Lehigh County, PA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)

Pennsylvania has no statewide noise decibel statute - the only state-level tool is the disorderly conduct statute, 18 Pa.C.S. §5503(a)(2), which makes it a summary offense to 'make unreasonable noise' with intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm, or recklessly creating that risk. Under the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (Act 247 of 1968, 53 P.S. §10101 et seq.) and the Borough Code, Township Code, and Third Class City Code, police-power regulation of noise is reserved to individual cities, boroughs, and townships. Lehigh County does not adopt or enforce its own noise ordinance for parcels inside any of its 25 municipalities. The City of Allentown's ordinance (Codified Ordinances Article 717, 'Noise Control') prohibits any noise that is 'plainly audible' at a distance of 50 feet from the source between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. (Sunday through Thursday) or 12:00 midnight to 7:00 a.m. (Friday and Saturday). The ordinance regulates amplified sound, motor vehicle noise, construction equipment, and animal noise. Construction work is generally limited to 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. weekdays and 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. weekends except for emergency utility work. Each of the other Lehigh County municipalities (Bethlehem, Emmaus, Macungie, Catasauqua, Coopersburg, Coplay, Fountain Hill, Slatington, Alburtis, and the surrounding townships including South Whitehall, Whitehall, Salisbury, Lower Macungie, Upper Macungie, Hanover, North Whitehall, Upper Saucon, Lower Milford, Lowhill, Lynn, Heidelberg, Washington, Weisenberg, and Upper Milford) enforces its own quiet-hours rule. Residents should call the local police department (or, in Allentown, 610-437-7751) for live noise complaints; chronic complaints can be referred to the municipal code enforcement office.