Pierce County, WA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Pierce County, WA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- County code chapters
- PCC 8.76 and 8.72
- Nighttime window
- 10 p.m. - 7 a.m.
- Nighttime reduction
- Minus 10 dBA for Class A
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Pierce County
- Enforcement
- Sheriff / Noise Control Officer
Summary
In unincorporated Pierce County, the noise limits in Pierce County Code 8.76.060 are reduced by 10 dBA for residential (Class A) receiving property between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Chapter 8.72 PCC separately bans public disturbance noises at all hours. Incorporated cities (Tacoma, Lakewood, Puyallup) set their own quiet hours.
Between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., the noise limitations of the foregoing table shall be reduced by 10 dBA for receiving property within Class A EDNA's.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-515, and legislation passed through May 26, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Pierce County adopts Washington's environmental-noise framework (WAC 173-60, under the Noise Control Act, RCW 70.107) in PCC Chapter 8.76, which applies only to the unincorporated county (PCC 8.76.010). Daytime source-to-receiver limits run 55-70 dBA by zoning class (PCC 8.76.060.B.1). PCC 8.76.060.B.2 provides that between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. those limits are reduced by 10 dBA for Class A (residential) receiving property, dropping a neighbor's nighttime cap to about 45 dBA. Separately, Chapter 8.72 PCC bars 'public disturbance noises' (barking dogs, amplified music, band or tavern sound, yelling) at any hour when they unreasonably disturb nearby residents, plus nuisance noise affecting three or more households (PCC 8.72.100). Inside a city, that city's code governs, not the county's.
Violations & Fines
The Sheriff's Office enforces Chapter 8.72 disturbance noise, generally on a resident's complaint (PCC 8.72.120). The county Noise Control Officer enforces Chapter 8.76 decibel limits. Complaints usually start with a warning; documented repeats support citations and civil penalties.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are quiet hours in unincorporated Pierce County?
Do these hours apply inside Tacoma or Lakewood?
Who enforces noise complaints?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pierce County
How Pierce County compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Pierce County to another location·View the Washington noise ordinances overview
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