New Castle County, DE Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in New Castle County, DE, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Device quiet hours
- 9:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.
- Construction quiet hours
- 9 p.m.-7 a.m. weekdays
- Enforced by
- New Castle County Police Department
- First-offense fine
- $250 to $1,000
- Standard also allows
- 10 dBA over ambient, any time
Summary
Radios, TVs, stereos and similar sound devices can't be run loud enough to carry across a property line or through shared walls between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. under the County's noise-control ordinance.
Operating any such device, as listed in Subsection B.2.b.i between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and the following 8:00 a.m. in such a manner as to be: (a) Plainly audible through partitions common to two (2) parties within a building; or (b) Across real property boundaries as to create a noise disturbance.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 5).
Full Breakdown
New Castle County's noise ordinance bars operating radios, TVs, musical instruments, speakers or similar devices between 9:00 p.m. and the following 8:00 a.m. if the sound is plainly audible through shared partitions in a building or across the property line. The same Section sets separate nighttime cutoffs for other sources: motor vehicle repair/testing in residential districts (9 p.m.-8 a.m.), power tools and yard equipment outdoors in residential districts (9 p.m.-7 a.m.), loading/unloading in residential districts (10 p.m.-7 a.m.), and commercial construction equipment (9 p.m.-7 a.m. weekdays, later on weekends). The Police Department enforces it.
Violations & Fines
Misdemeanor: $250-$1,000 fine for a first offense, $500-$2,500 for a second, $1,000-$5,000 for each later offense; each day of continued violation is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do quiet hours start in New Castle County?
Does this apply inside Wilmington or Newark?
Can I be fined even without a noise meter reading?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Castle County
How New Castle County compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare New Castle County to another location·View the Delaware noise ordinances overview
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