New Britain, CT Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in New Britain, CT, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Nighttime hours
- 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. (to 9 a.m. Sun.)
- Residential night limit
- 45 dBA, audible 100 ft max
- Daytime residential limit
- audible 300 ft max
- Code section
- §§ 16-102, 16-105(b)
- First-offense fine
- up to $50.00, § 16-108
- Continuing violation
- $99.00 per additional day
Summary
New Britain defines nighttime hours as 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. (9:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. into Sunday) and cuts allowable noise sharply once they start. Sec. 16-105 lets a residence's sound carry only 100 feet beyond the property line at night, versus 300 feet by day, and the Chapter 16 zone table drops every decibel ceiling for the night hours too.
Nighttime hours: The hours between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Sunday evening through Saturday morning and between 9:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. Saturday evening through Sunday morning. ... (b)Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, it shall be unlawful for any person to emit or cause to be emitted from a residence any noise that is audible more than three hundred (300) feet beyond the property lines of his/her premises during daytime hours or more than one hundred (100) feet beyond the property lines of his/her premises during nighttime hours.
Full Breakdown
The Noise Control Ordinance in Chapter 16, adopted in 1996 and amended in 2000, does not impose a blanket curfew but instead tightens the numbers once nighttime hours begin. Sec. 16-102 defines nighttime hours as 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Sunday evening through Saturday morning, and 9:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. Saturday evening through Sunday morning, giving Sunday an extra two hours of quiet. Sec. 16-105(a) sets a zone-based decibel table measured about one foot beyond the property line: a Class A (residential) emitter may be heard at up to 55 dBA by another residential receptor by day but only 45 dBA at night, and even noise crossing from a commercial (Class B) or industrial (Class C) emitter into a residential receptor drops to 45 dBA overnight.
Sec. 16-105(b) adds a distance-based backstop specifically for residences: noise from a home audible more than 300 feet beyond the property line during daytime hours is unlawful, and that distance shrinks to just 100 feet during nighttime hours. Measurements are taken with an ANSI S1.4-1971 sound-level meter under the procedure in Sec. 16-103. Sec. 16-106 exempts natural phenomena, emergency vehicles, permitted construction and demolition during daytime hours, snow removal, and lawn equipment used on residential property between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Sec. 16-108 fixes the penalty at a fine not exceeding $50.00 per violation, rising to $99.00 for each day a violation continues after a correction order, and Sec.
16-109 lets a resident or business apply to the board of police commissioners for a variance if the standard creates an unreasonable hardship and public health is not endangered.
Violations & Fines
A first violation of the Chapter 16 noise standards, including the tighter nighttime limits, is punishable by a fine of up to $50.00 under Sec. 16-108(a). If the violation continues after an order to correct it, each additional day is treated as a separate offense carrying a $99.00 fine, and vehicle-noise violations under Sec. 16-107 are fined $99.00 per instance from the start.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do New Britain's nighttime noise limits start?
How far can noise from my house travel at night in New Britain?
What is the fine for violating New Britain's quiet hours?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Britain
How New Britain compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare New Britain to another location·View the Connecticut noise ordinances overview
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