Quiet hours in Kent, WA — also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time — define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Kent enforces nighttime noise limits under KCC 8.05 and WAC 173-60. Residential receiving-property limit drops from 55 dBA daytime to 45 dBA from 10 PM to 7 AM. Audible disturbances across property lines are a nuisance.
Kent City Code Chapter 8.05 (Noise Control) adopts the Washington State Maximum Environmental Noise Levels of WAC 173-60 as the baseline standard. Kent assigns each parcel an Environmental Designation for Noise Abatement (EDNA) based on zoning. For sound received in a residential EDNA from another residential source, the maximum permissible level is 55 dBA during the day (7 AM to 10 PM) and 45 dBA at night (10 PM to 7 AM). Commercial sources received in residential areas may not exceed 57 dBA day and 47 dBA night, and industrial sources may not exceed 60 dBA day and 50 dBA night. Short-duration exceedances are allowed: the limit may be exceeded by 5 dBA for 15 minutes, 10 dBA for 5 minutes, and 15 dBA for 1.5 minutes in any one-hour period. Kent Police handle after-hours complaints through the non-emergency line at (253) 852-2121.
Noise complaints are typically handled as civil infractions with escalating fines. Chronic or egregious disturbances can be referred for misdemeanor prosecution under KCC 8.05.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in King County.
See how other cities in King County handle quiet hours.
See how Kent's quiet hours rules stack up against other locations.
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