New Rochelle, NY Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)
Barking dog rules in New Rochelle, NY, also called nuisance dog, dog noise, or excessive barking ordinances, define when a barking dog becomes a code violation and how complaints are handled.
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 213-5.E, Animals
- Trigger threshold
- 10+ minutes of continuous barking/howling
- Audibility test
- Heard beyond the originating property
- Max fine
- $250 per day of violation
- Max jail term
- 15 days
- Enforcing agency
- New Rochelle Police Department
Summary
New Rochelle's Noise Control Ordinance bars letting an animal bark, whine or howl continuously for 10 minutes or more if the noise can be heard beyond the property where it originates, under § 213-5.E. "Continuously" means constant, with few if any breaks, and violators face a fine up to $250 or 15 days in jail under § 213-27.
No person shall permit or allow any animal under his/her control to bark, whine, howl or make any other noise continuously for a period of 10 minutes or more at a volume which can be heard anywhere beyond the residential, commercial or industrial location from which such noise emanates. For the purposes of this subsection, "continuously" shall mean constant, with few, if any, brief breaks or periods of silence.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4601407; v60 updated 2025-12-02; through 12-02-2025).
Full Breakdown
E of the Noise Control Ordinance makes it a violation for anyone to "permit or allow any animal under his/her control to bark, whine, howl or make any other noise continuously for a period of 10 minutes or more" when that noise can be heard anywhere beyond the residential, commercial or industrial property where it originates. The chapter defines "continuously" precisely: constant noise "with few, if any, brief breaks or periods of silence," so a dog that barks in short bursts with real gaps does not automatically violate the section, while ten straight minutes of near-continuous barking that carries past the property line does.
The provision was added to Chapter 213 by Ordinance No. 234-1998 and sits within Article II, "Unreasonable Noise," alongside the chapter's general standard in § 213-4 for judging whether any noise is unreasonable, including its volume, duration, timing and proximity to residential sleeping areas. E on its own, a complainant does not need to separately prove the noise meets the broader "unreasonable noise" test in § 213-3 and § 213-4. The Police Department enforces the section under § 213-26 and can order an owner to stop the conduct causing the violation; a judicial order can also compel the owner to fix the problem.
Owners facing an unusual hardship, such as a dog reacting to a specific temporary trigger, may seek a temporary permit for relief from the City Clerk under § 213-24.
Violations & Fines
A dog owner cited under § 213-5.E faces the Chapter 213 penalty in § 213-27: a fine of not more than $250 or imprisonment of not more than 15 days, or both, with each day the barking continues counted as a separate offense. The Police Department can issue a cease-and-desist order under § 213-26 even before a court case is filed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does my neighbor's dog have to bark before it's a violation?
Who do I call about a barking dog in New Rochelle?
What fine can a dog owner face for chronic barking?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Rochelle
New York rules heatmap·Compare New Rochelle to another location·View the New York noise ordinances overview
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Barking Dogs in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Westchester County handle barking dogs.