Lowell, MA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Lowell, MA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Code Section
- Lowell Code Sec. 204-3 (Sound-level limits)
- Residential night limit
- 40 dB(A), 10:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m. (single/two-family)
- Residential evening limit
- 45 dB(A), 6:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
- Interior unit-to-unit night limit
- 35 dB(A), 10:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m. (Sec. 204-3D)
- Enforcement
- Police Department and Health Department (Sec. 204-6)
Summary
Lowell Code Chapter 204, Section 204-3 sets district-based dBA limits keyed to time of day. In single- and two-family residential districts the limit drops to 40 dB(A) from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. (45 dB(A) in the 6 PM-10 PM evening band, 50 dB(A) daytime).
It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or cause to be operated any single or combination of fixed source or nonstationary source equipment or machinery or to conduct any other activity or process that individually or collectively constitutes an identifiable sound source in such a manner as to cause the sound level at any point on the real property boundary of any property to exceed by five decibels or more the sound-level limits set forth below: Single-Family / Two-Family / SSF, TSF, TTF, USF - 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. 50; 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. 45; 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. 40. Multifamily / Neighborhood Business / SMF, TMF, NB, UMF - 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. 60; 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. 55; 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. 50.
Full Breakdown
Lowell does not use a single citywide curfew; instead Section 204-3 (Sound-level limits, 'Limits established,' added 3-28-2006) of Chapter 204 fixes maximum sound levels at the real-property boundary by zoning district and time of day. m. Multifamily and Neighborhood Business districts run 60/55/50 dB(A) across the same three bands, and industrial districts as high as 70 dB(A) by day. ). ' Over-arching all of this, Section 204-4A independently prohibits any unlawful noise that 'annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of any reasonable person of normal sensitivity residing in the area,' so a violation need not be metered.
Violations & Fines
First violation: written warning requiring cessation within 10 minutes (Section 204-6A(4)). Second or subsequent violation: $100 fine per offense, enforceable by noncriminal disposition under MGL c. 40, Section 21D; each day is a separate violation (Section 204-6A(5)). Police and Health Departments enforce.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the nighttime noise limit in a Lowell residential neighborhood?
Is there a general noise rule even when nobody has a sound meter?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lowell
How Lowell compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Lowell to another location·View the Massachusetts noise ordinances overview
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Quiet Hours in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle quiet hours.