NYC Noise Code (Admin Code Title 24, Chapter 2) sets strict limits on industrial and commercial noise. Circulation devices must not exceed 42 dB(A) inside neighboring dwellings per §24-227. Commercial music must not be audible at 15 feet from the source between 10 PM and 7 AM.
The NYC Noise Code (Local Law 113 of 2005, codified in Admin Code Title 24, Chapter 2) regulates industrial noise through source-specific standards rather than a single decibel limit. Industrial equipment including compressors, generators, and HVAC systems must not produce sound exceeding 42 dB(A) as measured inside a neighboring residential unit (§24-227). Manufacturing operations in M-zoned districts adjacent to residential zones face additional scrutiny. Loading dock operations, refuse collection, and similar commercial activities are prohibited between 11 PM and 7 AM if they produce unreasonable noise (§24-218). The DEP Noise Inspection Unit responds to 311 complaints and can issue summonses adjudicated at OATH.
First violation: $75–$525 civil penalty. Subsequent violations: up to $1,050. Commercial establishments face penalties up to $8,000 per violation. OATH adjudicates all noise summonses. DEP can require noise mitigation plans.
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See how New York's industrial noise rules stack up against other locations.
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