New York, NY Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in New York, NY, 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
- NYC Admin. Code Sec. 24-218 (General prohibitions)
- Nighttime Standard
- 7 dB(A) over ambient, 10 p.m.-7 a.m.
- Enforcement
- DEP and NYPD; report via 311
- Citywide Curfew
- None - standard is 'unreasonable noise'
Summary
New York City has no blanket 'quiet hours' curfew, but the Noise Code's general prohibition (Admin. Code Sec. 24-218) makes it unlawful to make any unreasonable noise, and it sets a stricter nighttime threshold: device-attributable sound more than 7 dB(A) above ambient between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. is presumptively unlawful.
No person shall make, continue or cause or permit to be made or continued any unreasonable noise. Unreasonable noise shall include but shall not be limited to sound, attributable to any device, that exceeds the following prohibited noise levels: ... Sound, other than impulsive sound, attributable to the source, measured at a level of 7 dB(A) or more above the ambient sound level at or after 10:00 p.m. and before 7:00 a.m.
Full Breakdown
The NYC Noise Code is codified in Title 24, Chapter 2 of the Administrative Code and is enforced by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the NYPD; 311 routes complaints to the appropriate agency, with NYPD handling most 'neighbor-to-neighbor' complaints. Rather than a single curfew, the Code uses a 'plainly audible' and decibel-over-ambient framework. Under Section 24-218 'General prohibitions,' no person shall make, continue, or cause or permit to be made or continued any unreasonable noise. Unreasonable noise expressly includes device-attributable sound that exceeds the prohibited noise levels in the section, including sound (other than impulsive sound) measured at 7 dB(A) or more above the ambient sound level at or after 10:00 p.m. and before 7:00 a.m., as measured within a receiving property or 15 feet or more from the source on a public right-of-way.
Source-specific nighttime standards reinforce this: commercial music must not exceed 42 dB(A) inside a receiving residence at any time (Sec. 24-231), animal noise has a tighter 5-minute nighttime trigger (Sec. 24-235), and refuse-collection vehicles face an 80 dB cap between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. near residences. DEP advises residents to keep televisions, stereos, and instruments at reasonable volume 'especially at night and in the early morning.'
Violations & Fines
Unreasonable-noise violations are returnable to the NYC Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH)/Environmental Control Board. Civil penalties run on a tiered schedule per Sec. 24-257; unreasonable-noise summonses commonly carry penalties in the hundreds of dollars per offense, with higher amounts for nighttime (10 p.m.-7 a.m.) violations and escalating penalties for repeat offenses.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the legal quiet hours in New York City?
Who do I call about a noisy neighbor at night?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New York
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