Marion County, OR Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Marion County, OR, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Quiet hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- County code
- MCC 8.45.050 / 8.45.060
- Standard
- Plainly audible in neighbor's dwelling
- Salem citywide rule
- SRC 93.010
- Enforcement
- Sheriff / code enforcement officer
Summary
Marion County's noise ordinance protects nighttime quiet between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Sound that is plainly audible inside a neighbor's dwelling during those hours is unlawful in unincorporated areas. Incorporated cities like Salem apply their own code (SRC 93.010).
Is plainly audible at any time between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following day within a dwelling unit that is not the source of the sound.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 1489, passed April 15, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Marion County Code 8.45 governs noise in unincorporated areas. Under MCC 8.45.050, sound that is plainly audible between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. inside a dwelling unit that is not the source is prohibited. Inside the Salem-Keizer urban growth boundary, MCC 8.45.060(C) separately bars any 'noise disturbance' and any plainly-audible amplified sound during those same hours. Salem's own code (SRC 93.010) makes it unlawful to create or continue any noise disturbance citywide. 'Noise disturbance' means unreasonable sound that annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers others.
Violations & Fines
Violations of MCC 8.45.050/8.45.060 are Class A violations under ORS Chapter 153, enforced by the Marion County Sheriff. In Salem, a first offense is an infraction; a repeat within six months is a misdemeanor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Marion County's quiet hours?
Does the county rule apply inside Salem?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Marion County
How Marion County compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Marion County to another location·View the Oregon noise ordinances overview
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