Norfolk, VA Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in Norfolk, VA, sometimes called construction noise rules or contractor work-hour ordinances, set when contractors can run power tools, hammers, and heavy equipment.
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Sec. 26-6(a)(7)
- Prohibited hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Equipment covered
- Bulldozers, jackhammers, pile drivers, chain saws
- Exception path
- Written city manager authorization
- Penalty
- Class 3 misdemeanor, up to $500
Summary
Norfolk bars bulldozers, jackhammers, chain saws, pile drivers, and other construction equipment from running between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. under Sec. 26-6(a)(7), unless the city manager or a designee authorizes an exception in writing. Daytime construction noise isn't capped by this per se rule.
(7)Construction equipment, pneumatic hammer, chain saw, etc. The operation of any bulldozer, crane, backhoe, front loader, pile driver, jackhammer, pneumatic drill, pneumatic hammer, chain saw, steam shovel, derrick, steam or electric hoist, or other appliance or other construction equipment between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., unless exempt or specifically deemed necessary and authorized by a written document issued by the city manager or their designee.(8)Vehicle repairs, etc. Repairing, rebuilding, modifying, or testing any motor vehicle, motorcycle, or motorboat in such a manner that is plainly audible inside the confines of another person's enclosed dwelling unit between the hours of 10:00 pm and 7:00 am in a residential area as defined by Norfolk's Zoning Ordinance, unless exempt under section 26-5.(9)Lawn care activities. Creating any noise plainly audible inside the confines of another person's enclosed dwelling unit between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. in connection with lawn care, leaf removal, gardening, tree maintenance or removal, or other landscaping activities.(b)Immediate threats to health and welfare.(1)An enforcement officer may order an immediate halt to any sound which exposes any person to sound levels more than those shown below as Table I, "Impulsive Sound Levels."(2)Notwithstanding section 26-4, any violation of this subsection (b) is a Class 1 misdemeanor. TABLE I: IMPULSIVE SOUND LEVELS WHICH POSE AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO HEALTH AND WELFARE
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 166).
Full Breakdown
Sec. " Unlike the distance-based per se offenses covering audio players and loudspeakers, this is a straight time-of-day ban: any listed piece of construction equipment running in that overnight window is a violation regardless of how far the sound carries, unless it fits one of the fifteen Sec. 26-5 exemptions, such as emergency and public safety work restoring property after a storm, or the operator has secured written authorization from the city manager's office. That written-authorization path lets contractors on time-sensitive jobs, such as utility work or a project running behind schedule, request an exception rather than being flatly barred.
Sec. 26-3(a) puts enforcement with the Norfolk Police Department and any other agency with concurrent jurisdiction, and Sec. 26-3(b) holds the equipment operator, or if unidentifiable, the property owner or manager present, responsible for the violation.
Violations & Fines
Running listed construction equipment overnight without an exemption or written city manager authorization is a Class 3 misdemeanor under Sec. 26-4(a), punishable by a fine of up to $500, with an added nuisance-abatement injunction remedy available to the city under Sec. 26-4(b) for repeat or ongoing disturbances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a contractor ever run a jackhammer after 10 p.m. in Norfolk?
Is daytime construction noise capped by this rule?
What if emergency utility repair work needs to run overnight?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Norfolk
How Norfolk compares: Cities with the Strictest Construction Hours·Compare Norfolk to another location·View the Virginia noise ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.