Cary, NC Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in Cary, NC, sometimes called construction noise rules or contractor work-hour ordinances, set when contractors can run power tools, hammers, and heavy equipment.
Key Facts
- Weekday hours
- 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., Mon-Fri
- Sat/holiday hours
- 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
- First offense fine
- $100
- Repeat offense fine
- up to $1,000
- Governing law
- Cary Code § 22-105(16)
Summary
The Town of Cary exempts construction work and machinery from its noise ordinance only Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-6 p.m., and Saturdays and state holidays 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; work outside those hours can violate the general noise code.
(16) Construction Work. Performing construction work or operating construction machinery Monday through Friday between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. or between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays and holidays which are observed by the state.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2023 S-87_S-57: Current through local ordinance 2022-Code-05, passed 11-17-2022 and effective 11-17-2022 | LDO: Current through local ordinance 2022-LDO-04, passed 11-17-22 and effective 11-17-22).
Full Breakdown
Cary's noise ordinance (Article IV, Division 2 of the Code) generally bans unreasonably loud, disturbing sound in the Town of Cary, Wake County. Section 22-105(16) carves out a time-limited exception for construction: work or machinery is exempt only Monday through Friday between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., and on Saturdays and state-observed holidays between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Construction noise outside those windows loses the exception and falls back under the general prohibitions of §§ 22-102, 22-106 and 22-107, and the responsible-party rule of § 22-111(c) reaches the worker, employer, general contractor or property owner.
Violations & Fines
Running equipment outside the permitted hours is treated as unreasonably loud, disturbing noise under § 22-102, enforceable under § 22-112: a $100 civil penalty for a first offense in a year, rising to $250, $500, $750, and $1,000 for repeat offenses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Cary contractor run equipment on Sunday?
What if construction starts before 7 a.m. in Cary?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cary
How Cary compares: Cities with the Strictest Construction Hours·Compare Cary to another location·View the North Carolina noise ordinances overview
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Construction Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wake County handle construction hours.