Fitchburg, MA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Fitchburg, MA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Quiet Hours
- 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Night Limit
- 50 dBA
- Day Limit
- 70 dBA
- Construction Cutoff
- 6 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- First-Offense Fine
- $50
Summary
Fitchburg Code Ch. 132, Article VI (Noise Control) sets nighttime quiet hours from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. with a 50 dBA cap; daytime limit is 70 dBA. Construction is restricted from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. (50 dBA at residential lot lines). State 310 CMR 7.10 also applies.
d prohibition or regulation is given by the use of portable or permanent signs.
(22) For controlling and abating noise from whatever source, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the right to restrict or limit the use of automobile horns and the operation of motor vehicles in such a manner as to cause excessive noise.
(23) For requiring that designated parking spaces for vehicles either owned and operated by disabled veterans or by handicapped persons and bearing the distinctive number plates authorized by section two of chapter ninety, or for vehicles transporting handicapped persons and displaying the special parking identification plate authorized by said section two of said chapter ninety, or for vehicles bearing the official identification of a handicapped perso
Full Breakdown
Article VI of Chapter 132 (Peace and Good Order) prohibits unreasonable or excessive noise that disturbs the peace, including radios, phonographs, sound-producing devices, or instruments. Numeric standard: noise above 50 dBA between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., or above 70 dBA at all other hours, is deemed excessive. Construction equipment, trucks, and machines may not emit noise above 50 dBA measured at the residential lot line between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Massachusetts DEP regulation 310 CMR 7.10 separately bars noise that exceeds background by 10 dBA or causes a pure tone.
Violations & Fines
First offense: $50 fine under Ch. 132 Art. VI. Repeat violations escalate. Fitchburg Police (978-345-4355) enforces; chronic disturbances may also draw 310 CMR 7.10 action by MassDEP.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fitchburg
How Fitchburg compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Fitchburg to another location·View the Massachusetts noise ordinances overview
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Quiet Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle quiet hours.