Everett, WA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Everett, WA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Weekday curfew
- 10 p.m.-7 a.m.
- Weekend curfew
- 10 p.m.-9 a.m.
- Reduction
- 10 dB(A) off standard limit
- Applies to
- District I (residential) receiving property
Summary
Everett cuts its noise limits by 10 dB(A) for sound reaching residential District I properties between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. on weekdays and 10 p.m. and 9 a.m. on weekends, under Everett Municipal Code § 20.08.040(B)(1).
Between the hours of ten p.m. and seven a.m. during weekdays, and between the hours of ten p.m. and nine a.m. on weekends, the levels established in this section are reduced by ten dB(A) where the receiving property lies within District I of the city of Everett.
2. At any hour of the day or night, for any source of sound which is an impulse sound, the levels established by this chapter are increased by:
a. Five dB(A) for a total of fifteen minutes in any one-hour period; or
b. Ten dB(A) for a total of five minutes in any one-hour period; or
c. Fifteen dB(A) for a total of one and one-half minutes in any one-hour period.
C. Noise Levels Based on Leq. The exterior noise level limits are based on the Leq, as defined in EMC 20.08.020, during the measurement interval, using a minimum interval of one minute for a constant sound source, or a one-hour measurement for a noncontinuous sound source. The standard of measurement shall be a one-hour Leq. Leq may be measured for times not less than one minute to project an hourly Leq.
D. Split District Properties. Where a receiving property lies within more than one district, the most restrictive maximum permissible noise level shall apply to the receiving property.
E. Violation, Enforcement; Habitual Violators.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4194-26, passed July 29, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Everett Municipal Code § 20.08.040(B)(1) reduces the district noise-level table by 10 dB(A) 'between the hours of ten p.m. and seven a.m. during weekdays, and between the hours of ten p.m. and nine a.m. on weekends,' but only 'where the receiving property lies within District I'. Everett's residential zones (NR-C, NR, UR4, UR7, P-OS). So a District II or III source that's allowed 57-70 dB(A) by day drops to 47-60 dB(A) overnight when it reaches a residential receiving property. Separately, § 20.08.110 exempts certain daytime work (construction, utility repair, blasting) only during set daytime hours, tightening further at night near District I.
Violations & Fines
Nighttime sound exceeding the reduced dB(A) cap near District I properties is enforced the same as any § 20.08.040 violation: certified meter reading, Chapter 1.20 EMC process, misdemeanor for habitual violators.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Everett's quiet hours?
How much quieter must sources be at night?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Everett
How Everett compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Everett to another location·View the Washington noise ordinances overview
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Quiet Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Snohomish County handle quiet hours.