Clifton, NJ Noise Ordinances: Leaf Blower Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Homeowner yard equipment curfew
- 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.
- Commercial crew weekday curfew near homes
- 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Commercial crew weekend/holiday curfew
- 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.
- Buffer for commercial equipment near residences
- 250 feet of property line
- Maximum civil penalty per offense
- $2,000
- Enforcing officer
- certified Noise Control Officer
Summary
Clifton bars homeowners from running leaf blowers and other noncommercial landscaping equipment between 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. Landscaping companies working on commercial or industrial land face tighter limits near homes: no power equipment before 7:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m. on weekdays, or before 9:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m. on weekends and federal holidays.
Noncommercial or nonindustrial power tools and landscaping and yard maintenance equipment shall not be operated between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., unless such activities can meet the applicable limits set forth in Tables I and II. All motorized equipment used in these activities shall be operated with a muffler. At all other times, the limits set forth in Tables I and II do not apply to noncommercial or nonindustrial power tools and landscaping and yard maintenance equipment. Commercial or industrial power tools and landscaping and yard maintenance equipment, excluding emergency work, shall not be operated on a residential property or within 250 feet of a residential property line when operated on commercial or industrial property between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on weekdays or between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. on weekends or federal holidays unless such activities can meet the limits set forth in Tables I and II.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4963532; v64 updated 2026-07-21; through 07-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
unless the equipment can meet the decibel limits in the chapter's Tables I and II; outside those hours, the decibel tables simply do not apply to homeowner yard work. Every motorized blower, mower, edger or trimmer used in these activities must be run with a working muffler. m. Emergency work is exempt. C. 6 procedures, with a right to a Municipal Court hearing. This structure was adopted in its entirety by Ord. No. 6213-01 on 7-3-2001.
Violations & Fines
A violator is issued an enforcement document by a Noise Control Officer and may contest it at a Municipal Court hearing. Under Clifton Code § 327-7B, as amended 8-3-2016 by Ord. No. 7310-16, each violation carries a civil penalty of up to $2,000, and a continuing violation is a separate offense for each day it persists.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a leaf blower at 7 a.m. in Clifton?
Does my leaf blower need a muffler?
Who enforces Clifton's leaf blower hours?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clifton
How Clifton compares: Cities with the Strictest Leaf Blower Rules·Compare Clifton to another location·View the New Jersey noise ordinances overview
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Leaf Blower Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Passaic County handle leaf blower rules.