Jersey City, NJ Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Jersey City, NJ, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Nighttime window
- 10:00 p.m.–7:00 a.m.
- Outdoor residential nighttime cap
- 50 dB (vs. 65 dB daytime)
- Indoor residential nighttime cap
- 40 dB (vs. 55 dB daytime)
- Portable sound device nighttime distance
- 25 feet (vs. 50 ft daytime)
- Governing sections
- Code §§ 222-5.2, 222-5.4.G
Summary
Jersey City's noise code drops the allowable ambient sound level at residential property from 65 dB to 50 dB outdoors, and 55 dB to 40 dB indoors, at 10:00 p.m. under Table I and Table II of Section 222-5.2, running until 7:00 a.m. That nighttime step-down, not a single named curfew section, is Jersey City's quiet-hours rule.
No person shall cause or permit the operation of any source of sound on any source property listed in 223-A above in such a manner as to create a sound level that equals or exceeds the sound level limits in Tables I, II or III when measured at or within the real property line of any of the receiving properties listed in Tables I, II or III except as specified in 222-6B. ... Table I Maximum Permissible A-Weighted Sound Levels When Measured Outdoors Receiving Property Category Residential Property, or Residential Portion of a Multi-Use Property Commercial Facility, Public Service Facility, Nonresidential Portion of a Multi-Use Property, or Community Service Facility Time 7:00 a.m.—10:00 p.m. 10:00 p.m.—7:00 a.m. 24 hours Maximum A-weighted sound level standard, dB 65 50 65 ... Table II Maximum Permissible A-Weighted Sound Levels When Measured Indoors ... Time 7:00 a.m.—10:00 p.m. 10:00 p.m.—7:00 a.m. 24 hours Maximum A-weighted sound level standard, dB 55 40 55 ... Self-contained, portable, non-vehicular music or sound production devices shall not be operated on a public space or public right-of-way in such a manner as to be plainly audible at a distance of 50 feet in any direction from the operator between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., sound ... shall not be plainly audible at a distance of 25 feet in any direction from the operator.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 52).
Full Breakdown
Jersey City does not have one freestanding 'quiet hours' section; instead Section 222-5.2's Tables I and II build the nighttime curfew directly into the numeric sound limits. Table I (outdoor) permits up to 65 dB at a residential receiving property from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., dropping to 50 dB from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Table II (indoor, when source and receptor share a wall/floor/ceiling or parcel) permits 55 dB daytime, dropping to 40 dB overnight on the same 10:00 p.m.-to-7:00 a.m. clock. The same 10:00 p.m. pivot recurs throughout Section 222-5.4's activity-specific rules: portable non-vehicular sound devices in public space must not be audible beyond 25 feet after 10:00 p.m. (versus 50 feet by day) under Section 222-5.4.G, and personal or commercial vehicle sound systems face the same 25-foot nighttime cutback under Section 222-5.5.C.
Burglar alarms (Section 222-5.4.F) must self-terminate within five minutes of continuous sound or fifteen minutes of intermittent sound at any hour. Enforcement runs through noise control officers and investigators under Section 222-5, with a notice of violation for minor infractions and a notice of penalty assessment carrying a civil fine up to $2,000 per offense for non-minor or repeat violations under Section 222-5.6.B.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the nighttime 50 dB outdoor / 40 dB indoor residential limits, or violating the tighter 10 p.m.-to-7 a.m. audibility distances for portable and vehicle sound equipment, draws a notice of violation (minor, with up to 90 days to voluntarily correct) or a notice of penalty assessment with a civil fine up to $2,000 per offense under Section 222-5.6.B, each additional day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Jersey City have set quiet hours?
How much quieter must portable speakers be at night in Jersey City?
What is the penalty for violating nighttime noise limits?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jersey City
Compare Jersey City to another location·View the New Jersey noise ordinances overview
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