Allentown, PA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Allentown, PA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Code Section
- Allentown Art. 710.06 (Chapter 400)
- Residential night limit (10 PM-7 AM)
- 52 dBA
- Residential day limit (7 AM-10 PM)
- 57 dBA
- Tonal/impulsive correction
- Limits reduced 5 dB(A)
- State backstop
- 18 Pa.C.S. section 5503 (unreasonable noise)
Summary
Allentown does not use a single blanket curfew; instead Article 710 (Chapter 400, Noise Control) sets maximum permissible dBA sound levels by receiving land use, with sharply lower limits between 10:00 P.M. and 7:00 A.M. Residential zones drop to 52 dBA at night, and exceeding the table is a noise disturbance.
A. Maximum permissible sound levels by receiving land use. Unless a variance is obtained pursuant to § 400-5B, no person shall operate or cause to be operated on public or private property any source of sound in such a manner as to create a sound level which exceeds the limits set forth in the receiving land use category in Table 1 when measured at or within the property boundary of the receiving land use. Any noise source that produces sound in excess of those levels shall constitute a noise disturbance.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4995055; v49 updated 2026-06-26; through 06-26-2026).
Full Breakdown
06 (codified as Chapter 400, Noise Control; Ordinance No. 13078, passed 9/18/1991, as amended). : residential zones are limited to 52 dBA at night, with parks/institutional and business/industrial categories at 62 dBA at night. 06(C) reduces every limit by 5 dB(A) for pure-tone or impulsive sound. window. section 5503) independently criminalizes 'unreasonable noise' as disorderly conduct at any hour.
Violations & Fines
Each violation may draw a $100 violation ticket (Article 710.99(A)(7)); on summary conviction the fine is $100 to $1,000 per offense and/or up to 90 days imprisonment (710.99(A)(9)). Each day a violation continues may be a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Allentown have fixed quiet hours?
What counts as a violation at night?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Allentown
How Allentown compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Allentown to another location·View the Pennsylvania noise ordinances overview
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