Atlantic County, NJ Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Atlantic County, NJ, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Night limit
- 50 dBA, 10 p.m.-7 a.m.
- Day limit
- 65 dBA, 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
- Governing rule
- N.J.A.C. 7:29-1.2
- Enforcement
- Municipal noise officer, police
Summary
New Jersey's state noise code, N.J.A.C. 7:29-1.2, caps nighttime sound at 50 dBA at any residential property line from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Every Atlantic County municipality enforces this floor and shore towns set stricter local hours.
No person shall cause, suffer, allow, or permit sound from any industrial, commercial, or community service facility that, when measured at any residential property line of any affected person, is in excess of any of the following: ... Continuous airborne sound which has a sound level in excess of 65 dBA [7:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M.]; ... Continuous airborne sound which has a sound level in excess of 50 dBA [10:00 P.M. to 7:00 A.M.].
Full Breakdown
Quiet hours across Atlantic County rest on the state noise code, N.J.A.C. 7:29, which New Jersey adopts statewide and lets each town make stricter, never weaker. The code fixes 65 dBA by day and 50 dBA overnight, measured at a residential property line. Atlantic City, Brigantine, Ventnor, Margate, and Galloway adopt the code and add their own nighttime limits on hammering, engines, and boardwalk-area parties. Certified municipal noise officers take readings, and police cite unreasonable racket as disorderly conduct under N.J.S.A. 2C:33-2. The county itself sets no quiet hours; enforcement runs through each municipality.
Violations & Fines
A municipal noise-ordinance violation draws fines set by local court, and disorderly conduct under N.J.S.A. 2C:33-2 is a petty disorderly persons offense carrying up to $500 and 30 days in jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are quiet hours in Atlantic County?
Does Atlantic County set noise rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Atlantic County
How Atlantic County compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Atlantic County to another location·View the New Jersey noise ordinances overview
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