA noise rules, not the city's Chief of Police-enforced noise code.
Violations & Fines
None under city law: aircraft and helicopter noise is not subject to Chapter 94's decibel limits or citations; complaints about flight noise go to the FAA, not Manchester police.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I file a noise complaint against a helicopter over Manchester?
Does engine testing at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport violate the noise code?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Manchester
Compare Manchester to another location·View the New Hampshire noise ordinances overview
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Aircraft Noise in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle aircraft noise.