Rockville, MD Noise Ordinances: Aircraft Noise (2026)

Rockville sits roughly equidistant between Reagan National Airport (DCA) to the south and BWI Marshall Airport to the northeast, but the city does not fall within the FAA-designated 65 DNL noise contour for either airport. Aircraft noise over Rockville primarily comes from approach and departure routes and high-altitude overflights. The FAA controls flight paths and altitude requirements, and local municipalities have no authority to regulate aircraft noise directly under federal preemption. The Maryland Environmental Noise Act of 1974 requires the Maryland Aviation Administration to create Airport Noise Zones around BWI to control incompatible land development. Reagan National has its own nighttime noise rule limiting operations between 10 PM and 7 AM to quieter aircraft. The DCA Community Noise Working Group, established in 2015, works with the FAA to address NextGen flight path concerns from communities across the DC region. Rockville residents can file aircraft noise complaints through the MDOT MAA complaint portal for BWI-related flights or through the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority for DCA-related flights.