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Charlottesville, VA Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Daytime limit: 65 dB(A), 6am-10pm
Nighttime limit: 55 dB(A), 10pm-6am
Measured at: Property boundary
Applies in: R-1 to R-3, R-UMD, R-UHD, RMHP, PUD zones
Penalty: Class 4 misdemeanor

Summary

The City of Charlottesville caps noise in residential zones at 55 dB(A) overnight and 65 dB(A) during the day. City Code Section 16-8 measures both limits at or outside the property boundary and applies them to any source of sound in an R-1, R-2, R-3, R-UMD, R-UHD, RMHP, PUD or similar residential district under Chapter 34.

(a)Nighttime. No person shall permit, operate or cause any source of sound to create a sound level in a residential zone or within any residential building during the hours between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. in excess of fifty-five (55) dB(A) when measured at or outside the property boundary.(b)Daytime. No person shall permit, operate or cause any source of sound to create a sound level in a residential zone or within any residential building during the hours between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. in excess of sixty-five (65) dB(A) when measured at or outside the property boundary.

View official code

Full Breakdown

Section 16-8 of the City Code sets two numeric ceilings for residential-zone sound. , the ceiling rises to 65 dB(A) under the same measurement rule. 'Residential zone' is defined in Section 16-3 to reach the R-1, R-1U, R-1S, R-1U(S), R-2, R-2U, R-3, R-UMD, R-UHD, McIntire/Fifth Street Residential Corridor, RMHP and PUD districts set out in the zoning code. In a multifamily building, Section 16-8(c) lets police measure sound from common areas or other units at the owner's or tenant's request, taken at least four feet from the nearest wall, ceiling or floor with doors closed and windows in their normal seasonal position.

Eight categories of noise, including school and university activities, park athletics, construction, gardening, church bells, First Amendment gatherings, federally preempted noise, and transportation and refuse collection, are exempt from the 65 dB(A) daytime ceiling under Section 16-8(d), but none of those exemptions reach the 55 dB(A) nighttime limit. The police department enforces the chapter under Section 16-4 using a tested sound level meter under Section 16-7 and Section 16-12.

Violations & Fines

Exceeding either decibel ceiling is a Class 4 misdemeanor under Section 16-5(a). The department presumes the person operating the noise source is responsible; if that person cannot be identified, any owner, tenant, resident or manager present where the violation happens is rebuttably presumed guilty under Section 16-5(b). A calibrated sound level meter reading and the officer's signed certificate are admissible in court as prima facie evidence of the decibel level under Section 16-12.

Frequently Asked Questions

How loud can a neighbor be at night in Charlottesville?

No louder than 55 dB(A) measured at or outside the property boundary between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., under City Code Section 16-8(a). That limit applies to any residential zone, including R-1, R-2 and R-3 districts, and covers sound coming from inside a residential building as well as outdoors.

Is the daytime noise limit different from the nighttime one?

Yes. Section 16-8(b) allows up to 65 dB(A) in a residential zone between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., ten decibels louder than the 55 dB(A) nighttime ceiling in Section 16-8(a). Several activities, like construction, gardening and church bells, are exempt from the daytime cap entirely under Section 16-8(d).

How does the city measure a noise complaint?

The police department uses a sound level meter tested and calibrated under standards the chief of police sets under Section 16-7. In a multifamily building, Section 16-8(c) requires the reading to be taken at least four feet from the nearest wall, ceiling or floor, with doors closed and windows in a normal seasonal position.

Sources & Official References

[1]Charlottesville City Code, Ch. 16 - Noise Control

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