Auburn, WA Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in Auburn, WA, sometimes called construction noise rules or contractor work-hour ordinances, set when contractors can run power tools, hammers, and heavy equipment.
Key Facts
- Governing section
- ACC 8.28.010(B)(8)
- Default hours
- 7 a.m.-10 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday
- Residential/PUD hours
- 7 a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. weekends
- Hours-expansion request
- Written application to planning director
- Appeal path
- City hearing examiner
- First-offense penalty
- Civil penalty up to $250
Summary
Auburn bars construction noise, including equipment, power tools and hammering, before 7:00 a.m. and after 10:00 p.m. on weekdays, and before 9:00 a.m. and after 10:00 p.m. on Sundays. In R-1, R-2, R-3, LHR and PUD zones the window tightens to 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. weekdays and 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. weekends. ACC 8.28.010(B)(8) sets both windows.
8. Construction noise shall be regulated as follows: a. Except as provided for in subsection (B)(8)(b) of this section, sounds originating from construction sites, including but not limited to sounds from construction equipment, power tools and hammering before 7:00 a.m. and after 10:00 p.m. on any day of the week except Sunday and before 9:00 a.m. and after 10:00 p.m. on Sundays; b. For construction on property in the R-1, R-2, R-3, LHR-1, LHR-2, LHR-3 and PUD zones, sounds originating from construction sites, including but not limited to sounds from construction equipment, power tools and hammering before 7:00 a.m. and after 7:00 p.m. on weekdays, and before 9:00 a.m. and after 6:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday;
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 7023, passed July 6, 2026).
Full Breakdown
on Sunday. on Saturday and Sunday. A contractor who needs to work outside either window must apply in writing to the planning and development director under subsection (B)(8)(d), showing an unforeseen and emergency circumstance or that no reasonable alternative exists; approval, if granted, covers only the specific dates and times requested. The director's decision on an hours-expansion request can be appealed to the city's hearing examiner, with the appeal limited to the same criteria the director used. Subsection (B)(8)(e) lets the mayor or a designee exempt public agency right-of-way projects from these hour limits when noise is already addressed as a permit or agreement condition.
020, which imposes a civil penalty of up to $250 for a first offense and up to $500 for a second offense within two years.
Violations & Fines
Building or renovating outside the permitted hours, generally 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. weekdays or the tighter 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. window in residential and PUD zones, draws a civil penalty of up to $250 for a first violation under ACC 8.28.020, up to $500 for a repeat within two years, and misdemeanor exposure under ACC 1.24.010 for a third offense at the same site within 12 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
How early can construction crews start work in an Auburn neighborhood?
Can a contractor get permission to work outside normal hours?
Are city road projects exempt from the construction hours limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Auburn
How Auburn compares: Cities with the Strictest Construction Hours·Compare Auburn to another location·View the Washington noise ordinances overview
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Construction Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle construction hours.