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Durham, NC Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Quiet hours in Durham, NC, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.

Key Facts

Radio/instrument curfew
11:00 p.m.–7:00 a.m.
Nighttime decibel cap
50 dB(A), 11 p.m.–8 a.m.
Daytime/evening cap
60 dB(A), 8 a.m.–11 p.m.
Violation classification
Misdemeanor, § 26-23(f)
Governing chapter
City Code Ch. 26, Art. II
Measurement point
Property line beyond the source

Summary

Between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Durham bans radios, phonographs and musical instruments played loud enough to disturb a dwelling or hotel, and City Code § 26-23(d)(2) separately caps amplified nighttime sound at 50 dB(A) measured at the property line. Either violation is a misdemeanor under Chapter 26, Article II.

(2)The playing of any radio, phonograph or any musical instrument in such a manner or with such volume, particularly during the hours between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., as to annoy or disturb the quiet, comfort or repose of persons in any dwelling, hotel or other type of residence. ... (2)No nighttime (11:00 p.m.—08:00 a.m.) sound level shall exceed 50 dB(A); (3)No daytime or evening (after 8:00 a.m.—before 11:00 p.m.) sound level shall exceed 60 dB(A); and

Source: Durham Code of Ordinances Ch. 26, Art. II - NoiseView official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 36).

Full Breakdown

" that annoy or disturb a dwelling, hotel or residence. m. m. " Section 26-25 further clarifies that religious-facility chimes are not barred by §§ 26-23 or 26-24.

Violations & Fines

Violating either the 11:00 p.m.–7:00 a.m. radio/instrument curfew in § 26-23(b)(2) or the 50 dB(A) nighttime ceiling in § 26-23(d)(2) is a misdemeanor under § 26-23(f). Durham police typically respond to a specific complaint and can measure sound level at the property line beyond which it emanates; courts also weigh the § 26-23(a)(2) factors, time of day, proximity to residences, recurrence, and volume, when a case is contested.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time do quiet hours start in Durham?
City Code § 26-23(b)(2) restricts radios, phonographs and musical instruments played loudly enough to disturb a dwelling, hotel or residence between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. A separate objective standard in § 26-23(d)(2) caps amplified nighttime sound at 50 dB(A) measured at the property line between 11:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., so the two curfews run on slightly different clocks.
Is Durham's noise ordinance based on complaints or a decibel meter?
Both. Section 26-23(a)-(b) prohibits "unreasonably loud and disturbing" noise judged by factors like time of day and proximity to homes, while subsection (d) adds an objective sound-level ceiling, 50 dB(A) at night and 60 dB(A) by day, measured at the property boundary with an ANSI-specification sound level meter using "A" weighting.
What happens if I'm cited for violating Durham's quiet hours?
Section 26-23(f) makes violation a misdemeanor "in addition to any other remedy available in the Code." Durham police can respond to a noise complaint, and prosecution proceeds through the criminal courts rather than a civil citation process, unlike the city's separate smoking ordinance, which uses civil penalties instead.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Durham

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All Durham rules

How Durham compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Durham to another location·View the North Carolina noise ordinances overview

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