Quiet hours in Benton County, WA — also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time — define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Unincorporated Benton County treats excessive noise as a public nuisance under BCC 6A.15, backed by Washington's WAC 173-60 environmental limits: 55 dBA daytime and 45 dBA between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. for residential property.
The state Noise Control Act (RCW 70A.20) and WAC 173-60 set the enforceable ceiling across unincorporated Benton County, from Prosser's rural outskirts to Red Mountain, Finley, and Badger Canyon. Class A residential receiving property may not take in noise above 55 dBA by day; that drops 10 dBA to 45 dBA from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Benton County Code Chapter 6A.15 layers a local public-nuisance noise standard on top and exempts unamplified human voices only between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. The Sheriff's Office responds to complaints. Kennewick, Richland, West Richland, and Prosser enforce their own municipal noise codes inside city limits.
Noise complaints go to the Benton County Sheriff. Violations of BCC 6A.15 are enforced as a civil public nuisance subject to abatement, and can escalate to criminal misdemeanor penalties for repeat offenders.
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See how Benton County's quiet hours rules stack up against other locations.
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