Whatcom County, WA Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing local code
- WCC § 20.80.620
- State standard adopted
- Chapter 173-60 WAC
- Residential daytime limit
- 55 dBA (Class A to Class A)
- Residential nighttime limit
- 45 dBA, 10pm-7am
- Max civil fine
- $1,000 per day
Summary
WCC § 20.80.620 bars any development in unincorporated Whatcom County from exceeding the maximum environmental noise level set by Chapter 173-60 WAC, the state's numeric decibel standard, and lets individual zoning districts impose tighter limits on top of it. The rule applies countywide as a baseline development standard, not a case-by-case nuisance judgment.
No development shall exceed the maximum environmental noise level established by Chapter 173-60 WAC. More rigorous standards may be specified in regulations of specific zoning districts.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4963078; v4 updated 2026-06-23; through 06-23-2026).
Full Breakdown
620, titled simply "Noise," reads: "No development shall exceed the maximum environmental noise level established by Chapter 173-60 WAC. " Chapter 173-60 WAC, which the county adopts by this cross-reference, sets its limits by Environmental Designation for Noise Abatement (EDNA) class: a Class A (residential) noise source reaching a Class A receiving property is capped at 55 dBA, rising to 57 dBA into a Class B property and 60 dBA into a Class C property, with the numbers running higher again for Class B and Class C sources.
, the limit for any receiving property in a Class A, residential EDNA drops by 10 dBA, so a source that could hit 55 dBA against a home during the day is held to 45 dBA overnight. 5 minutes in any one-hour period. 620 folds this state standard directly into the zoning code as a development standard, a Whatcom County reviewer can condition or deny a permit on noise grounds using the WAC table without the county having to write its own decibel schedule.
Violations & Fines
A development that exceeds the adopted noise ceiling is a zoning violation under WCC Chapter 20.94: the county can issue a notice of violation and impose a civil penalty of up to $1,000 for each day the exceedance continues, order a stop-work order carrying its own minimum $1,000-per-day penalty for noncompliance, and revoke the project's permit under § 20.94.070. A property owner may request remission within 20 days of the penalty notice or appeal to the hearing examiner under § 20.94.060.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the noise limit for development in unincorporated Whatcom County?
Can a Whatcom County zoning district set a stricter noise limit than the state standard?
Are brief loud noises allowed under Whatcom County's noise rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Whatcom County
Compare Whatcom County to another location·View the Washington noise ordinances overview
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