Hoboken, NJ Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Hoboken, NJ, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Weeknight cap
- 3 dB(C) increase, 10 p.m.-7 a.m.
- Weekend night cap
- 6 dB(C) increase, 11 p.m.-9 a.m.
- Measurement point
- Inside complainant's residence
- Meter setting
- C-weighting, fast response
- Maximum civil penalty
- $2,000 per offense per day
Summary
Hoboken's general noise ordinance tightens at night: any sound production device that raises total sound above the neighborhood residual level inside a complainant's home is capped at a 3 dB(C) increase on weeknights from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., widening only to 6 dB(C) on weekend nights, under City Code § 133-8.
No person shall cause, suffer, allow or permit the operation of any sound production device in such a manner that the sound crosses a property line and raises the total sound levels above the neighborhood residual sound level by more than the permissible sound level limits set forth in Table IV when measured within the residence of a complainant according to the measurement protocol in § 133-6B of this chapter. ... Table IV Maximum Permissible Increase in Total Sound Levels Within A Residential Property Weeknights 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Weekend nights 11:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. ... 3 dB(C) 6 dB(C)
Full Breakdown
Section 133-8 sets the citywide baseline: no person may operate a sound production device so that the resulting sound crosses a property line and raises total sound levels above the neighborhood residual sound level by more than the increase set in Table IV, measured with a sound level meter inside the complainant's residence, C-weighted, fast response. Table IV sets that permissible increase at 3 dB(C) during weeknights, 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., and 6 dB(C) during weekend nights, 11:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m., tighter than the flat decibel ceilings that apply the rest of the day under Tables I, II and III.
This is Hoboken's general nighttime curfew: it applies across residential, commercial, industrial and multiuse properties alike, layered on top of activity-specific curfews such as the 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. yard equipment ban and the 6:00 p.m. construction cutoff found elsewhere in the same chapter. Measurements are taken according to the protocol in § 133-6B, and readings must hold steady within plus or minus two dB in the bands containing the principal source frequencies or the measurement is discarded.
Violations & Fines
A nighttime sound-level violation carries the same civil penalty structure as the rest of Chapter 133: up to $2,000 per offense under § 133-11B, with a continuing violation counted as a separate offense each day it persists. A repeat violation within 12 months results in a notice of penalty assessment even if the source is quieted immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a general quiet-hours rule in Hoboken, not just for construction or yard tools?
Are weekend nights treated differently?
Where is the noise measured?
What is the fine for exceeding the nighttime limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hoboken
How Hoboken compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Hoboken to another location·View the New Jersey noise ordinances overview
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Quiet Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle quiet hours.