Gresham, OR Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Gresham, OR, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Curfew hours
- 10 p.m.-7 a.m.
- Test
- Plainly audible, no meter needed
- Right-of-way distance
- 50 feet
- Max fine
- $1,000
Summary
Beyond its decibel meter test, Gresham separately bans any sound that's simply 'plainly audible' inside a neighbor's home or 50 feet into the public right-of-way between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.
(2) Is plainly audible at any time between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following day:
(a) within a noise sensitive unit that is not the source of the sound; or
(b) on a public right-of-way at a distance of at least 50 feet from the source of the sound.
(3) Wind Energy Systems.
(a) In addition to the applicable provisions of the Noise Control Code, the applicable limits specified in ORS Chapter 467and OAR Chapter 340, Division 35are hereby adopted as part of the Noise Control Code for all residential, commercial and industrial wind energy systems, and shall only apply to wind energy systems, and no other sound producing sources. GRC 7.20.040(1) and (2) shall not apply to wind energy systems.
(b) A wind energy system shall not produce vibration levels that exceed the
(7) 29
GRESHAM REVISED CODE
criteria described below when measured at the property line of a property containing a vibration sensitive unit. The measurement will be taken at the vibration sensitive unit property line closest to the wind energy system. The vibration criteria are chosen based on the vibration sensitivity category of the most sensitive category on the property receiving the vibration. All vibration limits are presented in terms of overall root mean square (rms) velocity in VdB (decibels relative to one micro-inch per second). The vibration criteria for the various vibration sensitive units are:
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
GRC 7.20.040(2) adds an audibility-based curfew on top of the dBA limits: between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., no sound producing source may be 'plainly audible', meaning unambiguously communicated speech, music, or mechanical noise, inside a noise-sensitive unit that isn't the source, or on a public right-of-way 50 feet or more from the source. No meter reading is required to enforce it; audibility alone is the test.
Violations & Fines
Plainly audible sound during the 10 p.m.-7 a.m. curfew is a violation subject to a fine up to $1,000 under GRC 7.20.040(4).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a decibel meter to prove a noise violation at night?
What counts as plainly audible?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Gresham
How Gresham compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Gresham to another location·View the Oregon noise ordinances overview
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Quiet Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Multnomah County handle quiet hours.