Frederick County, VA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Frederick County, VA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Hours covered
- 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. daily
- Districts covered
- RP, R4, R5, MH1 only
- Prior-notice rule
- Officer warning required before citation
- Enforcement
- Sheriff of Frederick County or designee
- Penalty
- $100 first offense, $1,000 repeat
Summary
Frederick County's noise ordinance applies only from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. each day, and only to noise coming from property in the county's residential-type zoning districts, outside Winchester, Stephens City and Middletown.
This chapter shall be applicable from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., inclusive, each day, to noise emanating from property located within the following zoning districts as indicated on the Frederick County Zoning Map: RP Residential Performance District R4 Residential Planned Community District R5 Residential Recreational Community District MH1 Mobile Home Community District
Full Breakdown
Chapter 118 of the Frederick County Code, adopted May 12, 1993, declares excessive noise a threat to the health, safety, welfare and quality of life of residents and directs the county to reduce and, where possible, eliminate unnecessary, excessive, harmful and annoying noise from all sources. , inclusive, each day, and only for noise coming from property located in four zoning districts shown on the county zoning map: the RP Residential Performance District, the R4 Residential Planned Community District, the R5 Residential Recreational Community District, and the MH1 Mobile Home Community District.
window even within those residential districts, falls outside the chapter's reach. C requires that a Frederick County law enforcement officer first give verbal, electronic, or written notice that the person is violating or has violated the chapter, and the person must have had an opportunity to abate the disturbance afterward; a citation cannot issue on a first unwarned encounter. The Sheriff of Frederick County or a designee enforces the chapter under § 118-2.
Violations & Fines
A violation of the quiet-hours rule is punishable under § 118-3 by a fine of not more than $100 for a first offense and not more than $1,000 for each subsequent offense, with every occurrence counted as a separate offense. No citation issues, however, until the violator has first received notice from a law enforcement officer under § 118-1.C and had a chance to abate the noise, so an unwarned first complaint cannot itself be fined.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hours does Frederick County's noise ordinance apply during?
Can I be cited the first time someone complains about noise at night?
What is the fine for a nighttime noise violation in Frederick County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Frederick County
How Frederick County compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Frederick County to another location·View the Virginia noise ordinances overview
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