Loudoun County, VA Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Loudoun County, VA, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- General rule
- No sound audible in a neighbor's closed dwelling
- Trash/refuse curfew
- 9 p.m.–6 a.m. within 100 yards
- Lawn equipment curfew
- 9 p.m.–7 a.m.
- Construction curfew
- 9 p.m.–7 a.m. (9 a.m. weekends/holidays)
- First offense
- Class 3 misdemeanor, up to $500
- Repeat offense
- Escalates to Class 2 then Class 1
Summary
Loudoun County's noise ordinance bars any sound audible and discernible inside a neighbor's closed residence at any hour, and layers on specific nighttime curfews: refuse collection, lawn equipment, model vehicles and amplified sound are all restricted overnight, generally 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.
No person shall permit, operate, or cause any source of sound or sound generation to create a sound that is audible and discernible in any other person's residential dwelling with the doors and windows to that other person's residential dwelling closed. ... (1) The sound generated by the collection of refuse, waste, or recycling in residential areas and/or within 100 yards of a residence between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. (2) The operation of power lawn or landscaping equipment between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
Full Breakdown
02 of the Codified Ordinances declares it County policy to prevent sounds "hazardous to the public health, welfare, peace and safety" while preserving First Amendment rights. 02(c) bars any person from operating a sound source that creates a sound "audible and discernible in any other person's residential dwelling with the doors and windows to that other person's residential dwelling closed": a round-the-clock standard, not limited to nighttime. on Saturdays, Sundays and federal holidays). , house-of-worship bells and chimes, emergency work, and County-sponsored events. 02 is a Class 3 misdemeanor.
Violations & Fines
Section 654.99(a) makes any violation of § 654.02 a Class 3 misdemeanor punishable by up to $500 per offense, with each day the violation occurs or continues counted as a separate offense; § 654.02(f)(1) escalates a repeat violator to a Class 2 misdemeanor within six months of a prior conviction and a Class 1 misdemeanor within a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Loudoun County's quiet hours?
Is there an exception for early morning lawn care?
What's the penalty for a first noise violation in Loudoun County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Loudoun County
How Loudoun County compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Loudoun County to another location·View the Virginia noise ordinances overview
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