NYC Noise Code sets 45 dBA interior at night (10 PM-7 AM), 42 dBA from outside sound inside homes, and 7 dBA above ambient at residential property lines.
Queens County follows the NYC Administrative Code Title 24 Chapter 2 (Noise Code), one of the most detailed municipal noise codes in the country. Key decibel limits: interior residential noise may not exceed 45 dBA between 10:00 PM and 7:00 AM; sound from outside sources measured inside any residence with windows open cannot exceed 42 dBA at night or 45 dBA during the day; commercial and industrial noise at residential boundaries is capped at 7 dBA above ambient background. Construction noise is limited to 85 dBA at 50 feet, with additional curfews for nighttime work. Motor vehicles must not exceed 70 dBA at 50 feet in 35 mph zones. Specific device standards apply to air compressors (80 dBA), circulation devices (42 dBA at 3 feet), and refuse collection trucks (80 dBA at 35 feet). Enforcement is by NYC DEP and NYPD using calibrated Type 2 sound level meters. Penalties range from 50 to 24,000 dollars per violation depending on source and repeat status.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
See how Queens County's decibel limits rules stack up against other locations.
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