Suffolk County, NY Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential daytime limit
- 65 dBA, 7 a.m.–10 p.m.
- Residential nighttime limit
- 50 dBA, 10 p.m.–7 a.m.
- Commercial / industrial limits
- 65 dBA / 70 dBA, all times
- Scope
- County property and highways only
- Penalty
- $500 fine, up to 1 year jail
Summary
Suffolk County caps sound at County-owned properties and highways: 65 dBA near residential areas by day, 50 dBA at night, 65 dBA near commercial land, and 70 dBA near industrial land, measured at the property line.
No person shall cause, suffer, allow or permit the operation of any source of sound on any County highway...or upon any parcel of real estate owned by the County of Suffolk...in such a manner as to create a sound level that exceeds the particular sound level limits set forth in Table I of this section, when measured at or within the real property line of the County-owned property... Table I: Residential, 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., 65; Residential, 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., 50; Commercial, all times, 65; Industrial, all times, 70.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 618 governs noise only on County highways, county-owned real estate, and County buses: it is not a general county-wide ordinance; noise on private property elsewhere in Suffolk County falls to whichever town or village holds it, such as Babylon or Huntington. Under § 618-4, sound measured at the County-owned property line may not exceed 65 dBA near residential land from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., 50 dBA from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., 65 dBA near commercial land at all times, or 70 dBA near industrial land at all times. Domestic power tools, lawn mowers and farm equipment are exempt if muffled, run within set hours, and stay under 85 dBA at the property line.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the Table I limits, or causing a noise disturbance under § 618-3, is an unclassified misdemeanor punishable by a $500 fine and/or up to one year imprisonment; each violation is a separate offense (§ 618-6).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this noise limit apply to my backyard in Suffolk County?
Can I run a lawn mower near a county road early in the morning?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Suffolk County
New York rules heatmap·Compare Suffolk County to another location·View the New York noise ordinances overview
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