Prince William County, VA Noise Ordinances: Aircraft Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Nighttime flying
- Banned outdoors countywide, Sec. 14-5(5)
- Park permission
- Required from Parks & Recreation, any hour
- Nighttime hours
- 10 p.m.-7 a.m. weekdays
- Weekend/holiday hours
- 10 p.m.-9 a.m.
- First offense penalty
- Class 4 misdemeanor, up to $250
Summary
Prince William County bans flying powered model aircraft outdoors at night anywhere in the county. Sec. 14-5(5) of the noise ordinance also requires written permission from the Department of Parks and Recreation before operating one in a county park or on county recreational facilities at any hour, day or night.
Operating or permitting to be operated any powered model aircraft in the outdoors during the nighttime. Any person desiring to use county parks or facilities to operate such aircraft at any time must first obtain permission from the County Department of Parks and Recreation.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 46 Update 4).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 14-5(5) makes it a violation to operate 'or permit to be operated any powered model aircraft in the outdoors during the nighttime,' a category that covers gas- and electric-powered radio-control planes, helicopters and drones alike. The ban is absolute and time-based rather than decibel-based: a battery-powered drone with a negligible sound signature is still prohibited at night under this subsection, on top of whatever the Table 1 decibel limits in Sec. 14-4 would separately allow. Chapter 14 defines 'Nighttime' in Sec. on weekends and county holidays, everywhere in unincorporated Prince William County, not only near dwellings.
The same subsection separately requires that 'any person desiring to use county parks or facilities to operate such aircraft at any time must first obtain permission from the County Department of Parks and Recreation,' meaning daytime flying in a county park still needs advance written sign-off even though flying on private property in daylight does not. , for instance, can seek a variance from the county's director of public works or the police chief under Sec. 14-8 by showing the activity will not endanger public health, safety or welfare.
Violations & Fines
A first violation of the nighttime model-aircraft ban is a Class 4 misdemeanor punishable by up to a $250 fine under Sec. 14-2(a); a second violation within 365 days of a prior conviction becomes a Class 3 misdemeanor with up to a $500 fine. The county may instead pursue a civil penalty of up to $250 for a first offense and up to $500 for a second under Sec. 14-2(b), reserving criminal prosecution for a third or later violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I fly my drone in my backyard after dark?
Do I need a permit to fly a model airplane in a county park during the day?
Is there a decibel limit for drones and RC planes instead of a time ban?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Prince William County
Compare Prince William County to another location·View the Virginia noise ordinances overview
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