Hamilton, NJ Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Daytime outdoor residential limit
- 65 dB(A), 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
- Nighttime outdoor residential limit
- 50 dB(A), 10 p.m.-7 a.m.
- Indoor residential night limit
- 40 dB(A)
- Impulsive sound cap
- 80 decibels
- Maximum civil penalty
- $2,000 per offense
Summary
Hamilton's noise chapter sets hard decibel ceilings by receiving property and time of day. Outdoors at a residential line the cap is 65 dB from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and 50 dB overnight; indoors the caps drop to 55 and 40 dB respectively.
No person shall cause, suffer, allow, or permit the operation of any source of sound on any source property listed in § 311-3A above in such a manner as to create a sound level that equals or exceeds the sound level limits set forth in Table I, II or III when measured at or within the real property line of any of the receiving properties listed in Table I, II or III except as specified in § 311-6B. ... Residential property or residential portion of a multi-use property / 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. / 65 [dB] ... 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. / 50 [dB]
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4984352; v35 updated 2026-06-16; through 06-16-2026).
Full Breakdown
Township Code Chapter 311 regulates sound measured at the real property line of the property receiving it, not at the source. ; commercial facilities, nonresidential portions of multi-use properties, and community service facilities are capped at 65 dB(A) around the clock. Table II applies the same day/night structure indoors, at 55 dB(A) daytime and 40 dB(A) nighttime for residential receptors, and 55 dB(A) around the clock for commercial receptors, but only when the source and receptor share a common or abutting wall, floor, ceiling, or parcel.
5 Hz through 8,000 Hz) for tonal or narrow-band noise complaints that a single A-weighted reading cannot capture. , and the same 80-decibel cap applies overnight if the impulse occurs fewer than four times per hour; four or more repetitions in an hour are instead measured as continuous sound under Tables I and II. C. 7:29-2, and indoor cross-property measurements must be taken at least three feet from any wall, floor, or ceiling with competing household sound sources shut off. Construction and demolition activity is exempt from the Table I-III limits, but is separately time-restricted under § 311-9C.
Violations & Fines
Noise Control Officers (health-agency staff certified under N.J.A.C. 7:29) and Noise Control Investigators enforce the tables by issuing a notice of violation or a notice of penalty assessment. Civil penalties run up to $2,000 per offense under N.J.S.A. 40:49-5, with each continuing day a separate offense; recipients of a penalty assessment can request a hearing in municipal court.
Frequently Asked Questions
What decibel level is legal at night in Hamilton Township?
Where is sound measured for a noise complaint?
Are construction sites exempt from the decibel tables?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hamilton
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