Framingham, MA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Framingham, MA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Weeknight quiet hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., Sun-Thu
- Weekend quiet hours
- 11:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., Fri-Sat
- Enforcing agency
- Framingham Police Department
- Second violation fine
- $100 within 12 months
- Third+ violation fine
- $300 within 12 months
- Appeal window
- 30 days to City hearing officer
Summary
In the City of Framingham, Chapter 332 bars nuisance noise, including loud music, radios, automobile sound systems, shouting and public address systems, from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. A first violation draws a written warning; repeat offenses bring civil fines.
It is prohibited for persons or equipment to generate the following nuisance noises during the hours of 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., Sunday through Thursday, and 11:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday: ... The use of loud music, radios, automobile sound systems (i.e., radios), public address systems, shouting, or other noises associated with communications or advertisement that have the potential to disturb receiving party or parties.
Full Breakdown
Section 332-4 of the Framingham City Code lists specific nuisance noises banned during nighttime hours: 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Banned sources include loud music, radios and automobile sound systems audible across a property line, unpermitted loudspeakers, peddler outcry, loud instruments, false vehicle alarms, dumpster emptying, homeowner's light residential outdoor equipment such as lawn mowers and leaf blowers, noisy pets, and handling of boxes or containers that causes noise pollution across a residential boundary.
Bars and clubs holding an entertainment license get a one-hour extension to midnight on Friday and Saturday. Under Section 332-8, a Framingham police officer must personally hear the noise and weigh extenuating circumstances before finding a violation; time of day itself is never treated as extenuating. Section 332-11 lets any resident or business owner file a complaint, which the Framingham Police Department investigates and documents in a written report. Section 332-10 exempts grandfathered noise sources predating the 2019 ordinance, transportation systems, emergency utility repairs, public safety vehicles, permitted public entertainment such as parades and concerts, and municipal snow and street-sweeping operations. Chapter 332 was adopted October 29, 2019, by Ordinance No. 2019-036-001, and amended April 30, 2024.
Violations & Fines
A first violation brings only a written warning with a compliance deadline set by the investigating officer. A second violation of the same noise issue within twelve months costs $100; each further violation within that twelve-month window costs $300. Noise that continues, or recurs more than an hour after notice, is charged as a separate offense. If the violation occurs on rental property, the City notifies the owner of record in writing.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Framingham
How Framingham compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Framingham to another location·View the Massachusetts noise ordinances overview
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