Upper Darby, PA Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in Upper Darby, PA, sometimes called construction noise rules or contractor work-hour ordinances, set when contractors can run power tools, hammers, and heavy equipment.
Key Facts
- Prohibited hours
- 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
- Scope
- All land use categories, all zones
- Exception
- Bona fide emergency repair work only
- Penalty
- Summary citation, § 373-12
Summary
Upper Darby bars operating construction, repair, alteration or demolition equipment between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. the next day, on buildings, structures, streets or alleys in any land use category. There is no separate permit for a nighttime exception in the chapter itself.
Construction noise. Operating or causing to be operated any equipment used in construction, repair, alteration or demolition work on buildings, structures, streets, alleys or appurtenances thereto in any land use category between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. the following day.
Full Breakdown
" That window applies township-wide regardless of zoning district, unlike some of the chapter's other time-based rules that are limited to specific commercial districts. is in violation without any additional showing that the noise crossed a decibel threshold; the hours themselves are the standard. Enforcement runs through § 373-2 (Police, Health Officer, Licenses and Inspections) and § 373-3, which allows a written correction notice specifying an abatement period before a summons is issued for a non-vehicle source. Section 373-11A's exception for emergency work performed for immediate public safety or to restore property after a calamity can excuse otherwise-prohibited nighttime construction noise tied to genuine emergency repairs, but ordinary scheduled construction gets no such carve-out.
Violations & Fines
Operating construction equipment between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. violates § 373-6F and is a summary offense under § 373-12, punishable by citation. Enforcement may first issue a written correction notice under § 373-3 before filing a summons. Continuing violations may be abated as a public nuisance under § 373-13.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hours can contractors legally run construction equipment in Upper Darby?
Is there a permit to work past 9:00 p.m. on a project in Upper Darby?
Does the construction hours rule apply only to residential areas?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Upper Darby
How Upper Darby compares: Cities with the Strictest Construction Hours·Compare Upper Darby to another location·View the Pennsylvania noise ordinances overview
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