Delaware County, PA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Delaware County, PA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- County rule
- None; municipality sets it
- Municipalities in Delco
- 49
- Legal basis
- Local nuisance code + MPC
- Example ordinance
- Middletown Twp Ch. 155
- Typical fine
- Up to $600
Summary
Delaware County has no countywide quiet-hours law. Each of the 49 municipalities sets its own. Middletown Township, for example, bars unnecessary noise that disturbs neighbors at any hour and restricts loud activity overnight.
It is hereby declared to be a nuisance and it shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to make or cause... upon any premises owned, occupied or controlled by him or it... any unnecessary noises or sounds by means of the human voice or by any other means or methods which are physically annoying to the comfort of any person.
Full Breakdown
Pennsylvania counties do not regulate residential noise; that power sits with each borough, township, and city under the Municipalities Planning Code and local nuisance codes. So your quiet hours depend on where you live in Delco (Media, Radnor, Upper Darby, Chester, Middletown, etc.). Middletown Township's Chapter 155 declares unnecessary, harsh, or prolonged noise a nuisance regardless of clock time, and pins specific overnight limits (construction 9 p.m.-7 a.m.; landscaping after sunset) in Section 155-2. Check your own municipality's noise chapter for the exact protected hours.
Violations & Fines
In Middletown Township a noise violation carries a fine of up to $600 plus prosecution costs; unpaid, up to 30 days in county jail. Each violation is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Delaware County set quiet hours?
Are noisy neighbors a police matter?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Delaware County
How Delaware County compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Delaware County to another location·View the Pennsylvania noise ordinances overview
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