Bellevue, WA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Bellevue, WA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Weekday quiet hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Weekend quiet hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.
- Nighttime dBA reduction
- 10 dBA lower, Class A EDNA
- Noise disturbance fine
- $250.00 civil infraction
- Enforcement
- Bellevue police / development services director
Summary
Bellevue's noise code sets quiet hours of 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. on weekdays and 10:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. on weekends for residential (Class A EDNA) properties, when routine daytime noise exemptions stop applying and nighttime sound limits tighten under BCC Chapter 9.18.
The following sounds, except as provided below, are exempt from the provisions of this chapter at all times if the receiving property is in Class B and Class C EDNAs, and only between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. on weekdays and 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. on weekends if the receiving property is located in a Class A EDNA:
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 6929, passed July 14, 2026).
Full Breakdown
on weekends. Outside those windows, meaning overnight, the exemptions fall away and the sounds are governed by the chapter's general noise-disturbance and maximum permissible sound level rules. for any property receiving noise in a Class A (residential) EDNA, on top of the daytime limit. The development services director administers the chapter and the Bellevue police department enforces the disturbance and quiet-zone provisions, while the director enforces the numeric sound-level and development-restriction provisions. A person responsible for a violation, defined broadly to include owners, tenants and other persons entitled to control or occupy the property, bears responsibility even if they did not personally cause the noise.
Violations & Fines
Violating BCC 9.18.040 (noise disturbances) is a civil noise infraction under Chapter 7.80 RCW carrying a $250.00 monetary penalty per citation. Violating the numeric limits in BCC 9.18.030, including the nighttime 10 dBA reduction, is a civil violation under Chapter 1.18 BCC, which can carry a monetary penalty and required abatement. Any chapter violation can also be prosecuted as a misdemeanor under BCC 9.18.050(D).
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do quiet hours start in Bellevue?
Does the noise limit change at night in Bellevue?
Who enforces Bellevue's quiet hours?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bellevue
How Bellevue compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Bellevue to another location·View the Washington noise ordinances overview
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Quiet Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle quiet hours.