Kent County, DE Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Kent County, DE, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Standard curfew
- 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- First offense fine
- $30 (§161-3A(1))
- Fifth+ offense fine
- $1,000-$10,000 (§161-3A(5))
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Kent County only
- Enforced by
- Any law enforcement agency with jurisdiction
- Exempt
- Farm machinery, emergency vehicles, religious bells
Summary
Kent County bans yelling, shouting, hooting, whistling or otherwise creating a racket on public streets between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. under § 161-2B(9), one of several activity-specific overnight curfews in Chapter 161. The same window also limits construction, loading, power tools and vehicle repair noise, backed by a rising fine schedule for repeat offenses.
Yelling, shouting, hooting, whistling, etc. Yelling, shouting, hooting, whistling or generally creating a racket on public streets between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following day so as to be plainly audible at the nearest property line or to a bystander or create a noise disturbance.
Full Breakdown
Kent County's noise ordinance opens with a general prohibition in § 161-2A against causing 'any noise disturbance' anywhere in the unincorporated county, then layers on specific overnight curfews rather than one blanket quiet-hours clock. if it is plainly audible at the nearest property line or to a bystander. in a manner that creates a disturbance; § 161-2B(10) bars power saws, sanders, drills, grinders and garden equipment operated outdoors in residential districts during the same hours; and § 161-2B(1)(a) bars repairing, rebuilding, testing, racing or gunning a motor vehicle in a residential district during those hours. m. Temporary activities can also get a waiver from the Division of Inspections and Enforcement under § 161-4A(5).
Violations & Fines
Violating any of Chapter 161's curfew provisions is enforced under § 161-3's rising fine schedule: $30 for a first offense, $100 for a second, $250 for a third, $500 for a fourth, and not less than $1,000 nor more than $10,000 for a fifth or subsequent offense, with each day of a continuing violation counted separately. Any law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the site may enforce the chapter, and requesting a waiver in advance does not excuse a violation if none is granted.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Kent County's quiet hours?
Do Kent County's noise curfews apply inside Dover?
Is there a fine for violating Kent County's nighttime noise rules?
Are farmers exempt from Kent County's noise curfew?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kent County
How Kent County compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Kent County to another location·View the Delaware noise ordinances overview
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