Lafayette Parish, LA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Lafayette Parish, LA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Residential curfew
- 10 p.m.–7 a.m., power tools/yard equipment
- Night sound limit
- 50 dB(A) residential
- Day sound limit
- 60 dB(A) residential
- Portable music at night
- not audible past 50 feet
- Minimum fine
- $150 per violation
Summary
Lafayette City-Parish bans power tools and yard equipment on residential property from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., and drops the ambient sound cap from 60 to 50 dB(A) in residential areas overnight, citywide and parish-wide.
Power tools and landscaping and yard maintenance equipment shall not be operated on residential property between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.. All motorized equipment used in these activities shall be operated with a muffler.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 65).
Full Breakdown
Lafayette City-Parish's noise control code (Chapter 34, Article IV) sets a hard 10 p.m.-to-7 a.m. curfew on residential power tools and yard maintenance equipment, plus tighter limits after dark: the maximum ambient sound level in residential areas drops from 60 dB(A) by day to 50 dB(A) at night, and hand-held music or sound devices on public space or right-of-way can't be plainly audible past 50 feet overnight versus 100 feet in daytime. The code defines "Lafayette" as both the City of Lafayette and the unincorporated parish, so this applies across the consolidated government -- but not in Broussard, Carencro, Duson, Scott, Youngsville or Milton, which are separate municipalities.
Violations & Fines
Noise control officers or any law enforcement officer with jurisdiction can cite violators; any major violation, or an uncorrected minor one, carries a minimum $150 fine under Sec. 1-9, and any enforcement agency may immediately terminate an ongoing violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this curfew apply outside the City of Lafayette?
Can I mow my lawn before 7 a.m.?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lafayette Parish
How Lafayette Parish compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Lafayette Parish to another location·View the Louisiana noise ordinances overview
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