Passaic, NJ Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in Passaic, NJ, 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
- City Code § 193-13B(6)
- Weekday hours banned
- 6:00 p.m.–7:00 a.m.
- Weekends/holidays
- Construction noise banned entirely
- Permitted window
- ~7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. weekdays
- Exceptions
- Emergency work; § 193-10/193-15 variance
- Penalty
- Up to $1,000 per offense
Summary
City Code § 193-13B(6) bars operating construction, drilling, earthmoving, excavating or demolition equipment between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on weekdays, and bans it outright at any time on weekends and legal holidays, leaving a permitted window of roughly 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, unless a variance or emergency-work exception applies.
(6) Construction and demolition: operating or permitting the operation of any tools or equipment used in construction, drilling, earthmoving, excavating or demolition work between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following day on weekdays, or at any time on weekends or legal holidays, provided that such equipment is equipped with a functioning muffler, except for emergency work, by variance issued pursuant to § 193-10 or when the sound level does not exceed any applicable limit specified in Table I.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4978046; v41 updated 2026-07-01; through 07-01-2026).
Full Breakdown
the following day on weekdays, or at any time on weekends or legal holidays. , Monday through Friday only, weekends and holidays get no construction noise at all, regardless of the hour. The prohibition has three built-in outs: the equipment must simply be equipped with a functioning muffler and stay within any applicable Table I sound-level limit (§ 193-12) to avoid the ban entirely; the work qualifies as "emergency work" as defined in § 193-9 (repairing water, gas, electric, sewer or transit service, clearing fallen trees, or abating a life-threatening condition); or the contractor has obtained a variance from the noise control administrator under § 193-10 and § 193-15.
A related exemption in § 193-12B(3) confirms that ordinary daytime construction noise from properly muffled motorized equipment is exempt from the Table I decibel limits in the first place, it's the time-of-day rule in § 193-13B(6) that does the real restricting. Enforcement runs through the Noise Control Officer, who can issue a summons or an abatement order (§ 193-16A-B); penalties reach $1,000 per offense, $25 to $1,000 if willful, and each day construction noise continues outside the permitted hours is a separate offense (§ 193-16C).
Violations & Fines
A summons issues under § 193-16A, or an abatement order under § 193-16B requiring immediate compliance. Fines run up to $1,000 per offense for an ordinary violation, or a mandatory $25 to $1,000 for a willful or knowing one (§ 193-16C(1)-(2)); each day construction noise runs past the permitted hours is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time can construction start in Passaic?
Is weekend construction ever allowed?
Can a contractor get permission to work outside these hours?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Passaic
How Passaic compares: Cities with the Strictest Construction Hours·Compare Passaic to another location·View the New Jersey noise ordinances overview
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Construction Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Passaic County handle construction hours.