Quiet hours in Hackensack, NJ — also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time — define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Hackensack City Code Chapter 112 (Noise), adopted by Ordinance No. 07-2018 on April 10, 2018, restricts construction noise audible off-property to 7:00 AM-6:00 PM weekdays and 9:00 AM-6:00 PM Saturdays/federal holidays, with no construction Sundays. Domestic power tools and lawn equipment are limited to 8:00 AM-8:00 PM weekdays and 9:00 AM-8:00 PM weekends/holidays. Enforcement is by the Hackensack Health Department under the New Jersey Noise Control Act (N.J.A.C. 7:29).
Hackensack adopted Chapter 112 (Noise) by Ordinance No. 07-2018 on April 10, 2018, replacing earlier disturbing-the-peace provisions. The ordinance is structured around two enforcement pathways: time-of-day prohibitions on specific noise sources, and objective sound-level limits measured at the receiving property line using a sound level meter set for C-weighting and fast response, consistent with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection model ordinance under N.J.A.C. 7:29. Construction activity audible outside the source property is prohibited from 6:00 PM to 7:00 AM on weekdays, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 AM on Saturdays and federal holidays, and at any time on Sundays. Domestic power tools, lawn mowers, and agricultural or landscaping equipment audible off-property are prohibited from 8:00 PM to 8:00 AM weekdays and from 8:00 PM to 9:00 AM on weekends and federal holidays. The ordinance also contains a general nuisance prohibition against any loud and unnecessary noise that disturbs the public peace, quiet, or repose of the neighborhood. Hackensack participates in the NJDEP Noise Control Program, and the Health Department uses a graduated enforcement model: minor first violations typically receive a Notice of Violation with up to a 90-day cure period, while continuing or repeat violations are referred for formal enforcement and municipal court penalties. Chapter 114 (Nuisances) provides a parallel disturbing-the-peace pathway used by the Hackensack Police Department for after-hours response.
Minor first violations typically receive a Notice of Violation with up to a 90-day grace period. Continuing or repeat violations are referred to municipal court under Chapter 112 and Chapter 114; consult the Hackensack Health Department for current penalty schedules.
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