Lakewood, WA Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Decibel limit
- 45 dB (home occupation in accessory building)
- Protected hours
- 7am-6pm M-F, 9am-5pm Sat (all day Sun)
- Governing section
- LMC 18A.40.110(B)(7)(g)
- General noise ordinance
- LMC 8.36 uses distance, not decibels
- General noise penalty
- $250 first offense, $500 repeat, LMC 8.36.010(D)
Summary
Lakewood, Washington's only numeric decibel standard for residential noise applies specifically to home occupations run from accessory buildings: LMC 18A.40.110(B)(7)(g) bars noise at or above 45 decibels intruding on a neighboring residential property outside set daytime hours. The city's general noise ordinance, LMC 8.36, instead measures most other noise by audible distance, not decibels.
g. Home occupations in accessory buildings shall not permit noise to intrude into another residential property at a level at or above forty-five (45) decibels outside the hours of 7:00 a.m. through 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. on Saturday.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 852, passed June 15, 2026).
Full Breakdown
m. on Saturday. That leaves no protected window on Sundays at all, meaning the 45-decibel cap applies all day every Sunday for accessory-building home occupations. 36 LMC does not use a decibel meter at all for most sources. on weekdays. A separate decibel standard also exists for watercraft on Lakewood's lakes, capping vessel noise at 75 dB from shore in motion and 60 dB after sunset, under a different chapter of Title 8, but that is a boating rule and does not apply to land-based residential or business noise.
Violations & Fines
A home occupation in an accessory building whose noise reaches or exceeds 45 decibels on a neighboring residential property outside the permitted hours violates LMC 18A.40.110(B)(7)(g), enforceable as a home occupation permit violation. Absent a more specific fine for this subsection, LMC 1.44.040's general civil penalty of up to $500.00 per day of violation applies. Noise from other residential or commercial sources not tied to a home occupation instead falls under Chapter 8.36 LMC, where a first public-disturbance-noise violation carries a civil penalty of up to $250.00 and a second or subsequent violation within two years carries up to $500.00.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Lakewood have a citywide decibel limit for noise?
What is the noise limit for a home business in an accessory building?
What is the penalty for violating Lakewood's general noise ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lakewood
Compare Lakewood to another location·View the Washington noise ordinances overview
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Decibel Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle decibel limits.