Bothell, WA Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in Bothell, WA, sometimes called construction noise rules or contractor work-hour ordinances, set when contractors can run power tools, hammers, and heavy equipment.
Key Facts
- Monday through Friday
- 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Saturday
- 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Sunday
- Prohibited
- Holiday ban
- Eight named holidays, including July 4th and the day after Thanksgiving
- Extension decision
- Community development director within seven calendar days
- Extension notice radius
- All owners and residents within 300 feet, at least 72 hours before
Summary
In the City of Bothell, Washington, construction noise is allowed Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sunday construction noise is prohibited, as are eight named holidays. The community development director can approve extended hours for single-operation and weather-sensitive work, never on Sundays or holidays.
1. It is unlawful for any person to cause, or for any person in possession of property to allow sound to originate from construction noise generated by the construction, excavation, repair, demolition, destruction, or alteration of any building or property beyond the allowed construction noise hours identified within Table 8.26.065 – 1, Construction Noise Hours, or other construction noise hours as may be allowed under this section. Monday through Friday Saturday Sunday 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Prohibited 2. Construction noise activity shall be prohibited on the following holidays: a. New Year’s Day; b. Memorial Day; c. July 4th; d. Labor Day; e. Veterans Day; f. Thanksgiving Day; g. Day after Thanksgiving; and h. Christmas Day.
Full Breakdown
BMC 8.26.065 sets Table 8.26.065 – 1, Construction Noise Hours. Construction noise from the construction, excavation, repair, demolition, destruction or alteration of any building or property is unlawful beyond those hours: Monday through Friday 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Sunday prohibited. Construction noise activity is also prohibited on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. BMC 8.26.060(G) separately lists construction sound inconsistent with § 8.26.065 as a public nuisance.
The section exempts freeway, highway and arterial construction and improvements; construction noise from local, state or national emergencies; repair or installation of essential utility services such as sanitary sewer, domestic water, electrical and natural gas; and sounds from residential property for temporary home, grounds and appurtenance maintenance or repair between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. any day of the week. A development permit issued under BMC Title 11 can impose different or more restrictive work hours.
The community development director can expand the weekday and Saturday hours for activities that must be completed in a single operation, such as concrete pours, pavement applications and certain foundation work, and for weather-sensitive work such as roofing, paint applications, parking lot striping, large grading operations and stream restoration or fish enhancement projects. The director cannot extend noise to Sundays, the listed holidays, or the hours between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
The applicant files a Type I application under BMC 11.04.003 with the fee set by the fee resolution, naming an after-hours contact person who will be on site and the dates, times and duration of the extended work. The director has seven calendar days from a complete request to approve, conditionally approve or deny it. The applicant must mail or hand-deliver notice to all property owners and residents within 300 feet at least 72 hours before extended hours begin, and failure to give timely notice delays the start of the expanded hours.
Violations & Fines
Under BMC 8.26.100(B), construction noise outside the allowed hours is a civil infraction enforced under Chapter 11.20 BMC, and each day a violation continues or repeats is a separate offense. BMC 11.20.010 sets a maximum civil penalty of $250.00 per day for each violation, and the director can reduce it after verified correction. Variances are not available for § 8.26.060, which includes the construction nuisance in subsection G.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the construction hours in the City of Bothell?
Which holidays bar construction noise?
Can a homeowner run a saw or mower on a Sunday?
How does a contractor get extended hours for a concrete pour?
Is there any hour when extended work can never be approved?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bothell
How Bothell compares: Cities with the Strictest Construction Hours·Compare Bothell 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.