Honolulu follows statewide DOH decibel limits: 55/45 dBA (day/night) in residential, 60/50 dBA in commercial, and 70/70 dBA in industrial zones, measured at the property line.
Noise on Oahu is regulated through Hawaii Administrative Rules Chapter 11-46 and Revised Ordinances of Honolulu Chapter 41. Maximum permissible sound levels are tied to three zoning classes. Class A (residential, preservation, conservation, agricultural) is capped at 55 dBA from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 45 dBA at night. Class B (resort, apartment, business, mixed-use) is 60 dBA daytime and 50 dBA nighttime. Class C (industrial) is 70 dBA at all hours. Readings are taken at the receiving property line using A-weighted measurements over a sample period. Brief impulse sounds above the continuous limit are also restricted. Short duration exceedances may be allowed with a permit. Nighttime hours are 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Amplified speech or music is treated as a plainly audible nuisance even below numeric thresholds.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
See how Urban Honolulu's decibel limits rules stack up against other locations.
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