Cowlitz County, WA Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)

Chapter 10.25, Noise Control, was adopted by Ord. 12-150 on November 6, 2012, and defines "day" or "daytime" as 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on weekdays and 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on weekends, making "night" the remaining hours. Under CCC § 10.25.040(B), sounds from certain activities in rural, residential areas are public noise disturbances only "when they occur at night," and item 3 of that list is "construction activity, including blasting, unless a public disturbance exemption permit pursuant to CCC § 10.25.050 is obtained." Separately, CCC § 10.25.050(A)(11) exempts from the whole chapter "sounds created by construction, other than public works projects, between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m." Read together, ordinary daytime construction (7 a.m. to 10 p.m.) needs no permit, while construction outside that window, or after dark in a rural residential area, is only lawful if the county has issued a public disturbance exemption permit under § 10.25.050.

Public works construction is exempt at any hour under § 10.25.050(A)(10). Enforcement is primarily vested in the Sheriff (CCC § 10.25.060), though the Director of Public Works administers the exemptions under § 10.25.050(A)(3) and (10), and the Building and Planning Director administers the exemptions under § 10.25.040(A)(1) and (3), with all county departments authorized to assist.