Austin, TX Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in Austin, TX, sometimes called construction noise rules or contractor work-hour ordinances, set when contractors can run power tools, hammers, and heavy equipment.
Key Facts
- Noise audible next door
- Barred 10:30 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Sand, rock, gravel machines
- Barred 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. within 600 feet
- Night concrete downtown
- Permit required; Type 1 83 dB, Type 2 78 dB
- Night concrete permit length
- 72 hours maximum, one per project
- Maximum fine
- $500 per Class C misdemeanor
- Neighbor consent defense
- Written, 48 hours ahead, within 600 feet
Summary
Austin's General Restrictions section bars noise audible to an adjacent business or residence between 10:30 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., and bars sand, rock, and gravel machines within 600 feet of a residence, church, hospital, hotel, or motel between 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. The code sets no separate construction-hours clock. A violation is a Class C misdemeanor with a fine up to $500.
(A) A person may not: (1) use or permit the use of sound equipment at a business in excess of the decibel limits prescribed by this chapter; (2) make noise or play a musical instrument audible to an adjacent business or residence between 10:30 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.; (3) operate a machine that separates, gathers, grades, loads, or unloads sand, rock, or gravel within 600 feet of a residence, church, hospital, hotel, or motel between 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., except for the installation of concrete as authorized under Section 9-2-21 ( Permit for Concrete Installation During Non-Peak Hour Periods); [...] (D) Violation of Chapter 9-2 or any rule adopted under § 1-2 pursuant to Chapter 9-2 is a violation of City Code, chargeable as a Class C misdemeanor by a fine upon conviction not to exceed $500. Proof of a culpable mental state is expressly waived.
Full Breakdown
Section 9-2-3 is the operative rule for anyone running a job site in Austin. Subsection (A)(2) prohibits making noise audible to an adjacent business or residence between 10:30 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Section 9-2-1 defines noise as sound that is louder than the chapter permits or that disturbs a reasonable person of normal sensibilities. The exclusions in 9-2-2 cover government employees on official duty, stadium or ball-park sports events, authorized parades and street events, religious bells, emergency vehicles, and warning devices required by state law. Private construction is not on that list, so a contractor has no built-in exemption.
Subsection (A)(3) is the closest the section comes to a construction-equipment rule. Nobody can operate a machine that separates, gathers, grades, loads, or unloads sand, rock, or gravel within 600 feet of a residence, church, hospital, hotel, or motel between 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. The only carve-out is concrete installation authorized under Section 9-2-21.
Night concrete work downtown runs through a permit. Section 9-2-11(2) requires one to deliver, finish, place, or pour concrete between 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. in the Central Business District at property within 600 feet of a residence, church, hospital, hotel, or motel. Under 9-2-21 the director can issue the permit only for property inside the Downtown Density Bonus area that is zoned CBD or Public, and only when the work serves public health, safety, and welfare or is justified by urgent necessity. A Type 1 permit allows 83 decibels from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. A Type 2 permit allows 78 decibels from midnight to 6:00 a.m. A Type 3 permit has no decibel cap and runs 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., but it requires a continuous pour and a letter from the project's professional engineer of record. Type 1 and Type 2 levels are measured 75 feet from the sound source. No permit can run longer than 72 hours, and a project gets one. Concrete finishing alone, with no delivery, placement, or pouring, is allowed from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
Under 9-2-3(C), the City Manager can authorize a department to adopt rules to implement and enforce Chapter 9-2.
Violations & Fines
Violating Chapter 9-2 or any rule adopted under it is a City Code violation chargeable as a Class C misdemeanor, with a fine upon conviction not to exceed $500. Proof of a culpable mental state is expressly waived, so the City does not have to show the contractor meant to break the rule. For night concrete pours, three or more violations within 30 days bring a 30-day suspension letter and a 30-day bar on new permits. Six or more 30-day suspensions within 12 months end non-peak permits for that project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a contractor in Austin start loud work at 6 a.m.?
Can neighbors agree to let a crew work late?
Can concrete be poured at night in downtown Austin?
What happens if a night concrete project keeps violating its permit?
Do the noise rules apply to City crews?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Austin
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Austin to another location·View the Texas noise ordinances overview
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Construction Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Travis County handle construction hours.