Bergenfield, NJ Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Bergenfield, NJ, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Quiet hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.
- Governing section
- § 215-8B, radios and similar devices
- Devices covered
- Radio, TV, phonograph, musical instrument, drum
- Vehicle/boat test
- Plainly audible at 50 feet
- First offense
- Up to $200 fine or 30 days
- Enforcing agency
- Bergenfield Police Department
Summary
Bergenfield's general nighttime quiet hours run from 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., during which no radio, television, phonograph or similar device may be operated plainly audible across a property line, through a shared wall, or 50 feet from a vehicle or motorboat. Section 215-8B applies whether the device is stationary, portable or in a vehicle.
(2) Operating any such device, between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. the following day, in such a manner as to be plainly audible across real property boundaries or through partitions common to two parties within a building or plainly audible at 50 feet from such device when operated within a motor vehicle parked on a public right-of-way or on a public space or within a motorboat. The foregoing shall apply whether the radio, television receiving set, musical instrument, phonograph or other machine or device used for the production or reproduction or sound is stationary, portable, or in a motor vehicle which shall disturb persons in the vicinity.
Full Breakdown
Section 215-8B of the noise chapter sets Bergenfield's core nighttime quiet-hours rule for household sound-producing devices. It first bars operating any radio, musical instrument, television, phonograph, drum or similar device at any time in a manner and volume that causes a 'noise disturbance,' the § 215-3 standard for sound that disturbs a reasonable person's comfort, repose or peace. the following day, operating such a device is a violation if it is 'plainly audible' across real property boundaries, through partitions common to two parties within a building, or at 50 feet from the device when it is operated inside a motor vehicle parked on a public right-of-way, public space, or within a motorboat.
' This is the chapter's broadest nighttime curfew, distinct from the narrower exterior-loudspeaker rule in § 215-8C, and it is enforced by the Police Department under § 215-4, with a 24-hour written abatement notice available under § 215-5 before a summons issues.
Violations & Fines
A first violation of § 215-8B carries a fine of up to $200, up to 30 days in the county jail, or both, under § 215-10A, with each night of continuing noise charged as a separate offense. A second violation within six months brings a fine of $200 to $500, up to 90 days in jail, or both, under § 215-10B, and the source may additionally be abated as a public nuisance under § 215-11.
Frequently Asked Questions
How late can I play music or TV loudly in Bergenfield?
Does the quiet-hours rule apply inside an apartment building?
What's the penalty for a noisy stereo after 10 p.m. in Bergenfield?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bergenfield
How Bergenfield compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Bergenfield to another location·View the New Jersey noise ordinances overview
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