Albany, NY Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in Albany, NY, sometimes called construction noise rules or contractor work-hour ordinances, set when contractors can run power tools, hammers, and heavy equipment.
Key Facts
- Quiet hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Covered equipment
- Pile drivers, hoists, pneumatic hammers
- Exception
- Written emergency permit only
- First-offense fine
- Up to $250
- Enforcing office
- Commissioner of Buildings
Summary
Albany bans noisy building operations like pile drivers and pneumatic hammers between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. unless the Commissioner of Buildings grants written emergency permission.
It shall be unlawful for any person conducting any building operations between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. to operate or use any pile driver, steam shovel, pneumatic hammer, derrick, steam or electric hoists or other apparatus, the use of which is attended by loud or unusual noise, except upon written permission from the Commissioner of Buildings and then only in case of emergency. In accordance with Chapter 11, Appearance Tickets, of the Code of the City of Albany, the Commissioner of Buildings, the Deputy Commissioner of Buildings, the Deputy Commissioner of Code Enforcement, Building Inspectors and Code Enforcement Inspectors are authorized to issue warnings and appearance tickets for violations of this section as set forth in § 255-34. Such violation will be subject to the penalties provided in § 255-35 of this article.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4873446; v61 updated 2026-03-18; through 03-18-2026).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 255-32 makes it unlawful to run a pile driver, steam shovel, pneumatic hammer, derrick, or steam or electric hoist on a building operation between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. if the equipment produces loud or unusual noise. The only exception is written permission from the Commissioner of Buildings, and that permission is limited to emergencies. Building Inspectors and Code Enforcement Inspectors can issue appearance tickets for violations under the city's Chapter 11 Appearance Tickets procedure.
Violations & Fines
Building Inspectors, Code Enforcement Inspectors and the Commissioner of Buildings can issue warnings and appearance tickets. Penalties run through § 255-35: up to $250 for a first conviction, up to $500 for a second, and up to $1,000 per conviction for a third or later conviction, plus up to 15 days imprisonment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run a pneumatic hammer at 11 p.m. in Albany?
How is a violation of Albany's construction noise rule punished?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Albany
How Albany compares: Cities with the Strictest Construction Hours·New York rules heatmap·Compare Albany to another location·View the New York noise ordinances overview
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