Quiet hours in Snohomish County, WA — also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time — define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
In unincorporated Snohomish County, nighttime is 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. weekdays (to 9:00 a.m. weekends). During night, the maximum permissible sound levels received in rural or residential districts drop by 10 dB(A), so a 55 dB(A) daytime limit becomes 45 dB(A).
SCC 10.01.030 sets district-based dB(A) limits measured at the receiving property line. At night, those limits fall by 10 dB(A) for rural/residential receiving property, and periodic, pure-tone or impulsive sounds drop an additional 5 dB(A). SCC 10.01.040(2) separately makes many activities (power tools, construction, loud music, idling heavy trucks) automatic 'public disturbance noises' at night in rural or residential districts, regardless of measured decibels. City of Snohomish and other incorporated towns set their own rules; this covers unincorporated county land only.
Quantitative violations are a civil infraction under Chapter 7.80 RCW: $100 penalty (noncommercial) or $250 (commercial), doubled for repeat like violations within three years. Public-disturbance noise is enforced by the Sheriff.
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