Kent, WA Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in Kent, WA, sometimes called construction noise rules or contractor work-hour ordinances, set when contractors can run power tools, hammers, and heavy equipment.
Key Facts
- Exempt hours
- 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. for home repair noise
- Governing section
- KCC 8.05.110(1)
- Enforcer
- Building department noise control office
- Civil fine
- $250 per day, cumulative
- Repeat penalty
- Misdemeanor after 5 violations in 5 years
Summary
Kent's noise code exempts home maintenance and repair noise from its decibel limits only between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., per KCC 8.05.110(1). Outside that window, or for work that isn't home repair, KCC 8.05.090's maximum permissible sound levels apply, and the building department's noise control office enforces violations with a $250 daily civil fine under KCC 8.05.280.
8.05.110 Daytime exemption. The following shall be exempt from the provisions of KCC 8.05.090 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.:
1. Sound originating from residential property relating to temporary projects for the maintenance or repair of homes, grounds, and appurtenances.
2. Sounds created by the discharge of firearms on authorized shooting ranges.
3. Sounds created by aircraft engine testing and maintenance not related to flight operations; provided, that aircraft testing and maintenance shall be conducted at remote sites whenever possible.
4. Sounds created by the installation or repair of essential utility services.
5. Sounds created by blasting.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4542, passed June 16, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Kent classifies land by Environmental Designation for Noise Abatement (EDNA): Class A covers residential and multifamily zones (SR-1 through SR-8, MR-D, MHP and similar), Class B covers commercial zones, and Class C covers industrial and agricultural zones. 090's Table I sets maximum sound levels a source may impose on a receiving property, ranging from 55 dBA (Class A source into Class A receiving property) up to 70 dBA (Class C into Class C). : temporary home maintenance or repair noise, firearms discharge at authorized ranges, aircraft engine testing away from flight operations, essential utility installation or repair, and blasting. 100(1) still control. 220 describing the violation and required corrective action. 250 and refers the matter to the city attorney.
Violations & Fines
Violating Kent's noise exemption window triggers a $250 civil fine per day under KCC 8.05.280(A), assessed after the noise control office serves a notice and order (KCC 8.05.220) and, absent a granted extension, an abatement notice (KCC 8.05.250) referring the case to the city attorney. Five separate violations within five years become a misdemeanor under KCC 8.05.280(B), carrying criminal penalties under KCC 1.01.140 on top of the accumulating $250-per-day civil fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I do home repair work at 6 a.m. in Kent?
Does the exemption cover new home construction or commercial job sites?
Who enforces Kent's construction noise rules and how do I complain?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kent
How Kent compares: Cities with the Strictest Construction Hours·Compare Kent 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.