Scranton, PA Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential daytime limit
- 69 dB(A), 7 a.m.-9 p.m.
- Residential nighttime limit
- 64 dB(A), 9 p.m.-7 a.m.
- Industrial (I-G/I-L) limit
- 78 dB(A), all hours
- Other lot-line limit
- 70 dB(A), all hours
- Measured at
- 10 feet inside receiving lot
- Max fine
- $600 per violation, § 317-11
Summary
City Code § 317-8 caps sound at a residential lot line at 69 dB(A) by day and 64 dB(A) overnight and on major holidays, 78 dB(A) in an I-G or I-L industrial district at any hour, and 70 dB(A) at any other lot line, measured 10 feet inside the receiving property.
No land use or its operations shall generate a sound level exceeding the limits established in the table below, when measured at the specified locations: Land Use or Zoning District Receiving the Noise / Hours/Days / Maximum Sound Level / 10 feet inside a lot in a residential district / ... 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. other than Sundays, Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day, New Year's Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day and Memorial Day / ... 69dB(A) / ... 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. plus all day Sundays, Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day, New Year's Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day and Memorial Day / ... 64dB(A) / 10 feet inside a lot in an I-G or I-L District / All times and days / 78 dB(A) / 10 feet inside any lot line not listed above / All times and days / 70 dB(A)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4719898; v25 updated 2025-12-16; through 12-16-2025).
Full Breakdown
Section 317-8, Sound level limits by receiving land use/district, sets three numeric ceilings measured 10 feet inside the property line of the land receiving the noise, not the source. and all day on Sundays, Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day, New Year's Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day and Memorial Day. A lot in an I-G (General Industrial) or I-L (Light Industrial) district may receive up to 78 dB(A) at any time or day, and any other lot line not separately listed is capped at 70 dB(A) around the clock.
These district limits interact with § 317-6, which requires a sound barrier, built of decorative masonry with an evergreen tree line spaced no less than 10 feet apart on the residential side, whenever an industrial-zone noise source would otherwise push a residential boundary above 65 dB(A); even with a barrier, the source may not exceed 75 dB(A). Exceeding the § 317-8 table by itself is one of the four statutory definitions of a 'noise disturbance' in § 317-2B, and readings from two or more residents in separate homes who agree on the timing count as prima facie evidence of a violation under § 317-7C.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding any § 317-8 sound level is a violation of Chapter 317, punishable under § 317-11A by a fine of not more than $600 per offense or imprisonment of not more than 30 days, or both, with each day of a continuing exceedance a separate offense. The Bureau of Police may instead issue an abatement order under § 317-10A allowing up to 30 days to bring the source back under the table's limits before a citation is issued.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can noise be at my property line in a Scranton residential zone?
Do Scranton's industrial zones have a higher noise allowance?
What happens if industrial noise pushes past a residential boundary near Scranton's factories?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Scranton
Compare Scranton to another location·View the Pennsylvania noise ordinances overview
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