Spokane Valley, WA Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in Spokane Valley, WA, sometimes called construction noise rules or contractor work-hour ordinances, set when contractors can run power tools, hammers, and heavy equipment.
Key Facts
- Allowed hours
- 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Distance exemption
- 1,000+ feet from a residence
- Violation classification
- Misdemeanor
- Maximum penalty
- $1,000 fine, 90 days jail
- Governing section
- SVMC § 8.25.060(C)(3)
- Adopted
- Ord. 04-030 (2004)
Summary
Spokane Valley's noise disturbance ordinance treats construction sound as unlawful outside a narrow window. Temporary construction-site noise is exempt from the citywide noise ban only between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., or at any hour if the job site sits more than 1,000 feet from an occupied residence. Close-in projects that run before 7 a.m. or after 10 p.m. violate Chapter 8.25 SVMC and are a criminal misdemeanor.
A. It is unlawful for any person to make, continue, cause to be made, or to allow to originate from real property in the possession of said person, in private rights-of-way, or in public rights-of-way, any sound which creates a noise disturbance. ... C. Exemptions. ... 3. The following shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., or when conducted beyond 1,000 feet of any residence where human beings reside and sleep at any hour: a. Sounds originating from temporary construction sites as a result of construction activity; ... D. Violation – Misdemeanor – Penalty. Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor.
Full Breakdown
060(A) makes it unlawful to make or allow any sound that creates a 'noise disturbance' from property a person possesses, or in a private or public right-of-way. Subsection (C) lists three tiers of exemptions. The first tier (aircraft, railroads, warning devices) is exempt at all hours. m. , or at any hour of the day or night if conducted more than 1,000 feet from any residence where people live and sleep. ; at that point the noise is treated the same as any other unpermitted noise disturbance.
Contractors working farther than 1,000 feet from residential structures, such as on large commercial parcels, can legally run noisy equipment around the clock without tripping the ordinance. 010(A), carries a fine of up to $1,000, up to 90 days in jail, or both. The ordinance was adopted by Ord. 04-030 in 2004 and amended by Ord. 05-009 in 2005.
Violations & Fines
Running noisy construction equipment before 7:00 a.m. or after 10:00 p.m. within 1,000 feet of an occupied residence is a misdemeanor under SVMC § 8.25.060(D), punishable under the City's general penalty, § 1.10.010(A), by a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment up to 90 days, or both. Each day the violation continues counts as a separate offense under § 1.10.020.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a contractor run equipment at 6 a.m. near homes in Spokane Valley?
Does the 1,000-foot rule mean construction can run 24/7 somewhere?
What happens if I report construction noise outside legal hours?
Are weekends treated differently under the ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Spokane Valley
How Spokane Valley compares: Cities with the Strictest Construction Hours·Compare Spokane Valley to another location·View the Washington noise ordinances overview
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