Island County, WA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Island County, WA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Curfew window
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Governing section
- Island County Code § 9.60.030(A)(4)
- 1st offense
- Class 4, $25.00
- 2nd offense
- Class 2, $125.00
- 3rd offense
- Misdemeanor, up to $1,000/90 days
- Meter required?
- No, per § 9.60.040(B)
Summary
Island County Code § 9.60.030 bans several categories of noise between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. in unincorporated areas whenever they unreasonably disturb a neighbor's peace, comfort, or repose, including frequent shouting, yelling, or singing outdoors during those hours.
9.60.030 - Public disturbance noises. A.It is unlawful for any person to cause, or for any person in possession of property to allow to originate from the property, sound that is a public disturbance which unreasonably disturbs or interferes with the peace, comfort and repose of property owners or possessors. The following sources of sound when they unreasonably disturb or interfere with the peace, comfort and repose of property owners or possessors shall be prohibited public disturbance noises: ... 4.Frequent, repetitive or continuous yelling, shouting, hooting, whistling or singing, between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.;
Full Breakdown
010 declares county policy 'to minimize the exposure of citizens to the harmful nuisance, physiological, and psychological effects of excessive noise' while still promoting commerce and property use. window governs motor vehicle horns/sirens under (A)(2) and engine noise under (A)(3). 040(B) states 'evidence of a sound level through use of a sound-level meter reading shall not be necessary to establish the commission of the offense,' so a neighbor's credible complaint of unreasonable disturbance can support a citation on its own. 00 plus assessments; a third or subsequent violation within a year is a criminal misdemeanor, punishable by up to $1,000 and 90 days in jail. 80 RCW. ) home repair, construction, and blasting noise.
Violations & Fines
A first nighttime public-disturbance noise violation under § 9.60.030 within a year is a Class 4 civil infraction with a $25.00 penalty plus statutory assessments; a second within a year is a Class 2 civil infraction at $125.00; a third or later within the same year is a criminal misdemeanor under § 9.60.040(A), carrying up to $1,000 in fines, 90 days in jail, or both. The Island County Sheriff's Office enforces the chapter, and a sound-meter reading is not required to prove the offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a nighttime quiet-hours rule in unincorporated Island County?
Do I need a decibel reading to report a noise violation?
What is the penalty for violating Island County's quiet hours?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Island County
How Island County compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Island County to another location·View the Washington noise ordinances overview
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