Lynnwood, WA Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Class A receiving property
- 55-60 dBA depending on source
- Class B receiving property
- 57-65 dBA depending on source
- Class C receiving property
- 60-70 dBA depending on source
- Nighttime reduction
- -10 dBA for Class A, 10pm-7am
- Brief exceedance allowed
- 5 dBA/15min, 10 dBA/5min, 15 dBA/1.5min per hour
Summary
Lynnwood caps environmental noise at the receiving property line using an EDNA classification system: 55 to 70 dBA depending on the noise source's and receiving property's class under LMC 10.12.500's Table I. Nighttime limits drop 10 dBA for Class A (residential) receiving property between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.
No person shall cause or permit noise to intrude into the property of another person which noise exceeds the maximum permissible noise levels set forth in this section, with the point of measurement being at the property boundary of the receiving property or anywhere within. ... | EDNA of Noise Source | EDNA of Receiving Property | ... | Class A | Class B | Class C | ... | Class A | 55 dBA | 57 dBA | 60 dBA | ... | Class B | 57 | 60 | 65 | ... | Class C | 60 | 65 | 70 | ... Between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the noise limitations of the foregoing table shall be reduced by 10 dBA for receiving property within Class A EDNAs;
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 3512, passed May 26, 2026).
Full Breakdown
500(A) sets maximum permissible environmental noise levels measured at the property boundary of the receiving property, using a grid of Class A, B and C Environmental Designations for Noise Abatement (EDNA). A Class A noise source reaching a Class A receiving property is capped at 55 dBA, rising to 57 dBA into Class B and 60 dBA into Class C; a Class B source is capped at 57, 60 and 65 dBA respectively into Class A, B and C receivers; and a Class C source is capped at 60, 65 and 70 dBA.
5 minutes in any one-hour period. Class A EDNA covers land where people reside and sleep, Class B covers uses needing protection for speech such as offices and retail, and Class C covers land where higher noise is expected, like industrial and warehouse property. The section carries a long amendment history, most recently Ord. 3399 in 2021, and works alongside separate exemptions in subsections (C) through (F) for specific sound sources.
Violations & Fines
Violating the noise limits of LMC 10.12.500 is enforced as a violation of LMC 10.12.300(A)'s general noise-disturbance prohibition, and a conviction is a misdemeanor under LMC 10.12.800. The development and business services department administers noise limits for residential, commercial and industrial sources under LMC 10.12.700(B), while the police department handles noise disturbances generally under LMC 10.12.700(A).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum noise a factory can make near a Lynnwood home?
Can noise briefly exceed the dBA limit in Lynnwood?
Who enforces Lynnwood's decibel limits?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lynnwood
Compare Lynnwood to another location·View the Washington noise ordinances overview
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Decibel Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Snohomish County handle decibel limits.